Former Olympic and World Championship medal winning rower Nathan Twaddle is jumping ship. His days as an elite rower are over but the competitive fires still burn within the 35 year old and he has turned to triathlon for his sporting fix, lining up at the first Contact Tri Series event at Rotorua on Saturday November 5th.
 Twaddle trades his oars for goggles and a bike(Photo: Triathlon NZ) |
Twaddle has no pretensions of repeating his rowing success in his new sport but is looking forward to Saturday morning.
"Blue Lake is a bit of an old haunt for me from my rowing days and now the rowing is done for I am looking for a way to stay in shape and having a goal to work towards so I think it will be a fun day."
Twaddle admits there is something in the make-up of rowers that leads them to take on other sports and events, in particular cycling with a number of successful transitions to the two wheels.
"We have a bit of a training pedigree I guess, we train pretty hard, our coach's demand a high intensity from us and I think this translates pretty well on to the bike. I don't think cyclists like training with rowers, not because they can't beat us but we seem to keep up and to be honest, we don't know the road rules that well so probably get in the way a bit.
"The multi-discipline nature of triathlon is the biggest contrast from the rowing though; you have to think about transition and food and energy strategies a bit more. In a rowing race we are going for about 6 minutes and can go as hard as you can for that time but even in a sprint triathlon you are racing for around 40 minutes so you need to watch your pace a little bit."
Twaddle may not emerge from the water with the leaders nor run like a gazelle but hopes to fly on the bike.
"The bike should be my strongest discipline, I know Hamish Carter is a former rower and once said most of us rowers tend to run like elephants so I'll certainly be plodding on the run course but will see what I can do on the bike so not too many pass me on the run - that is the plan anyway."
Twaddle has also entered the age group race at the Barfoot & Thompson ITU World Cup event on November 20 around the Auckland waterfront and is looking forward to mixing it on the same day as the world's best turn up to race.
"I had dreams of glory when I first entered Auckland of making the World Championships but you quickly realise that without the support structures in place around elite sport and have to juggle work and family it becomes pretty tough. I'm looking forward to being part of that event on the Auckland waterfront though; I tried to watch triathlon at two Olympic Games but managed to get lost on the way both times so I am just looking forward to being part of the day, racing and then soaking up the atmosphere as the best in the world race past."
"I am coming off a torn shoulder and ankle problem which has had an effect on my training, which is why Rotorua is a good test event for me to see where I was at before taking on Auckland at the World Cup event later in the month. I have been playing tennis and doing some swimming but after years of rowing where you don't lift your arm over your shoulder I think I was suddenly asking my body to do things it hadn't done for ten years."
But the focus for now is on Rotorua and then the bigger prospect of racing around the Auckland CBD in the sold out age group races on the same day as the ITU World Cup events.
"For about 15 years I have been going to Blue Lake for rowing regattas, it will be cool to get back there and into the water. It is a nice challenge and I like the physicality of it. I'm just looking forward to the race after a false start and doing an event proper. Rotorua will be the first event I have officially done. Victory for me will be completion, it is a little unfortunate as I would have preferred to be in better shape for Auckland and have a shot at qualifying for the World Champs age group event, maybe I'll have to wait for the 40 plus age category!"
Twaddle admits he is pushing the boundaries in his marriage on Saturday, and had to ask permission to get on the start line but quickly turned it into something of a family celebration.
"It's actually my wedding anniversary on the Saturday of Rotorua so I did have to run the idea of competing past my wife when I said I was going to race. I have family from Whakatane too so they might come over and spend the day. The event is over by lunchtime too so we can then head away and do some of the fun stuff that Rotorua has to offer the family so it should be a good day."
