In a special edition of 32Gi Sports Nutrition, we chat to Japie Boonzaaier from Trinity Sports. They host both triathlon and duathlon events in Central Gauteng, and also have some more exciting events on the horizon. As 32Gi, it is great to be a partner with their well respected events.
Transcription:
Welcome to another special edition of 32Gi Sports Nutrition and yes nutrition is what we look at this podcast. A lot of diet related things that we do share with you. But also we speak to people around events we speak to some pros of course, some great interviews with Caroline Wostmann over the last couple of months. But she’s one of many.
Today we looking at series of events. 32Gi partners up with so many events we also looked at the relationship with Challenge Roth recently. But triathlon we sticking with that sort of theme triathlon today. We chatting to Japie Boonzaaier who heads up Trinity sport. Japie thank you very much for joining us on the show today.
JB: David thank you for opportunity to be part of it.
DK: Now I touched on being triathlon based. Looking at triathlon for people out there who don’t know the Trinity Sports brand. I know you based in and around Gauteng. Just give us an idea what are some of the brands that are in your stable?
JB: So Trinity Sports we are a triathlon and duathlon event organiser. We work closely with central Gauteng Triathlon which is the provincial body for Triathlon South Africa. So in Gauteng they oversee, they are in charge of events being put on sanctioned events which then fall under Triathlon South Africa and international banner and rules.
So in terms of triathlon we as an event organiser are entering our third season of operations. We have events at Germiston Lake. We are also in the process of various other locations that we should be launching after our third season. Towards the back end of next year.
We offer something for the whole family from aged eight to adults aged 80. We’ve got triathlon and duathlon races for them. In terms of the duathlon for guys that are not that well versed with multi sports. With duathlon you do a run leg followed by a cycle leg and then you run again a shorter distance than the first run leg.
On the triathlon side you’ll start with a dam swim in the Germiston Lake followed by cycle leg and then you finish that off with a run to finish your race. Germiston is a beautiful location but we are expanding to offer guys in other parts of Gauteng and also outside of the province the opportunity to do a triathlon and a duathlon race.
Germiston Lake water is amongst the best
DK: Japie I’ve raced out of Germiston. I think anyone who does triathlon in the Gauteng area has raced to Germiston at some point. It is a great venue, but a lot of the dams in and around Gauteng or across the country at the moment, water quality becomes an issue. But a lot is done at Germiston to make sure that, that water is as good as possible isn’t it?
JB: Absolutely we, we do tests that are done continuously not by Ekurhuleni Council alone, but also by VRC Victoria lake club. They’ve got a lot of rowers and canoers and sailing guys. So it’s obviously important to make sure that the water quality is good.
It’s a good point that you make. In Gauteng we have to be very careful in terms of water quality, where you can stage an event. That’s why Germiston is often the go to especially for us. Having taken over from the previous event organiser there because the water quality is good.
But the second problem you or issue you often have is if the water quality is good, you often have issues with your cycle route being safe. For us safety, safety is first. so that’s why we’ve been based primarily in Germiston. But we are excited because there are at least two other venues that we busy looking at after the third season now. So the fourth season that we looking to launch into for triathlon and duathlon.
Helping to establish a strong local series
DK: Well I say dams, but I mean the rivers alone. I know the Vaal every year if you racing the Vaal, we look at the Duzi, so it is a nationwide problem. Coming back to triathlon, coming back to Central Gauteng specifically.
We such a strong triathlon region and it’s important to have races for the guys around here to race. I mean you do the Central Gauteng champs, these series these events need to be strong for these guys to be able to compete at a top level.
JB: Absolutely right it is definitely important. It’s good for guys to gauge in their training if they training for a longer distance your ultra-distance or your super ultra-distance your IronMan distances. Guys can often train but it’s good to be a racing environment to know if there’s new nutritional hydration that you trying out.
If it’s transition where you having issues or had issues in the past. It’s in a racing environment under those circumstances to gauge where you are in your training. If you race ready obviously that’s a discussion between athlete and coach, but it provides a good training ground for longer distances or guys that wanna specialise in your standard or your sprint distance.
But also it’s important as a breeding ground for the younger generation that’s why we have events for kids from the age of eight to get them used to how a triathlon or duathlon would run. Often you find that in our case certainly the children eight, would start. Then a couple of races later the teenage brother or sister would join.
