The course is ideal for anyone who is coaching adults, formally or informally, and is the first step on the NCCP Triathlon Coaching Pathway.  We highly recommend that each club, or group wishing to form a club, send someone to this course as within the next few years it is anticipated that insurance for clubs will be more difficult to get for clubs that don’t have NCCP certified coaches.

Community Course
May 22-25 – 6-9pm every evening at Sport Nova Scotia, in Halifax
$125 for TriNS members (after the $50 discount for members which will be applied at check out of registration), $175 for non-members
Deadline for registering for this course is May 15, 2012
Click here to register for the Community Coaching Course.

Part 2 and 3 Evaluations
May 26-27 – Wolfville
These evaluations are for those coaches who have already started down the NCCP learning pathway and are awaiting evaluations to move up the coaching stream.
$125 for TriNS members ( after the $50 discount for members which will be applied at check out), $175 for non-members.
Deadline for registering for these evaluations is May 12, 2012
Click here to register for either evaluation.

If you have questions on any of these courses please contact Shane MacLeod or the Triathlon Nova Scotia Office.

In this issue of TurnAround we take a bit of a different perspective.  Instead of focussing exclusively on the athlete, we are turning our attention to the parents, friends, spouses, and relatives who often sit on the sidelines and cheer them on.

Everyone has a camera these days from one in his or her phone to an expensive DSLR.  However, when it comes to taking action shots of your hero the results are often disappointing.  We are setting out to remedy this in this issue.  Bruce Berry is a professional photographer and Angela Moore is a videographer who has worked on Hockey Night in Canada, pro soccer, and many more sports events.  Their tips will help set you off in the right direction.  To reinforce these lessons, TurnAround is having a photo contest.  So get off the sidelines, rush to the barricades, and start shooting photos.

In addition, in this volume, we are starting our course descriptions with the first event of the season – the Navy Triathlon in Shearwater.

Taking better action photos

By Bruce Berry

We’ve all seen the army of pros, armed with cameras sprouting three foot lenses, camped at major sports events, or running frantically, cameras held high as they jockey for that one defining image.

Small wonder that our photos don’t quite measure up to Sports Illustrated standards.  Luckily, with running and cycling, spectators
can get much closer to the action, so the average amateur can be quite successful if a few advance measures are taken.

All events have a beginning and an end, so these are the best spots to capture close up images of competitors, emotion, swarms of colourful jerseys, abstract images, etc.

Along a course, the secret is positioning.  Check out several locations in advance, noting the time of day and angle of sunlight at the time of the event.  The action is most chaotic at the start, and always slows down as competitors round a bend or street corner, so pick one that allows the sun to be behind you and shining on the athlete as they come into view.  The bikes will be leaning into the curve, giving a more dynamic picture as well.  As they come towards you, the chance that they will be blurry due to movement is much less than if you try to capture them as they streak by.

The secret to a successful image when that happens is called “panning”, which can be done with any camera.  As the athlete passes by, position them in the centre of the viewfinder in advance and keep them there as they pass, squeezing the shutter as you continue to move the camera.  This will render the subject sharp while creating a streaked background, giving the feeling of motion in the image.  Again, it’s better if you have the sun behind you rather than shoot into it as the athlete passes.  Practice this before the actual event to
ensure you know how to do it before you’re actually in the situation.

For better results, and especially under adverse conditions, you may want to add to your basic equipment, or choose a new camera with a few accessories that will improve your chances of getting better images.  A single lens reflex camera, or SLR, allows you to change the lens, or at least vary the focal length (i.e. zoom) to get close up images from a greater, and sometimes safer, distance.  You don’t need the monstrous lenses the pros use, so a moderate zoom will work just fine.  A wide-angle portion will also be handy if you get in a crowd at a start or finish.  I suggest a 24-85mm, or 24-135mm lens to start.

Many digital cameras today create images of very high resolution, but use more space on your media card to do so.  Make sure you have a large capacity memory card when you head to an event, with a couple more in reserve.  Batteries, too, will go dead in the middle of an event, so have a couple more sets ready for use.  Flashes can sometimes be used to punch up the detail and image quality, even outdoors, and especially when you are forced to shoot into the sun or on heavily overcast days.

