OTU Regional Representative Update

March 2012

The 2012 season is in full-swing, with several important events behind us, including last weekend’s OTU Oceania Triathlon Championships in Devonport (Australia) which served as a London 2012 Olympic qualification event.

The OTU Council has been busily planning and preparing for the 2012 Oceania season, as well as development planning for the region.  We have been working with host National Federations on improved marketing and branding of Oceania events, as well as having representation at each OTU event by an OTU Council member.

We are delighted to announce two more events on the 2012 Oceania calendar, prior to the ITU World Championships Grand Final in Auckland NZ:  an inaugural OTU Oceania Cup in Tahiti in September, and the Oceania Duathlon Championships in South Australia’s Barossa in October.  Next year the OTU Council also hope to have an Oceania Team Relay Championships in the region.

2012 OTU Congress, Auckland

The 2012 Oceania Triathlon Union Congress will be on Friday 19^th October in Auckland, at the ITU World Triathlon Championships.

A full event schedule for the Barfoot & Thompson World Triathlon Grand Final is available at http://auckland.triathlon.org/   Important dates to note are:

19^th July – OTU Congress notice, OTU Council nomination forms, proposed agenda, and proposed OTU Constitution changes circulated to current financial member National Federations

Fri 19^th October – OTU Congress and OTU Council elections

Sat 20^th October – U23 Men and Women’s triathlons, Elite Women’s Triathlon

Sun 21^st October – Junior Women and Men’s Triathlons, Elite Men’s Triathlon

Mon 22^nd October – Age Group sprint Champs, Age Group standard World Champs, ParaTriathlon

Tues 23^rd October – ITU Congress

OTU Constitution Update

The OTU Council are drafting a revised OTU Constitution from its current structure of President, a Vice President and ITU Oceania Representative on the ITU E-Board.  The recommendation is to remain with a three member Council, with revised positions of an OTU President/Regional Representative on the ITU E-Board and two Vice-Presidents.  The OTU Council shall not comprise more than one representative from any one member federation.

The proposed changed OTU Constitution will be circulated at least 3 months prior to the OTU Congress on 19^th October 2012.

Subsidy for OTU NFs to attend OTU Congress and ITU Congress in Auckland

The OTU Council has funding available to assist with travel expenses for a representative from island member National Federations to attend the OTU Congress on the 19^th of October and ITU Congress on the 23^rd of October in Auckland, New Zealand.  Representatives will need to make their own travel and accommodation bookings.  Current financial Member NFs other than AUS and NZL are invited to submit an Expression of Interest for a travel subsidy of up to US$1,000 by email to Jenny.mann@triathlon.org by Friday 30^th March, 2012.  This E of I should include approximate travel costs to and from Auckland and accommodation in Auckland, a proposed NF representative to attend the OTU Congress and ITU Congress, and proposed travel dates.  The travel subsidy will be paid by OTU in Auckland following full attendance by the NF representative at both the OTU Congress and ITU Congress.       

2012 Oceania Events Calendar – Remaining Events

Full details of all events appear on the Oceania Triathlon Union website http://otu.triathlon.org 

·   OTU Oceania Premium Cup, Mooloolaba (AUS) and
ITU World Cup, Mooloolaba (AUS)
24 & 25 March

·   Dextro Energy ITU WCS Triathlon, Sydney (AUS)
15 April

·   OTU Oceania Cup, Tahiti*
16 September

·   OTU Oceania Duathlon Championships, Barossa* (AUS) 
7 October

·   Dextro Energy ITU WCS Grand Final Triathlon, Auckland (NZL)
14 – 22 October

(* New OTU Event)

Oceania Website

To encourage member federations and individual members to access the Oceania Triathlon Union website http://otu.triathlon.org, the Regional Representative’s updates are available on the news page of this website.  Please distribute this information to your members.  We also encourage member federations to make a link to the OTU website on their home page of your own website. 

Juliet Fahey Re-appointed as OTU Technical Liaison

The Oceania Triathlon Union is pleased to announce the re-appointment of Juliet Fahey from New Zealand as the OTU Technical Liaison for the period 2012 - 2013. Thank you to all people who nominated for this position.

Juliet is an experienced international technical official and will continue to work closely with the ITU Events department and OTU regarding appointments of Technical Officials for Oceania events, and assist in technical education program coordination in the region.  Juliet will have regular updates on the OTU website http://otu.triathlon.org, and can be contacted on email at julietoceania@xtra.co.nz

Terry Sheldrake Re-appointed as OTU Development Coordinator

The Oceania Triathlon Union is pleased to announce the re-appointment of Terry Sheldrake from New Zealand as the OTU Sport Development Coordinator for 2012.

Terry will continue to work closely with ITU Development and the OTU Council to deliver the 2012 Oceania Sport Development Strategic Plan.   The plan includes a proposed ITU Level 1 Coaching Course in Fiji this month and a proposed ITU Level 1 Technical Course in Tahiti in September prior to the OTU Oceania Cup.  Terry will continue to report on our sport development courses and programs on the OTU website http://otu.triathlon.org.  He can be contacted on email at terry.sheldrake@triathlon.org

My husband and I are expecting our 4^th child to arrive in late April.  Please contact the OTU President, Mr Geoff Stoddart by email at braffe@oyster.net.ck or mrpossum01@hotmail.com for any OTU matters in April and May.  I greatly look forward to catching up with your NF representative in Auckland in October!

cheers

Jenny Mann

ITU Oceania Representative
Jenny.Mann@triathlon.org