Before you know it the entire family does it. That’s exactly what we want. It’s obviously a lifestyle choice and it’s amazing to see the turn up especially families. That’s why we, we in it to grow the sport and promote the sport. We very passionate about triathlon and duathlon.
Schoeman, Murray & Rabie – an inspiration to the youth
DK: Well Japie, I mean Henri Schoeman what an Olympic Games he had. To pick up that bronze medal. Richard Murray, I mean we know how he can run, but to almost catch Henri there and finish fourth in the end.
But to have Henri Schoeman going and winning an Olympic medal. Richard Murray sadly has his worked hard on it, did miss that group, and it’s always the difference in triathlon.
But he did win duathlon World Champs this year, not for the first time. These are two phenomenal athletes. Seeing them do so well can only help and sort of get that interest and inspire these youngsters that are entering. Youngsters that are entering races in your series.
JB: Definitely triathlon unfortunately is, is seen as a friendly sports. The reason for that is that you need mass participation and that’s where it touches on what you said earlier. It’s very important to grow the sport. For there to be many event organisers in different provinces across South Africa that promote the sport.
Obviously their brands and events you know that has to be worth your while. But to grow the sport it’s definitely to have guys like Henri and Marie Rabie and Richard Murray and a lot of the guys racing internationally. To raise the profile of the sports especially in South Africa.
32Gi are the perfect partners for our events
DK: Now your relationship with 32Gi. I know is a brand they love to get involved with events, it’s one of the best race to engage with the people who use your products. I know like with Challenge Roth it’s always well received by competitors isn’t it?
JB: Absolutely it’s such a really amazing product. I’ve been racing – when I started triathlon about four years ago. That was the product that I was introduced to. I tried other ones but eventually came full circle back to 32Gi.
The amazing thing is and I’ve spoken to Mark Wolff to get an understanding of what goes into the product. It’s really incredible that you’ve got a kind of product in a brand that children can actually safely take. Because there’s nothing artificial or anything strange in there.
That just I think improves or speaks to our passionate marketing team. As putting a product out there that’s obviously scientifically researched and they have put together that is safe to use. You still get the performance out of it, it’s really a fantastic product to use. That’s why we are very happy and we were ecstatic when we partnered with 32Gi to have them involved in our events.
Providing the best possible nutritional education
DK: Well Japie you talk about water quality, water safety, safety on the cycle route, which you say is so important. But looking at nutrition looking at hydration from a race directors point of view. That is something you need to sort of need to make sure you pass on. You take care of your competitors in that aspect as well.
JB: You absolutely have to. I think it’s one of the things that people over look is that they spend so much time on planning and training and on race day. What they wanna take. They often neglect that you need to have a nutrition plan in place and a hydration plan leading up to an event.
You can’t just show up on the day and take something and you know, you don’t even know how it’s gonna be in your body or how it’s gonna make you perform or not perform. It’s actually really important for people to have that figured out. Have that plan in place.
That’s why we have been with 32Gi for some time and we continuing that. We obviously doing the education so that people know that they involved with us. So people can incorporate that into their nutrition plans to make sure that they get the best out of their race.
But as a race director to make sure that we have we minimise potential hyperthermia and heat absorption. All those kind of things that are directly related to an extent to your nutrition and your hydration on the day.
DK: Well Japie for people out there who wanna find out more about your races. When is your next race in fact and up until what stage do they have to enter that? Where can they find out this information?
Race info and how to enter
JB: David we had a new launch or a new site launch on Spring day. They can head over to www.trinitysports.co.za. Our first event is on the 6th of November at Germiston Lake. For the rest of the season we have an event on the 15th of January as well as one on the 23rd of April.
On our website all our details are there. Guys can enter. If there are any issues they can contact us all the details are on there. We are also working we are very excited we working on an off road triathlon event. At a different venue in Gauteng for the end of March next year. We not, entries aren’t open for that yet cos we still in negotiations and final planning stages. But there’s new stuff coming and we very excited about it.
DK: Well that is very exciting indeed. Off road triathlon becoming very big as well. We have some great venues we looking forward to where that is gonna take place.
But thanks very much for joining us on this episode of 32Gi Sports Nutrition. that was Japie Boonzaaier from Trinity Sports. Go check out the website I’ll put it up on the show notes to see all of those events. But from myself Mr Active David Katz thanks for listening to this special edition.