Athletes all trained up but nowhere to go

Relaxing in isolation: Tayler (left) and Andrew Reid out mountain biking during self-isolation in Gisborne after Tayler's return from the Mooloolaba Triathlon World Cup event in March. Picture courtesy of Andrew Reid

As sports around New Zealand continue to restart, some global codes are still suffering from the full force of Covid-19 with no easy end in sight.

Local triathlete Tayler Reid has raced only twice this year. His last race was in March at Mooloolaba, where he placed 12th.

Compare that with the same time last year, where he had competed 12 times.

The Olympic qualification points he received for Mooloolaba were also rescinded after complaints were lodged that several athletes could not attend due to travel restrictions from their countries.

Reid says the effects of Covid-19 have forced a huge change in his life.

“For the last six years I would be (racing) in Europe right now . . . it's a huge shift.”

He said that without competition it was challenging to find motivation to continue training at such a high level.

“Athletes are goal-driven, but what's our target now? We don't even know when we'll be racing.”

Reid's focus is on what he can control, his training.

In an attempt to keep it fresh and interesting, he is planning to race in the Athletics NZ Cross Country Championships in August, and has been competing in virtual cycling races online.

He and several of his high-performance colleagues have just spent three days in Rotorua mountain biking, another way they are trying to break up the monotony of training.

“I have to keep myself focused, make use of this time to work on weaknesses,” he said.

The run-up to the Olympics has also been difficult for Triathlon New Zealand. No race results meant no easy way to select athletes vying for places at the Toyko Olympics in 2021.

Triathlon New Zealand high-performance trainer Stephen Sheldrake, from Gisborne, said four men and four women were now at the level of potential Olympic selection.

New Zealand had an outside chance to have three representatives in both the male and female disciplines if they performed well, but they had “four positions on paper”.

Team members were initially meant to be announced in April but a selection process that took into account the pandemic effects had yet to be decided.

“We are still taking it day by day.”

World Triathlon Series organisers were trying to hold a condensed season in Europe but it was not clear whether New Zealand athletes would be able to take part.

Issues with travel insurance, athlete safety and the difficulties of training while in isolation had been obstacles to New Zealand athletes wanting to compete overseas, Sheldrake said.

Gisborne district councillor Terry Sheldrake also sits on the World Triathalon board. He said he voted against the proposal for a condensed season because he thought Oceanic athletes would not be able to compete.

“It has to be a fair playing field,” he said.

“I can't support something our athletes can't attend.”

The board had started meeting weekly over Zoom to work on the ongoing issues surrounding its Covid-19 response, including the establishment of a financial crisis committee, he said.

“Sponsors are not getting any exposure and we are renegotiating all of those (deals).”

He said the board estimated that event cancellations had cost $2 million in lost income.