C6 Tuesday, August 20, 2013
FITNESS & WELL-BEING Triathlon clubs offer a chance for amateur athletes and children to train with champions, writes Rachel Jacqueline Triathlons are considered one of the toughest challenges in sport. Photos: ChopSticksDiary
THE BIG
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o the casual observer, a triathlon seems like a torture fest. It’s an exhausting combination of swimming, cycling and running, interrupted by a flurry of transitions. But that hasn’t fazed the thousands of Hongkongers who take part in triathlons each year. Hong Kong’s triathlon association has 2,500 members and is growing, says Fenella Ng, executive committee member of the Hong Kong Triathlon Association. “Membership has increased by around 10 per cent every year since 2008. We now have 31 affiliated clubs and the HK ITU and Age-Group race held annually at Disneyland has a sell-out capacity of 2,000 entries,” she says. “There is a growing participation across the board: children, adults, corporate relay and, more recently, the introduction of the para-triathlon.” Joining a triathlon club is a great way to become acquainted with the local fraternity, get coaching and find training buddies. Here are a few that are making waves in Hong Kong’s triathlon scene – and details on how you can become part of it. TRITONS TRIATHLON CLUB tritonstriathlon.com and hku.hk/ihp/triathlon Striking a balance between scientific training and having fun is the philosophy of the Tritons Triathlon Club. Founded in 2008 by former Olympians Annemarie Munk, Fenella Ng and Michael Tse, the club is firmly rooted in performance. “We pride ourselves on top quality coaching and education, as well as providing a balanced approach to suit athletes of all calibres,” says Tse, a performance coach. “We provide an environment where we really want our members to learn to improve to reach their goals.” Most of the Tritons train together through the club’s affiliated triathlon training programme based at the Institute of Human Performance at University of Hong Kong’s Pok Fu Lam campus. The partnership provides members with access to coaching, scientific testing, seminars and performance clinics. But there’s also a seriously social side to the group, with many get-togethers held throughout the year. Training, socialising, and travelling to training camps and races add to the camaraderie, says Ng, the swimming coach and club president. “The Tritons really train and compete hard, but having fun is also a big part of it,” she says. “Being part of a triathlon team is very rewarding in terms of support from teammates, and it’s a great way to meet like-
LEAGUE
There’s some unbelievable talent here … they really apply themselves ANDREW WRIGHT, COACH AND ATHLETE
motivated and want to achieve something,” says Tse. “But ultimately, it’s not only about the podium; it’s about individuals challenging themselves to be the best they can be.”
minded people,” adds Tse, who believes it’s the club atmosphere that drives the Tritons’ success. “Our club consistently ranks among the top few age-group teams in Hong Kong and many of our members succeed at international age-group triathlons of all distances from the Olympics to Ironman.” Most of the Tritons’ 200 members are professionals in their 30s and 40s; they are a driven lot who all have one thing in common: a hunger for improvement. “Most of our members are extremely
HOPE SPORT ASSOCIATION hopesport.com Inspired by the 2008 Beijing Olympics, lifelong friends Marie-Christine Lee and Linda Cheng established the Sports For Hope Foundation to support the next generation of young athletes. Funded by the foundation, the Hope Sport Association offers a quality triathlon training schedule for underprivileged children. “We believe in giving everyone the equal opportunity to explore their potential despite their financial situation,” says head coach Lewis Lam. Open to any child aged between eight and 16, the initiative includes a subsidised training programme, with access to equipment and gear.
Technical ability is not a prerequisite to join. “We can train them to be able to take part in triathlons,” Lam says. “The most important thing is that they are interested in sport and, in particular, triathlons.” Hope Sport triathletes can train up to six days a week at venues in Kowloon Tong and Sha Tin and regularly take part in local competitions. Thirty children they trained took part in the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 10-kilometre race this year. “Youngsters have so much potential in sport,” says Lam. “They have the time and energy to be developed, both physically and mentally. “The most significant improvement I see in the children is in their mental strength, followed by physical strength. They’re more positive after training and feel more confident.” (Membership subject to interview.)
club which ranked seventh in performance among Hong Kong’s 30 triathlon clubs last year. Almost all members found out about the club through word of mouth. “My old coach and a friend who was a member recommended it to me,” says new member Jonathan Zamora. “I work near Wan Chai and the cost was reasonable, so I thought it all made sense. I’m really enjoying it.”
Co-founded 10 years ago by ex-national triathlete Kenneth Yip and distance runner Kent Wong, Sonic began as a way to offer high-performance training in the heart of the city. “I wanted to share triathlon with the office guys,” says Yip. “They work long hours, so I wanted them to be able to practise and benefit from my experience training as an elite triathlete in a convenient location.” Back then, Sonic comprised only 10 beginners. Today, the club boasts 150 registered members, 50 of which train actively, and 10 junior athletes
from the National B Squad trained by Yip. Two times a week, they train at the Wan Chai sports complex in both running and swimming. The weekends are dedicated to cycling and brick training (combining the different sports together in one intense workout) in Shek O. “It’s a combination of beginners, those looking for fitness and those looking to train up for races,” says Hui. “We are a very friendly club, very easy-going,” he adds. “It’s about self-improvement and having fun – performance comes second. However, when we do well, we celebrate.” It’s a modest approach for a
SONIC TRIATHLON GROUP sonicsports.org.hk The Sonic Sports Association is more like a family than a triathlon group, says club secretary Charles Hui. “We train together, race together, travel overseas together and even eat together – you often see each other more than your family members,” adds fellow club secretary Gigi Leung.
