Training them up in the way they want to go

Some people are so good at everything and so modest with it, they're an example to us all.

Two Nelson sportswomen who both suffer from that affliction are going a step further and sharing their talents with young triathletes every Tuesday night.

Gaye Evans, a former Nelson sportswoman of the year for her exploits on the international duathlon stage, gave a memorable speech when she accepted that honour, thanking not her coach or her family, but her gynaecologist, for getting her back in action so quickly.

That should be a clue that children have a central role in her life.

Britta Martin doesn't have children, but she has a huge raw talent. The fourth Kiwi woman to finish in last year's New Zealand Ironman, she's competed all over the world as a professional cyclist and is moving rapidly up the ranks of international triathletes.

Once a week, at Hampden Street School pool, the pair take a group of 8 to 11 year olds through some of the secrets of the sport of triathlon.

It's part of the Nelson Triathlon and Multisport Club's push to make triathlon a true cradle-to-the-grave sport, by showing children that it can be fun, challenging and, quite by chance, very healthy too.

If only it had been around when I was young.

A swimmer who used to turn out on the track a bit and also bike to school most days, I couldn't believe that the sport of triathlon was real when I first heard about it in the 1980s. But since then, I've been hooked.

One of the good things about being a triathlete is that you can turn your hand to running marathon, biking in club races, taking part in sea swims and a whole combination.

If you get an injury from one sport, you just lean on the others a bit more while you recover.

Many older runners and cyclists are now finding their way to the sea swim series and getting involved in triathlon as a result.

The group coached by Britta, Gaye and fellow triathlete Paul Thornton are enthusiastic about combining the various disciplines for primary school children and making it fun.

An older group meets less frequently for more specialised training, often bringing in experts like Britta's partner, former Olympic cyclist Robin Reid.

To further spread the word, Britta is visiting schools in the region, contacting interested staff and talking to students.

She's helped in this by funding from the Nelson City Council and the New Zealand Community Trust.

All these young triathletes will have the chance to put some of their skills into practice at the club's race at Rabbit Island this Sunday.

On offer are a sprint triathlon over a course of 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run, a short option of 250m swim, 7km bike and 2.5km run (or walk), and duathlon options over similar distances for non-swimmers.

The older youth triathlon training group will race over the short course, while there'll be an extra race for the 8-11 group. There's no charge for the 8-11 race – just arrive with your gear.

For more information about this weekend's race and triathlon in general, visit the website nelsontriclub.co.nz.

To talk to Britta about triathlon training for young people, phone 0272224863.