Christmas update

Hello everyone,

From Christchurch I wish you all a Merry Christmas and I hope you are having a great time.
After more earthquakes last week it has settled down here and I am getting ready to leave Christchurch for a month of altitude training down south in Wanaka.

Please find also below some media updates.

xx Andrea
(Photo: Summer holiday in the bay of Lyttelton).

The Press (28/12/2011): Hewitt keeping triathlon at forefront.
International Triathlon Union Website (20/12/2011): Best of 2011 Andrea Hewitt's Grand finale redemption.

France Triathlete Magazine / Dec.2011

Hello,

This month's cover of French Triathlete.
Inside, my first interview in French! ..... no not yet, just joking, it was a translation.
Give me one more year for that!

Merci à mes supporters en France!
xx
Andrea

New Zealand sportsperson of the Year Finalist: Andrea Hewitt

Article From the New Zealand Herald ( Dec. 6, 2011): 

She's the pint-sized athlete achieving big things on the world triathlon circuit.

Kiwi triathlete Andrea Hewitt established herself as a genuine medal prospect for London next year, recording three straight wins in a blistering finish to the season.

The most significant win was her gutsy performance in the ITU world championship grand final in Beijing, the biggest event on the triathlon calendar this year.

After two thirds and two fourths earlier in the year, Hewitt proved she could win when it mattered most.

The 29-year-old came into the grand final in fourth place overall in the championship. Knowing she needed a strong performance to finish the season in the top three, she did so in style. The tough Cantabrian out-kicked Great Britain's Helen Jenkins - the most dominant female triathlete all season and world No1 - inside the final kilometre to record a superb victory that propelled her to second in the world rankings.

Her unstoppable form continued on to Yokohama, the first ITU world championship event for the 2012 season, as Hewitt again triumphed in hot and humid conditions to claim her second win in as many weeks.

After a big year Hewitt would have been more than justified in taking a break and resting up ahead of what will be a demanding 2012 season. Indeed that's what most of the other top triathletes in the world were doing come October, with only those needing Olympic qualifying points continuing to plod away on the World Cup circuit.

But although Hewitt had already booked her ticket to next year's Games, she continued training so she could compete on her home track in last month's Barfoot & Thompson ITU World Cup race in Auckland.

Despite the tricky timing, Hewitt proved to be a class above the rest of the women's field.

She treated the local fans to a clinic in race control, positioning herself in the lead group out of the water, before setting a red-hot pace on the bike leg to whittle down the contenders. One lap into the run it was clear the race was hers, as her challengers struggled on their feet after the demanding bike leg.

Hewitt blitzed the field, crossing the finish line nearly a minute ahead of her nearest rival, looking remarkably fresh. As one journalist noted: "She looks like she could do it again".

She would surely be glad to oblige - in London.

By Dana Johannsen | Email Dana

Direct link: nzherald.co.nz/AndreaHewittSportAward

Photo: Courtesy of Delly Carr.

Winning the Auckland ITU World Cup!

A huge thank you to Auckland! Perfect atmosphere, felt like a stadium within the city - so so cool! What a finish to the season!
I am now going to enjoy two weeks of holidays!

Related:

The Press (21/11/11): Andrea HEWITT blitzes triathlon world.

NZ Herald (21/11/11): Triathlon- NZ's Hewitt storms to Auckland victory.
The Press (19/11/11): Hewitt finds belief for Olympic tri gold bid.

In the Media

Hello everyone,

I would like to share a few pieces in the media from the past month.

- Latest cover of the New Zealand Triathlon and Multisport magazine.

- I'll be on the back of buses in Auckland advertising for the Auckland Triathlon World Cup 2011.

And I was interviewed on Radio New Zealand National with Bryan Crump this week, you can listen to it with the player below.



You may also like to read some New Zealand Herald newspaper articles:
After my win the the Grand Final of the World Championship Series (WCS) and my win in the Japanese round of the WCS.
You can also read about the plan I put in place to win in Beijing on www.stuff.co.nz 

Video - Andrea+Laurent in 2011

Winner in Yokohama World Championship Series Two wins in two weeks!!

