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Looking for Clues: Looking for a European Winter teamTBB Home Base

December 08, 2011 - Filed under: teamTBB

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It has been a while since I've written. I know I owe all you readers an overview of the racing in Hawaii at this year's world championships. But I have nothing much positive to say about it so have not yet been able to find the motivation to put pen to paper.

But what I have been doing is listening. And I have heard the calls for teamTBB training camps. The over whelming success of our online coaching patrons this year has made our next move a necessity. So over the next year,we will be looking to establish winter home bases in Europe, Asia, and the USA which will serve as our camp headquarters.

With this in mind, I have been taking the time to road test possible winter venues around Europe. Most European triathletes have heard and visited Lanzarote, Majorca, Ibiza, Tenerife as great training grounds for Europeans during the winter months. But at teamTBB, the team and I have a philosophy of family needs to be included in one's triathlon journey for it to be a wholistic success. With this in mind, I set out to find somewhere that has brilliant riding, great running, and a good climate within summer to be a possible simulation of Hawaii. But that also has a wide range of other activities for family members. Being with the Swiss federation has afforded me the opportunity to visit Gran Canaria for a short camp last year. (This was the secret training location of one Natasha Badman) After exploring the island, I was amazed to find not many triathletes at all on the island. So I decided to come back this November and organized a little Swiss and teamTBB Camp to fully road test Gran Canaria as a possible place where we will put up the teamTBB flag to call home not just for pros but all European age groupers.

We think we have found a low key warm training getaway from the harsh European winter. The camp has been an overwhelming success. So much so that the Doc has sent for his boss Fifi to give it the once over for the family aspect. In addition, all the athletes are so pleased with the venue, ease of travel, and price to get here from all over Europe. The two biggest budget airlines fly from all over Europe to Gran Canaria. So I can say confidently if the real boss Fifi gives it the thumbs up then teamTBB will work to establish its winter base providing camps from September as a Hawaii camp to winter break camps in November and December and then from February to April for early season preparation.

The best announcement I have left to last. This camp won't be staffed by anybody with a sports degree but a line-up of great current and former athletes that will help guide you in training every day. We are thrilled to announce that the Iron-couple Stephen and Bella Bayliss will be rejoining teamTBB and will set up base in our winter camp. Stephen and Bella will provide their years of experience to all the Brits and Scotts wishing to get away from the harsh weather up north and do some training with legends from our sport. Likewise, Lisbeth Kristenson former World long course champion after the birth of Jacob will in 2012 be taking up coaching position with our online team. She will be leading and coordinating the winter camps for the Scandinavian countries. Over the next few months, we will be adding established coaches from Germany, Switzerland, and France to our team. They will cater to the athletes from their countries and work to coordinate camps to best serve those countries athletes.

Further details will be coming in the new year once we have made the necessary arrangements. I am very excited as this will be a further step for teamTBB to again add value to the age-group triathletes' experience. From training to racing, we want to offer age-group triathletes the best coaching at the best venues in the best weather at the best price.

I will keep you posted on Fifi's verdict (she is the real boss) as every triathlete and the Doc knows, a happy wife and family makes for great training, fast racing, and a happy Doc.