26 COACHING – YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME 26coaching.com Leading the way in elite triathlon training and youth development is 26 Coaching. The brainchild of national triathlete and former U23 Asian champion Andrew Wright, the organisation has really made a mark on the triathlon scene in Hong Kong since it was established a year ago. Wright offers elite training to a handful of clients, including Kate Rutherford and Olaf Kasten, the best non-professional “agegroupers” in Asia, as well as youth training for 100 children, up to seven days a week. “The community aspect is a huge thing. It’s a great atmosphere and everyone’s pushing for great results,” he says. Wright is joined on his coaching team by Rutherford and Zeco Wan. Plugging what Wright considers a huge gap in youth triathlon training on Hong Kong Island, he recently established a fully supported Youth Development Squad. His intention is to turn his hand-picked athletes into future Olympians. They train with Wright up to seven days a week, free of charge, and are also offered kits and nutrition sponsors. “There’s some unbelievable talent here in Hong Kong,” says Wright. “I think people here push very hard from a young age. There’s that kind of mentality – when they do something, they really apply themselves.” Wright’s selection represents not just the best, but the most committed young triathletes in the city. “Some people are naturally talented, but that will only take you to a certain level. If you look at any triathlete who is any good, they will be training a lot.” At present, there are seven athletes on the programme, and Wright would like to see the number grow. “We’d like to grow the programme to as big as we can. We wanted to cap it at 10, but our main goal is to build young local athletes who can compete at an international level. The more the better, as long as the commitment is there.” life@scmp.com
Experts split hairs over kicking the shampoo habit .............................................
with softer substances. Think diluted, plain baking soda, white or raw apple cider vinegar and essential oils like sweet orange or tea tree. Despite its squeaky-clean Commercial hair care marketing image, shampoo products just inflame her son’s has a snake oil side. So say scalp, she says. Cappucci proponents of the “no poo regards such shampoos as movement”. unnecessary and costly. Regular shampooing is After its detergents strip counterproductive, they say, because, in reaction, your scalp your scalp of natural oils and just makes more of the natural you apply conditioner to compensate, you just expose oil called sebum – spurring a yourself to harmful chemicals, vicious cycle. she says, singling out “red 40” – The theory goes that you should skip applying industrial among several synthetic dyes said to be carcinogenic – which shampoo and instead enlist a is banned in Europe for its link milder substance. to behavioural problems. Wellness coach Leanna For your first two shampooCappucci embraces that view. Until she adopted the no-poo method six months ago, her six-year-old son Dominic had eczema on his scalp. Within 30 days of kicking the chemical shampoo habit, his scalp was healthy for the first time. The difference was “enormous”, Cappucci says. “There had never been a time that he didn’t have a cracked, peeling, itchy and dry scalp since the day he was born.” LEANNA CAPPUCCI, MOTHER AND COACH Now, she washes his hair David Wilson life@scmp.com
There had never been a time that he didn’t have a cracked, peeling, itchy, dry scalp
free weeks, she warns, you will hate the feel. It takes between 14 and 30 days for your hair to realise that things have changed and you will not be replacing your scalp’s natural oils with fake ones. Then, Cappucci says, your body starts producing and regulating its own natural oils. “Stick with it.” Stylist Andrea Jacobs also advocates the detergentfree hair care approach. Usually, warm or hot water from the shower is enough to rinse away natural body oils and most hair products, Jacobs says, adding that just massaging your scalp with your fingertips conditions the ends. Once Jacobs’ salon clients cut chemicals, they are surprised at how good
their hair looks. Better yet, she says, their hair is easier to style because there is less dryness and fewer split ends. Another perk is less gunk going down the drain and potentially poisoning the water supply. Also, she says, you consume
less plastic packaging. Fellow stylist LaVonne Booker has mixed feelings about the approach, which she has tested. When her hair was free from build-up – or residue from hair care products – it worked reasonably well, she says. She suggests using apple cider vinegar or shampoo that is free from lather-producing sulphates linked with dryness – or worse conditions. A 1983 report in the
American College of Toxicology’s journal showed that concentrations as low as 0.5 per cent of the common shampoo ingredient sodium lauryl sulphate could cause irritation. Concentrations of 10 to 30 per cent caused skin corrosion and severe irritation, the report said. But like many hair care experts, Booker has qualms about spurning synthetic shampoo because, when she wears hairspray, no-poo cleansing attempts leave her hair feeling “nasty”. Focus on keeping both your hair and scalp clean, she says, adding that she sees no harm in using shampoo. Nor does dermatologist Dr Sami Abbasi. “Over-thecounter shampoos are usually harmless,” Abbasi says, adding that unless a person is allergic to an ingredient, they should not cause significant problems. Independent cosmetics chemist Ron Robinson also
finds little fault with regular shampoo. You might want to pass if you have colour-treated or processed hair, or even dry, curly hair, which might mean that regular shampooing worsens the problem, he says. Still, he confirms that shampoo is useful if you have dandruff or oily hair. The faith many experts retain in normal shampoo suggests that the worries about it might be exaggerated. Still, the no poo movement has gained traction, boosted by research with a showbiz twist. Twilight star Robert Pattinson, singers Jessica Simpson and Adele, and Britain’s Prince Harry reportedly don’t habitually use shampoo. After a 2007 interview by Sydney radio host Richard Glover with The Times columnist Matthew Parris, who had skipped shampooing for more than a decade, Glover challenged his a udience to renounce shampoo for six weeks. Of the more than 500 participants in the challenge, 86 per cent said “their hair was either better or the same”.