I won't stop dreaming! This has been the best 2 weeks of racing for me.
A special day, racing in the first major sporting event in Japan, on the main island Honshu, since the devastation of the Earthquake and Tsunami back in March this year. It was close to home for me because I am from Christchurch which was also hit by a devastating earthquake on 22.02.11 where 181 people lost their lives. At home, the city centre is still closed and many things still need to be fixed. My parents have lost their house and I know it will never be the same.
Before the race start, we stood for a moment of silence in remembrance of those who lost their lives in the tragedy.

The race began in the harbour in the dock for the cruise ships. The water was a warm 28deg. Helen Jenkins had a fast swim again, as she did in Lausanne together with Lucy Hall. I exited 40seconds back in the chase group. We didn't work together, but a few strong turns at various times bridged the gap in a couple laps and then the chasers behind caught and it was a great big chaos pack. It was about 32deg and humid as, so the bike was just a formality to finish using the least amount of energy possible. My run in Yokohama was a target I had had for myself. To be able to pace myself for a 10km, as there is no secret, I like to follow. I hadn't run a 10km alone out in front since Gamagori in 2005. I was told after I won there, that triathlon was not that easy and that kind of race doesn't happen often. It is 6 years on and both times were races in the Japan heat. There is no other feeling like it. The feeling of everyone chasing you and the uncertainty of; will anyone catch me?

I ran out hard, it didn't cross mind in that first lap that I should pace myself. I didn't think about the heat or to run in the shade and follow the others. I took the tangent to the first u-turn. It wasn't until the 5km that I thought about the time gaps, about tipping more water over my head and keeping my cadence high. Thinking kept me going. It started to get really hot those final km's. I could only see Emma, in 2nd place, at the u-turn just once each lap. My first glance back was on the last lap. At the corner off the road with probably 300m to go I began to celebrate my win, removing my sunglasses this time and slapping hands. The Japanese crowd was so excited, it made it more exciting for me and so cool to see. It was cool too, they lined the exit of the athletes area to continue their congratulations, shaking hands and taking photos. 

Pray for Japan!

I would like to write a few extra lines of thanks. I love all of your emails, facebook comments and tweets. I appreciate all of your support. Thank you Mum and Dad and all of my family back home in Christchurch and all of my family in Hartlepool and around England.  Thank you to my sponsors Adidas, Milani and Sram who have been so supportive and have kitted me out with all the latest clothes, the best shoes (Supernova Glide and Adizero Pro), the best and nicest bike (Milani N109 made in Italy), and the best bike components (Sram Red, Zipp 303 wheels) and mechanical support.


Click here for full Yokohama results 

A photo with Keiji ISHIKAWA a Japanese voluntary member. He was so friendly, he remembered me from 2 years ago.

2011 Grand Final Win

Everything came together in Beijing last weekend in the Grand Final of this year's World Championship Series. And my whole season of consistency paid off with a World Championships Silver Medal.
In Beijing, I exited 2nd pack out of the swim about 12seconds back but managed to make it into the lead group up the first hill on the bike. From there, it was a matter of working together and forming a big enough lead to not be challenged on the run from the group behind. I had heaps of help from Kate McIlroy, which made it a lot easier for me. She was unsure if she could finish the run because of her two last races, but she did this time and had her best result all season, in the mix for 3rd, and finished with a 6th place.
For me, onto the run I made a quick transition and it took Helen Jenkins 1km to catch me and take the lead. I managed to follow her this time. I was on my toes the whole time, not knowing if she had extra like she did in London this year. On the last lap, I knew I had to make the first move. So, on the small downhill, with about 1km to go, I overtook her. First, she came with me, but I pretty much did my sprint down to the u-turn with 400m still to run. It was an amazing feeling to see the finish line tape and to grab it. I loved that moment. And also seeing Laurent's face after the finish, then I got tears in my eyes. I really loved it.

With Melanie, Kisses from Laurent and David!

 Champagne on the podium! with Melanie Anneheim, Helen Jenkins and Sarah Groff.

