NEW FOREST TODAY NEWS

Jo's waving the flag for Britain

Super-fit Joanne

New Forest triathlete Joanne Bailey will be waving the flag for Britain when she takes part in a major competition this weekend. (July 3/4).

Super-fit Joanne, who is Group Business Development Manager (leisure) for New Forest District Council, has been selected to represent Great Britain in the 2010 European Triathlon Championships in Athlone, Ireland, on July 3 and 4.

The triathlon event includes a 1500m river swim, followed by a 40k cycle ride on closed roads and a 10k run around the town.

Not surprisingly, Joanne has been stepping up her training in the New Forest. She is a member of Salisbury Tri Club, but usually trains alone to fit in with her busy schedule and to make her more self-reliant in races.

The mum-of-three trains most days, up to 15 hours a week. She swims in Ellingham Water Ski Lake and at the NFDC health and leisure pools and loves running and cycling in the forest.

"I'm so lucky to have this amazing area in which to train," she says. "I am sponsored by Primera Cycles in Bournemouth, who helped me purchase an Argon18 low-profile bike designed specifically for triathlon. It's very fast compared to a road bike - like driving a Ferrari after you've been tootling around in an old car for years. Quite scary to begin with!"

Joanne became involved with triathlons more than 20 years ago, and went to the world championships in Manchester in 1993 when she was expecting her second child. When her third child was born, Joanne gave up competing for about 15 years, but returned to it three years ago.

She usually competes in Olympic distance events, involving 1500m open water swims, 40k cycle races and 10k runs, and has competed in half Ironman events, completing 1900m swims, 90k cycles and 20k runs.

Joanne qualified for the 2009 World Triathlon Championships in Australia, but decided not to go as it was so far. She then qualified for the European Championships at Bala Triathlon last September.

"I was thrilled to qualify for the European championships and I am very proud to represent Great Britain in the competition. I have received great moral support from work colleagues at NFDC as well as family, friends and fellow triathletes," she said.