Grenfell mother and daughter Jane Ryder and Sarah Armstrong jet off to Europe this week to take part in the 2017 International Triathlon Union World Championships.
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Members of the Cowra Triathlon Club, Jane and Sarah will be joined by fellow Cowra Triathlon Club members Trish Foxall, Andrew Fisher and David and Bronwyn Porter as part of the Australian team competing in the International Triathlon Union world titles.
All are members of the Sprint team which will compete in age group categories over a course which includes a 750m open water swim, a 20km bike ride and a 5km run.
Speaking of their selection Sarah Armstrong said it was special for her and mum Jane to be able to compete in an Australian team.
“That’s my focus, to be able to do it together.
“I guess it’s not usual for parents and children to qualify together in the same year, doing the same sport,” Sarah said.
Jane and Sarah are relative newcomers to the sport being members of the Cowra Triathlon Club for the past two seasons, often travelling from Grenfell to Cowra on a Friday evening for club nights.
“When I first did one I thought swim, ride, run, no way,” Jane said of the sport.
“But then I did the first one and I thought I can’t wait for the next one.
“Sarah made me try out (for the Australian team) and honestly I was sick for both the qualifying races I did in Canberra and Kurnell.
“I’ve loved every minute of it, it’s been great,” Jane said.
Sarah finished second and sixth in her two qualifying events but says she was happier with her sixth placing Kurnell than she was the Canberra podium finish.
“It was a much stronger race,” Sarah said.
Qualifying commenced with a race in Adelaide before further qualifiers in Canberra, Kurnell and then Melbourne.
Fisher and Armstrong finished the qualifying series with podium finishes, Sarah finishing second in a qualifying event in Canberra and Andrew third in an event in Adelaide.
Confident they had accumulated enough points to make the team they all took a break from the sport from March before receiving official notification in May that they were on the plane for Rotterdam.
Meeting up in Cowra before flying out this week all of the team agreed that they are excited about representing Cowra, Grenfell and Australia and are looking forward to warmer conditions in Rotterdam, even though it will be early Autumn when they arrive for their event, which will be held on Sunday, September 17.
Dave Porter will compete in the 45 to 49 year division, Andrew Fisher in the 50 to 54 division, Bron Porter in the 40 to 44 division, Trish Foxall in the 45 to 49 division, Jane Ryder in the 50 to 54 division and Sarah Armstrong in the 30 to 34 division.
Best of luck to all our Aussie competitors.