Click here for full Beijing results

Bronze at Sprint Triathlon World Championships - Lausanne

Lausanne is a beautiful destination with a challenging course and it had amazing weather over the World Championship series weekend. It was well into the 30s for our race which made it just a little bit harder! It was my first sprint race against a World's best women's field. It began fast with a 750m swim in clean clear Lake Geneva. I wanted to reach the turning buoys in a good position which I did, but lost a few positions on the 300m straight back to the shore. I exited the water around 10th position and settled into the main pack. The 500m hill on each of the 4 laps was tiring for everybody, there was a lot of heavy breathing around. It took our group almost 3 laps to catch Helen Jenkins who rode off solo after she exited the water ahead. The race for the places began on the run and the pace was on from the beginning. I managed to run behind the leaders, with a red face and sometimes with my eyes closed. I took on no water for the 5km. I just kept pushing until I had crossed the finish line. I would've liked to have had another gear to push into like Barbara Riveros, but I didn't. I was pretty happy to run down the finish chute in 3rd place though, back on the podium.

Massively dehydrated from Saturday and pretty tired, I raced the first leg of the Team's race on Sunday. It was more of a fun race, so much easier because it was so much shorter and with a much smaller field. New Zealand finished in 10th place and straight after a shower, it was into the car for a 4hr drive back to France with Laurent.
I am to race in the French club team's triathlon in Tours on Sunday, and one week later travel on to Beijing for the Grand Finale. I am 4th in the World rankings, just 1 point from 3rd!
It will be ALL ON in BEIJING!!

 

Click here for full Lausanne results

QUALIFIED FOR THE OLYMPICS!!

Thank you to everyone for your cheering and support if you were at the race, in front of the TV or the computer and also for your continued support for every race.
The only word that needs to be said after the London World Championship series event over the weekend is QUALIFIED!
A top 10 finish in this Olympic course rehearsal race meets the Triathlon NZ criteria for the 2012 London Olympic Games. I finished in 6th place, 20 seconds from the winner Helen Jenkins from the UK.

I am pleased with my race and am excited, now 1 year out, to be racing in the Olympic Games next year. I felt in control, in touch with the leaders during the swim and the bike, then expended everything I had during the 10km run. I really pushed myself to the limit on the run course around the Serpentine lake in Hyde Park. I have to mention the obstacles, which they really are, all around the 2.5km loop. They built wooden boards over the speed bumps, put pieces of bouncey plastic over the grass and put wood underneath then covered the finish straight with blue carpet. I know it upset my rhythm during the run as it did for everyone, although I really enjoyed the challenge of this course. On the first lap of the run, there were still 20 girls in touch with the leaders who had a chance. But by the 5km mark, we had spread out a bit more, with some girls falling back and others finding their rhythm and moving up. I made my first move up at 4km and was in the lead group of 5. But at the 4.5km Helen Jenkins made her break, which was enough to run away with the win. I found myself in 3rd for a while, but then was caught by Anja Dittmer, who I ran with for the next laps. She had the speed in the last km and the sprint to cross the line in 3rd, just 5 seconds ahead of me.

I would like to congratulate Helen, Gwen and Anja for their podium finishes and their Olympic qualifications and also to Sarah Groff who qualified! too.

I am the only NZ triathlete to have qualified here in London. The next qualifying opportunity for the rest of the team will be Sydney in April 2012 and for the men since no one finished Top 10 will have a second qualifying opportunity in Beijing, in September 2011 too.

Click here for full London results

Celebrating with Sarah and Sara (and my Aunty Christine behind us) after qualifying. But had a quick stop to make at the drug testers before I could open the champagne from Aunty Caroline and Uncle Peter.

Now, 5 days after the race, I've got that feeling when I wake up that I'm still tired. Laurent makes some noise with the blender downstairs to tell me "it's time to get up!" so I do, and I train. This morning we went for a 2.5 - 3 hr loop ride and came back in 2hrs 25min! with a few sprints too, so the legs still have it. But this feeling, it's a lazy feeling knowing I worked so hard for one goal and now it's done.
Lausanne Sprint and Team World Champs in 9 days.
Gonna keep going.

4th in Hamburg - Aussie 1, 2, 3!

