As the sport of Paratriathlon moves closer and closer to inclusion in the 2016 Rio Summer Paralympic Games, CAF is ramping up its efforts to grow participation in Paratriathlon and to create new opportunities for those with physical disabilities to enjoy it. These goals were the driving spirit behind CAF’s first-ever Paratriathlon Camp, held Aug. 20-22 in San Diego, CA, where a total of 23 amputee athletes from across the United States (including two from Canada) enjoyed a fully supported, two-and-a-half day technical camp led by some of the sport’s most elite coaches and mentors.
The CAF Paratriathlon Camp – which was free to participating athletes, including all meals, lodging and travel expenses – provided comprehensive classroom and functional education in the sport of Paratriathlon and participating athletes (most of whom were in the beginner to intermediate range) received world-class instruction from coaches like Peter Harsch, Sergio Borges, Mark Sortino, Paul Huddle, Brian Frasure and Alan Voisard, and from veteran, successful athlete mentors like Willie Stewart, Jon Beeson and Amy Dodson. The camp served as the Official USA Paratriathlon Training Camp and U.S. Paralympics was a partner of the CAF Paratriathlon Camp.
“Our goal was to help these athletes make Paratriathlon a sport for life, so it can continue to develop and grow” said Roy Perkins, CAF’s Senior Director of Programs and Strategic Development. “We see CAF’s role as providing the tools that challenged athletes need to succeed. Sometimes that is a piece of equipment, sometimes it is a camp like this one.”
Over the two and half days, athletes immersed themselves in the technical elements of triathlon, learning about: building and executing a training plan, proper pre-, during and post-race nutrition, proper equipment set-up, what constitutes proper form on the swim, bike and run, the specific rules of Paratriathlon, and race strategy. The campers also completed training sessions in the pool, on the bike and on the track.
“The CAF Paratriathlon Camp was all about the fundamentals,” said Creighton Wong, an above-knee amputee from Danville, CA. “Triathlon is a sport that requires a lot of training and preparation, but that has to be done properly. For amputees, proper fundamentals are particularly important since you are melding the athlete’s physical characteristics with the mechanical elements of a prosthetic. Learning how to do that in the most efficient way possible is paramount to meeting your goals.”
Based on the success of the initial effort, CAF is now exploring holding an annual Paratriathlon camp that would be open to the all the paratriathlon disability classes. “We are very excited by all the positive feedback we’ve gotten from this first camp,” said Perkins. “We are in the process of figuring out how we can make it bigger and better next year.”
Lt. Colonel Timothy Karcher — a decorated war hero as well as dedicated father and husband — is taking his first steps to getting back to an active lifestyle. Just a few months after sustaining his injuries, Lt. Colonel Karcher was introduced to the Challenged Athletes Foundation®(CAF) when he attended the 2009 San Diego Triathlon Challenge(SDTC) with his family. “The San Diego Triathlon Challenge showed both my family and I what was possible,” says Karcher. “It helped us all to see how I would be able to return to a normal life.”