Once comfortable with the basics, get creative.  Have fun.  Try shooting from ground level or a balcony rather than always at eye level.  Use extremely slow shutter speeds to create artistic blurred images of spinning wheels, running feet, etc.  Run alongside, clicking as you go, for a different perspective.  Combine all of the above.  Turn your camera on the spectators, capturing candid expressions as their favourites pass by.

Finally, dress for the occasion.  Wear layers of loose-fitting clothes, comfortable shoes, and a hat to shade your eyes.  A camera bag shouldn’t be so big and cumbersome that you don’t want to carry it all day.  A comfortable, wide, padded neck strap is a must, and keep it around your neck, not hanging down to catch on door handles, etc.  A monopod is useful if the light is low or you’re worried about camera shake after a long day of holding the camera up to your eye.

I hope these basic tips prove useful, and that your sports images will capture the excitement, action, and emotion of a competitive event, if only for the family to look back on to recall all the effort and training that was necessary to get there in the first place.  Good luck and good shooting.

Bruce Berry is a Fellow of the Professional Photographers of Canada and has taught and judged photography for the past 40 years.  This article is a compilation of tips and techniques that he has gleaned from his professional colleagues, some of the best sports and action photographers working today.

Videoing triathlons

By Angela Moore

It’s that time of year again when a friend or family member  is heading to their first or maybe even their 30^th triathlon, and they want you to tag along and video tape them crossing the finish line.   The feeling of finishing a triathlon is momentous in itself and it gives the athlete a chance to see their accomplishment and can be great for future training purposes.

A triathlon that one sees on television is, of course, shot with multiple cameras laid out along the course, but you are just one person with one camera.  Here are a few tips to help make your video a good one!

Scout out the location a few days before the competition or go early the day of.  In a triathlon, the transition area is where the majority of the action happens, so find a good place to stand where you’ll have a good view of that area.

When shooting triathletes, I recommend not using a tripod.  Their movements are quick and sometimes abrupt, so you need to be free to move to another location for a different angle or to pan freely up and down and side to side.  However, if you own a tripod, take it and set it up beside you at your main shooting position.  When you want to catch some of the action from a different view or angle, it will act as a placeholder for you.

Don’t worry too much about the swimming portion because you likely won’t get closeaccess to the water’s edge.  At the beginning of the race, place yourself high on the finish line bleachers and shoot wide to get an establishing shot of what the event is.  You can use the zoom to catch them entering the water, and then begin recording again when they come back out of the water as they make there way over to their bike.  But remember as soon as you zoom, any shakiness becomes more noticeable.  Lean against the bleachers to help keep your
shot steady.

In this age of fast changing technology, there are a few different options forshooting high quality HD video.  Many point n’ shoot cameras can give you okay results, but you are very limited to the amount of record time.  The latest DSLRs shoot high resolution and some commercial makers are even taking advantage of this cheaper way of creating fantastic footage.  But then, you would need many memory cards to videotape a triathlon.  So, to get the best amateur results, use a small consumer video recorder.

Toget good video on competition day, always familiarize yourself with your camera before the day of the shoot.  Your video camera will have a special setting called “Sports Mode” that shoots people moving.  Another option is to put the camera in “P” mode where you can manually adjust the shutter (1/2000) which will help with any movement on the screen.  I would suggest keeping the camera in automatic focus.

In shooting a triathlon, or any event for that matter, there are 3 camera shots you will want to get with every new position, #1: Wide Shot – shows the surroundings to help one understand the elements surrounding the athlete (e.g. 2 or 3 bikes, a few athletes in shot, all swimmers waiting to get into the water, or the athlete head-to-toe running)   #2 : MCU (Medium Close Up) – the athlete from the waist up so you can now see who exactly you’re filming   #3: Close Up – headshot of the athlete to see the emotion, or a shot of their shoes as they put them on, or the swim stroke if you can get that close to the action.