I went to Hamburg wanting a good race but not really knowing if I would. It isn't the best to think this I know but I hadn't been able to train properly for a week, so Laurent advised me not to go. Laurent had always planned to rest in July for the London qualification and The Tour de France came to Montpellier on Sunday, so there were plenty of reasons to stay. But me being stubborn wanted to race, so I went.
I felt rested when I arrived in Hamburg. I did my own thing, trained when I wanted and relaxed in the hotel.


It was a wetsuit swim, and I felt like I had a good start, but I arrived at the buoy the same time as the majority and I got pushed really wide around the first turns. From then, it was a struggle to swim with so many people around. I made it to the swim exit in about 40th. I hopped on my bike behind a long line of athletes strung out in single file. I picked up places, one by one and didn't let myself drop from anyone's wheel. Quickly enough, during the first lap I rode up into the first group and 35 athletes stayed together for the 40km. I stayed safe during the bike saved myself for the run because I knew from last year how flat and fast it was. This race was no different. I had decided I didn't want to run like I did in Madrid and blow up the last k, so I ran behind as much as I could. Emma Moffatt really dug in at 6km and split herself from anyone else. I tried to run with Emma Snowsill in 2nd but when Emma Jackson ran past us. I had nothing to go with her. I could only run for 4th, letting the 3 Emma's fill the podium.

Click here for full Hamburg results

Back to Back Wins in Dunkerque

Last year beating Erin Densham and this year beating Emma Moffatt. Both finishes down to the wire, I enjoy racing in the far North of France!

Emma really took this race out fast straight from the first stride. We weaved around the outside of where we had just swum, then reached a tailwind straight before crossing and turning into a long headwind. She was flying, so I had to be tactical. If I kept in touch through the tailwind part, I could draft behind into the headwind and that's exactly what happened. Luckily I got my breath back and had some extra energy for the last lap. With about 300 metres to go, I had an extra gear to push away from Emma Moffatt and Barbara Riveros. Emma almost came back but she was 5cm too late. The 2nd and 3rd of my team were Carole Peon in 7th and Kate Mcilroy in 8th, so overall a great day for the Poissy girls - 2 team wins in a row and leading the French Grand Prix.

First club race for Poissy Triathlon

My first French Grand Prix for Poissy Triathlon and it was a memorable one with a team win in the Nice. I felt a bit different at first wearing the blue and yellow, well I was racing with the opposition from last year. Even the spectators were a bit confused, thinking who is that for Poissy?? But it didn't take long for me to get used to. I enjoy training with Carole and Jess in Montpellier in the pool and now I get to work with them during the race. It worked out well, we had 4 team members in the lead group, so we could keep the pace up. And the final standings were left for the 5km run. Barbara is in great form at the moment and she came through to take the lead in the final 500m in Nice.

I enjoyed seeing the beach in Nice, for the few hours that I was there. My flatmate came to watch, unfortunately I didn't win but we won the drive home in record time and a speeding ticket in his name!

Back to French Culture

I arrived in France a week ago via Dubai and 2 days with my sister. It's nice to travel to my other home in the south of France. I always look forward to seeing Laurent's family and I love seeing how happy they all are when we arrive.
Settling into the French lifestyle is always always a task. Starting the day later, therefore finishing training later and eating rarely before 8pm. As Laurent says an early dinnertime is AT 8pm. The climate is the first thing I notice, nice weather all day and the temperature is not much cooler at night. It doesn't take long for me to settle though. And then I always find a new wardrobe which I'd left behind and forgot about from the year before. We have a friend living with us who is a boulanger (baker), that equals fresh made croissants, sandwiches and baguettes everyday - bonus! It's nice to be back. Not many training hours so far, building into it slowly is so important with jet lag and a long season ahead.
First club race is early this year, in Nice this weekend.

