Béatrice, in a few sentences, tell us about your study profile, where you train, your club and coach, and how long you’ve been practicing triathlon.
I’m currently finishing my 3rd year of high school. I’m studying at Collège Bourget in the triathlon passion course run by Dorothée Chouinard. I started triathlon at age 4 with Tri-O-Lac. This year, I’m training with Côte Saint-Luc triathlon, coached by Kyla Rollinson.
This is your first year as a junior and your baptism on the sprint distance took place at the American national race in Richmond, Virginia. The level was quite high and you did well, finishing 16th out of 80 competitors. Can you tell us a little about your experience and the highlights of your race?
I started my first Junior year in Richmond. My goal was to test the distances. The swimming was much less aggressive than I had expected. I got on my bike and already a pack was formed. It’s the first time I’ve ridden so well! The race then went really well, my legs were shattered for the first km, but then it went really well.
You just won the first stage of the Junior Quebec Cup in Nicolet a few days ago in a special format (two super-sprint distances). What does this victory mean to you and how did you find the format?
I loved the Nicolet race! Honestly, I wasn’t expecting to finish first on such a short circuit, as technical cycling isn’t my strength and neither are short off-the-bike distances! So I was really pleased and surprised at the progress I’ve made in the last year!
What’s your next goal on the calendar and how are the next few weeks of training and school shaping up for you?
The next races will be Joliette and Drummondville, as well as qualifying for the Quebec Games in triathlon and track and field. I’ll be doing the Grand Prix races; the calibre is very high, and I want to test my limits and discover this level. I’ve got 3 weeks of school left, so I’m going to keep training during those days to give my 100% at the upcoming competitions.
Thanks or anything else you’d like to share?
Many thanks to my coaches, sponsors and Triathlon Québec!
Nicolas, just a few sentences, tell us about your field of work, where you train, your club and coach, and how long you’ve been practicing triathlon.
I’m an advisor to the Auditor General of Quebec, so I work in the field of public accounting in financial auditing. I’ve been a triathlete since I was a 2-wheeler, but I’ve been doing it more seriously without taking myself too seriously since I was 14. I team up with Benoît-Hugo St-Pierre and our approach is mainly to optimize my performance environment to get the most out of it. I live in the Quebec City suburb of St-Nicolas and I’m currently an independent member, but I’ve always been affiliated with the Trimégo triathlon club in Trois-Rivières.
You’re officially entering the professional long-distance circuit this year, although it’s been in the pipeline for some time. At the same time, you’re working full-time as an accountant. Can you tell us a bit about your progress over the last few years and how you reconcile work and training?
My path as a student-athlete was pretty typical. I was part of the Quebec team when I was in sports-study programs. In 2017, I completed my first half long distance in under 4 hours, which led me to believe I had some potential. In 2018 and 2019, I tried my luck again on the Continental Cups with the aim of reaching World Cup level, but without any real success. I therefore used 2020 to develop my specific endurance in cycling and running. Last summer, I took part in 3 half-distance races in Quebec, namely the Lac William Triathlon, the Trimemphré and the Esprit Triathlon, to gain experience in my new favourite event.
I have a fairly flexible schedule and often work from home, so I train in the morning, at lunchtime and/or in the evening. I usually spend 7 or 8 hours a day at work and train for a total of about 3 hours. On weekends, I usually take the opportunity to go for long bike rides or cross-country skiing. It’s a demanding lifestyle, but I don’t do anything excessive in terms of intensity or volume considering my abilities. In short, I try to combine business with pleasure by diversifying my activities, taking part in active transportation, training with friends or entertaining myself during the effort.
You delivered a solid performance to finish 12th at the North American 70.3 Championships in Chattanooga, Tennessee, your first major league race if you will. Can you tell us a little about your experience and the highlights of your race?
A long-distance triathlon outside the country is different from a regional 5km running event, there can be a lot of unforeseen circumstances due to travel, equipment and duration. I arrived in great shape and gave it my all despite the scorching heat. I have to say that it’s difficult to prepare adequately in Quebec for a half Ironman this early in the season, so my specific preparation in this sense wasn’t optimal, but I managed relatively well. I managed my effort and my nutrition well, even though I hit the wall in the last few miles, which cost me my qualification for the world championships. I think it’s a good start!
Your next goal is Tremblant, your first participation in this event. What are your expectations?
Unlike other professional athletes, I’m under no obligation to participate or perform, as I’m autonomous and have little to answer for. That said, I feel that a performance in the region of 3:50 would be more than satisfactory for me, conditions permitting. However, my priority is above all to stay up front until T2, without mortgaging my energy reserves for the run, in order to maximize my chances of finishing in the top 5.
