Feilding swim coach off to world champs
He’s been a dominant triathlete in New Zealand and now Ethan Gillespie is ready to test himself against the world’s best.
The Feilding swim instructor, whose triathlon career came from a love of athletics, flew yesterday to Lausanne, in Switzerland, for the grand final of the ITU World Triathlon Series.
Gillespie, 18, is up against more than 4000 professional and amateur triathletes set to light up the shores of Lake Geneva this weekend.
The course involves a 500-metre swim in the lake and a 40-kilometre bike ride, and finishes with a 10km run.
Gillespie’s strongest discipline is on the bike, perhaps due to his family’s longstanding love of cycle racing. This is where he hoped to get ahead of the pack and keep the competition leaders working hard.
Gillespie left Whanganui Collegiate School last year and has since worked as a lifeguard and swim instructor at the Makino Aquatic Centre in Feilding.
Although he would be flying the Kiwi flag in Switzerland, he was proud of the support he had back in Feilding.
Gillespie teaches preschool and school-aged children how to swim, and he had a fire in his belly to make them proud.
‘‘The move to the swim school and being able to pass on what I know makes the job way more enjoyable,’’ he said.
Gillespie qualified for the world champs after finishing fourth at a November qualifying event in Tauranga. The course was over the same distance.
Although he was stoked to be competing at Lake Geneva, he still had a burning desire to finish in the top 15.
He will compete in a field of 70 in his age group.
Gillespie won’t be resting his feet following the world champion ships, either. Upon his return, he will be straight back in full training mode to prepare for his first Half Ironman race in December.