Panning, (moving the camera from left-to right, or vice-versa, or up and down), is always a great way to make your shots interesting. For example if you have a good view to shoot an MCU of the athlete running into the transition area start on their feet and pan up to finish on their face.  The shot should be no more than 10 seconds in length from start to finish. Don’t pan too fast. Try to be as smooth as possible.

To more variety, when waiting for the athlete to complete a lap, move out of your main spot, and head down the road to get a wide shot of them and then maybe a zoom in as they run or bike by.  Another great idea is to have someone else standing somewhere on the course
with a still camera taking some shots, you can add them to your video after in a simple editing process.

Have fun with the camera, and remember to take an extra battery!!!!

Angela Moore is a broadcast technician at the Canadian Broadcast Corporation (CBC) where she works on shows such as Hockey Night in Canada, 22 Minutes, and CBC’s Sports Weekend.  Amateur still photography is something she does in her spare time. She also enjoys cycling and tennis.

Navy Tridents Triathlon and Duathlon course description

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to tell you a bit about the Navy Tridents Triathlon and Duathlon.

This is our tenth year for the race and we are very excited about being a qualifying race for the world sprint championships.  Racers have a chance to represent Canada in London in 2013 at the ITU world sprint championships.

We are serious about racing, but are trying to have fun with the race too.  We’ve got The Bounce 103 providing music at the start and finish areas.  There will be food for the racers and loads of draw prizes too.  I don’t want to give away too much, but our
finishing medals will also double as belt buckles.  How cool is that?

The race is being held at CFB Shearwater on June 3^rd and we are starting the racers in waves of 12.  We’ve got four races this year.  The sprint triathlon, the duathlon, the try-a-tri, and a team triathlon.

The try-a-tri is designed for people who’d like a shorter triathlon experience and it’s also for junior racers.  I’m going to try to have waves for just the juniors so they will be racing against people their own age.  The team triathlon can have two or three members and is fun for people who like to race but don’t want to compete in all of the events.

The swim will be in the pool and we have two racers in each lane.  There’s plenty of room for each swimmer.  Racers are grouped with others that should finish the swim in about the same time.  This allows people to race against the same group of twelve for the entire

The bike ride is on the runways, so there is no traffic to contend with.  You bike up to the runway, do the number of laps depending on which race you’re in, and then back to the transition.

The run this year is on the Flier Trail.  It’s a groomed trail that runs beside the base and it is going to be fast!

And finally …

TNS TurnAround will be having a triathlon Photo Contest.  Details will be coming in future issues of TurnAround, but the categories will be athletes and fans at a TNS sanctioned race.  In the meantime, blow the dust off your lenses and start clicking.

Welcome to the reincarnation of TurnAround, the official newsletter of Triathlon Nova Scotia.  As a new member of the Board, I was asked to consider the role as newsletter editor.

Over the past winter we discussed various possibilities for the function and form of TurnAround.  For the moment, until I become familiar with the intricacies of blogging and triathlon from a Board perspective, we will be sticking to the blog format.

We are aiming at issues every two weeks during the height of the racing seasonn, or until the editor burns out!  There will be fewer issues during the “in between” season, however, milestone events like the AGM will be covered.

We have generated many ideas on our own and I will be contacting individuals to do some writing for us. But, to make this your newsletter, we need your input.

Please consider submitting an article about your club, your training and racing – especially if you are in an out-of-province or out-of-country race, your partner or spouse who spends endless hours training, etc.

If you can provide us with an article, let me know, and will provide youwith the writing criteria to make your job easier.  I particularly encourage younger and more senior members to submit.

In addition, if you have something that you would like to see explored in Turnaround please let me know and we will see what we can do.

Jim

Five minutes with Gregg Kerr

Gregg  Kerr was elected President of the Board for Triathlon Nova Scotia AGM this winter.  Although Gregg is a busy man, Turnaround managed to corral him to answer a few questions on his upcoming tenure and his philosophy going into his new position.

Turnaround:  Gregg, congratulations on your new position. Tell us a bit about yourself.

Gregg:  In 2000 I completed my first triathlon in Victoria, BC. That triathlon saw me
return to sports after a severe back injury that restricted my movement for several years and resulted in significant weight gain. Although the results were lacking, I quickly realized the enjoyment and camaraderie that triathlon brings to individuals. It didn’t matter whether you were the first competitor across the finish line or the last, there were still lots of people there to cheer you on.

