Team Reid

Tayler Reid

TAYLER Reid’s coach could not have been happier despite his charge “backing off” on his way to third in the junior men’s race at the ITU world series round in Edmonton, Canada.

“With no disrespect to the event, the big one — the world champs in Chicago — is 12 days away,” said Stephen Sheldrake.

“No one is going to remember where he finished in Canada. The worlds is the pinnacle and from a coach’s point of view, Tayler did everything that was asked of him.

“I wanted him to hold something in reserve for the worlds next week, which was always going to be hard for Tayler. He wants to win every race, and with two kilometres of the run to go, he was in front but backed off.”

Reid led after the 750-metre swim and 20km cycle but eased off in the 5km run to finish 17 seconds adrift of winner Matthew Hauser of Australia and a few seconds behind runner-up Charles Pasquet of Canada.

“Speaking to him after the race, he told me he felt he could have won,” said Sheldrake. “To do what he did shows me he’s is growing up as an athlete.

“It’s important to have something in reserve for next week. It was an eight-out-of-10 race. We want 10 out of 10 next week.

“The calibre of the athletes he was competing against was good but next week is another step up. The Europeans athletes are the ones to beat.”

Reid is likely to have one of the biggest support crews when he competes in Chicago.

“I’ve got 15 family members going and all of them will be wearing T shirts with ‘Team Reid’ on them,” said Reid, who is in his last year as an under-19 competitor.

“It’s going to be awesome. It really gives you a lift when you hear people shouting out your name and encouraging you. No matter how I’m doing I know they’ll be cheering me on. Hopefully I can give them something to cheer about.”

Support from GisborneReid’s grandparents — Doug and Marilyn Callahan and John and Margaret Reid — won’t be making the 13,400km trip but mother Jackie says her son knows he will have their full support from this side of the world.

His step-mum, Bronwyn Reid, said John and Margaret had been to watch Tayler at previous world champs in London and Edmonton.

“It’s our turn,” she joked. “While they would love to go, they’re happy to let the rest of the family have their turn. We (the family) had talked about a holiday in America — taking in Washington, New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orlando and Hawaii — so when Tayler was selected to compete in the world champs in Chicago we decided it would be great to be there for him, especially as it is his last chance as a junior.

“There’s 13 of us going from Gisborne and we’ll be joined by my brother (Stuart) and his son (Ty), who live in Australia.”

Jackie and Shane will also be racing at the world champs, the second time the trio have competed as a family.

Shane, who has raced in four world champs, will contest the age group standard course race (1.5 kilometre swim/40km bike/10km run) in the 45-49 years age group.

Jackie (40-44yrs) will take on the aquathlon (750km swim/5km run), as well as the age group sprint race (750km swim/20km bike/5km run).

Doing two events is taxing enough but Jackie has also been recovering from a fatigue illness for over a year.

“I’m coming right but training has been a battle at times and not always enjoyable. The training helps me in my job (intensive care paramedic) and I just figure if I’m going all that way to Chicago I might as well compete in the two events.”

Jackie is racing on Thursday, September 17 (NZ time) and Friday, September 18.

Tayler’s race is later in the day on the Friday and Shane’s is on Sunday (September 20).

“It’s Tayler’s final race as a junior and we hope he does well,” said Jackie. “We’re all very proud of him.”

Jackie, a bronze medallist at the 1988 world age group trampoline champs in Texas, said she did not regard herself as a top athlete.

“I’ve no pretensions of being in the top of my age-group in either event. I’m the least competitive of the three of us but I am proud to represent New Zealand and will try to do my best.”