Bronze in Sydney World Champs Series

The 2011 season is underway and in Sydney I put in a big effort the last time up the Macquarie Street hill to run my way to the bronze medal. A lot of things went right in the race, including a great start on the swim which put me in a perfect position out of trouble and I stayed in the front pack for the 40km bike. There was an unfortunate incident where a group of girls came crashing down just out the corner of my eye, the crashing of the bikes noise gave the worse feeling. Most of the girls got back up and luckily no one was injured badly. The run was really hard because it was very erratic at the front. I always stayed up the front where the pace was on then off then back on, all over the place really. And adding the downhill then uphill into the mix, it really took a toll on my legs. It's a nice start to the season to finish on the podium. Now it's a long flight to France and the European summer!

March in Wanaka

Hi,
Wanaka, which is 5hrs drive South of Christchurch, has been my training base since the 21st of February, 1 day before the terrible earthquake hit my home city. I trained at altitude at Snowfarm for 3 weeks with a Tri NZ camp. Then came down to compete in the Oceania Championships in Wellington. I punctured, so what else can I say, my race was over. I changed the wheel but entered the run almost 3minutes behind with the 2nd bunch. Ashleigh Gentle ran a 33.47 split and blitz her way up to 3rd behind Vicky Holland GBR and Vendula Frintova CZE. I ran 35.51 and finished in 7th. I felt a lot better than I did in Takapuna 3 weeks before. Now, with 2 races done I have some final preparations back down south in Wanaka for a month until Sydney. Laurent has been reading the Arthur Lydiard book and he calls this the last part of the conditioning phase. The training down here is quiet. It's a small town, which is only busy during events and holiday seasons. The scenery is like looking at a postcard.
I spent a nice weekend with Mum, she flew down for a relaxing holiday as Dad was over in Melbourne to watch the Formula 1 Grand Prix. I am thankful to have Laurent and James Elvery here, living and training together. The weekend training alone just wasn't the same when they were away in Mooloolaba competing in the World Cup.

DEVASTATION IN CHRISTCHURCH

On February 22nd a 6.1 magnitude earthquake hit my hometown. A number of people lost their lives in the terrible destruction of the city. Buildings shook hard, many falling down, too many! My heart goes out to those who have lost someone close to them. It is horrific!!!!

Takapuna Triathlon

Hello,
This was my first race of the year and I definitely could feel it. The first thing I noticed was how hard I was breathing, I could feel my chest aching because of it - first sign of needing to slow down. I had a nice swim on Penny Hayes feet. I lost a few metres on the exit but managed to make it up getting onto the bike. However, I wasn't prepared for Nicky Samuels to attack me straight out of the first Uturn but she did. No one could follow her and we were left to chase for the entire bike. I was in a group of 4 with Vicky Holland of GBR complaining of cramp. Anyway, we started the run about 1min 5sec down. Impressive work by Nicky on the bike to lap almost the entire field! Vicky, Rebecca Kingsford and myself began to pull back some time on Nicky. By 3km, Vicky and I had caught her. That was when I needed to slow down, I finished in 2nd behind Vicky, and in front of Nicky in 3rd.

1st Vicky Holland GBR
2nd Andrea Hewitt NZL
3rd Nicky Samuels NZL

2011

Hi,

It's the start of a New Year and the start of a new season. I can reflect on 2010 and say 'it was a very good year' then I think about Budapest and say 'well, it could've had a massively better ending'.

I am happy with where I am now. I feel great training. It's refreshing to be back home in Christchurch. On the 19th December, I added in a draft legal shorter than sprint race to my offseason training. I won the 500m swim/15km bike/5km run local event and enjoyed the huge work put in by the Canterbury Triathlon Club to produce an ITU style event.

2011 is a big year. Triathlon New Zealand has named our Olympic Team selection race as the London World Championship Series round in August. And then there are loads more races this season for me to choose from, which I haven't decided on yet. I just know I will be racing a lot when the season starts.

My first change for 2011 is over in France. I am now a member of Poissy Triathlon. My previous club from the last 4 years, Beauvais Triathlon, decided to withdraw from the French Grand Prix Series. It was really unexpected as we had won the competition the past 2 years. My first race for Poissy in the blue and yellow strip will be on the 24th of April in Nice.

Next week, Laurent and I head down to Wanaka up to the Snowfarm. Contrary to it's name, there will be no snow because it's summertime.

Best wishes for the New Year. Forward and up in 2011.
Andrea