I raced that first super-sprint triathlon on a mountain bike, and since then have progressed through the distances up to and including Ironman 70.3 distance. At the same time, I have become more involved in the triathlon community as a member of local triathlon clubs and by seeking coaching and officials’ certifications.

Turnaround:  How long have you been a member of the TNS board and what prompted you to join the board?

Gregg:  I joined the TNS board in 2011 as secretary. At the time, I realized the great potential for growth in the triathlon community in Nova Scotia. I also felt that it was time for me to give back to a community that gave me the means of transforming from a severely overweight, mobility-limited non-participant to an individual capable of participating in endurance sports.

As a former military officer, I spent many years leading diverse teams. When a call for volunteers for the 2012 TNS board and executive positions went out, I accepted the debt owed to triathlon and the community within NS. I volunteered to continue as a board member and if so elected, assume the position of President. So, here I am.

Turnaround:  What do you see as the biggest challenge currently facing triathlon in the province?

Gregg:  The triathlon community in Nova Scotia is quite large, especially considering the population. I see the lack of coaches and officials as our biggest challenge to the growth of the sport.

Up until a few years ago, Nova Scotia did not have any National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) coaches. Even though we now have a few NCCP coaches, the numbers are low compared to other sports of similar size. This shortfall has, and likely will continue to impact the ability of Nova Scotian triathletes to develop into national and international-level competitors. Initiatives have been launched in 2012 to correct this deficiency by certifying Learning Facilitators capable of training coaches here at home.

The situation with officials is similar. Numbers are low and primarily focused within the Halifax area. Most officials are either Race Directors or competitors as well. This creates a shortfall when it comes to having enough officials for every race. In the past few years a small cadre of individuals has officiated most or all of the races. This trend needs to change soon or the few working officials that we have will burn out.

Initiatives have been put in place, including an online Level I Official’s course and mentoring of officials to help them get experience to step up and TD a race. Like coaches, the larger the cadre of officials, the better it is for the community as a whole.

Turnaround:  What philosophy do you bring to the board and what direction do you see for TNS in the future?

Gregg:  I have a personal philosophy of inclusion and fair play and I believe triathlon is the ideal sport for achieving all these goals.

With regards to inclusion, triathlon can be a part of any individual’s personal lifestyle. The multiple sports bring a level of enjoyment and challenge to participants. I have talked with many people who have completed their first triathlon and they have all expressed the thrill they experienced in the dynamic and constantly changing environment.

With regards to fair play, I believe that the effort to abide by the rules of the sport demonstrates a respect to the sport and others as well as to oneself. When a competitor feels that they have to play outside the rules, they are saying to their competitors that they could not perform as well on their own. When we compete in a fair and clear manner, we demonstrate a belief in our self as an athlete and as a member of the triathlon community as a whole.

For the future, I wish to see the triathlon community in Nova Scotia continue to grow. I hope to see that growth in the membership numbers, but also growth in terms of members who wish to give back to the sport as coaches and officials. When an individual participates in triathlon events as an official, or a coach, the whole triathlon community benefits.

Turnaround: If you could accomplish only one thing during your tenure as TNS President, what would it be?

Gregg: I would like to see increased opportunities for people of all ages to experience the sport of triathlon.

Why should you become a full season TNS Member?

If you participate in a TNS sanctioned race in Nova Scotia, you must have a TNS membership.  You have two options, you can become a full season member, or you can pay for a one-day membership good only for the day of a specific event.  From the point of view of an athlete planning to participate in several TNS events there are definite advantages over the single event membership.

A full season membership provides you with up to $million liability insurance and sport accident insurance while participating in a  sanctioned event.  In addition, you become eligible for the Point Series prizes, have access to the Provincial Training Centre, and discounts at participating sponsors.

If you intend to push your limits a bit in the sport, you will require a TNS membership to qualify for the Canadian National Age Group Team and to participate at the ITU World Championships, to qualify for the Canada Summer Games or to be on the Provincial Youth, Age Group, Junior or U23 Team, and to be eligible for elite status and funding.  Sport Nova Scotia also requires that you are a TNS member to be eligible for their funding and awards.

If you opt for the single event membership, it is important to understand that you are provided with liability insurance for that event only; however, you will not be covered for accident or medical.

There are definite advantages to being a full season TNS member.  Considering all the miles that you put behind you just to get to the start line, paying your full season membership early in the season means one less thing to have to deal with on race day.

And, finally …

“Athletic ability and desire to exercise are influenced by many different genes; recent studies suggest that more than 80% of the  differences among us are environmental, not genetic.”

From: Which comes first, cardio or weights?: Fitness myths, training truths, and other surprising discoveries from the science of exercise  by Alex Hutchenson.

The Triathlon Nova Scotia Youth and Junior Development Program is going to be running a fundraiser between now and the end of March.  We are selling a bike jersey, bike shorts or bibs and a visor; this is a great opporutnity to be able to show fly the Triathlon Nova Scotia colours while you are out training and racing.

Jersey – $66.00

The jersey is available in three different cuts; race, club and womens; for more information on each of the cuts, you can visit the Champion System website here:

http://champ-sys.ca/custom/pages/cuts

Although the design shows a long sleeve option, we will only be offering the short sleeve option.  You can read more about the jersey here:

http://champ-sys.ca/custom-short-sleeve-jersey.html

Shorts – $73.00/Bibs – $82.00

The shorts and bibs are available in only one cut but you have the choice of going with either the shorts or bibs as you prefer.  There is a chamois option available, either the performance chamois (default) or endurance chamois (please add $10.00); you can read more about the options here:

http://champ-sys.ca/custom/cycling/chamois

To read about the shorts and bibs, you can use the following two links:

http://champ-sys.ca/custom/cycling/bottoms/shorts/custom-shorts.html

http://champ-sys.ca/custom/cycling/bottoms/shorts/custom-bib-shorts.html

Visor – $26.00

Great visor for racing and training; there is only one size available for this visor and is described as one size fits most.  Read more here:

http://champ-sys.ca/custom/cycling/accessories/hats-caps/custom-visor.html

Sizing

Size charts are available on the Champ-Sys website:

http://champ-sys.ca/custom/cycling/size-chart

The bottom size templates are not available on the website but are attached here for your review.

Order

You have several options for ordering as suits your needs; orders and payment must be received by Apr 7/12 so that they can be submitted at the beginning of April.  Estimated delivery time is eight weeks and then clothing will be distributed to athletes.  You may choose to have your order shipped ($15.00) or choose to pick it up at a TriNS race this season (please specify the race at which you would like to pick up your kit).

Atlantic Chip – you will be able to submit your order via Atlantic Chip

Email – you can complete an order form and email it to shane.macleod@ns.sympatico.ca and complete an email transfer of the funds

Mail – you can complete an order form and send it to Shane MacLeod along with a cheque or money order at:

1065 Montague Road
Montague Gold Mines, NS
B2R 1V3

If you order through Atlantic Chip you will recieve a confirmation from them; if you email or mail your order, you will recieve a confirmation email from Shane.

If you have any questions, please contact Shane for clarification or more information.

Thanks for your support!

Swim – 7:30-9:00
Run – 9:15-10:30
Bike – 12:00-1:30

The run will be on the indoor track and the bike will be inside.  If you have a bike trainer, please bring it and if not, please let Shane know so that we can ensure we have enough trainers for everyone.

The cost is $20 for TNS members and non-members must also pay the one day fee ($20).

Hope to see you out!

Swim – 7:30-9:00
Run – 9:20-10:30
Classroom – 10:45-11:30
Bike – 12:15-1:30

Cost is $20.00 for TNS members; non-members will need to purchase either an annual or one-day membership.

We will be again offering video for athletes and any of those who had video taken during the last clinic will have the chance to review the video with the coaches.  Once again we will be running on the indoor track and the bike workout will be inside; some trainers will be available if you do not have one.

Please email Shane if you plan to attend and also let him know if you need a trainer (shane.macleod@ns.sympatico.ca).