2025 Long Course Development Team
Carly Zanatta
Long Course Team Status: Rookie
Coach: Self-coached
Club: Unattached
Hometown: Fort Erie
2025 Races: IRONMAN 70.3 Muskoka, Niagara Falls Barrelman
Kelly Thompson
Long Course Team Status: Rookie
Coach: James Loaring
Club: LPC Triathlon Team
Hometown: Sudbury
2025 Races: IRONMAN 70.3 St. George, IRONMAN 70.3 Eagleman
Mitchell Kirby
Long Course Team Status: Second Year
Coach: Kyle Boosma
Club: Royal City Multisport
Hometown: Kingston
2025 Races: IRONMAN 70.3 Chattanooga, MultiSport Canada K-Town, IRONMAN 70.3 Augusta, IRONMAN 70.3 Indian Wells
Objective
The purpose of this initiative is to provide increased exposure and limited financial support to the Province’s developing long course athletes. Ideally this program will help a new professional with little or no sponsorship/exposure be in a better position to succeed on and off the race course.
Team Composition
Up to three men and three women per annum that meet the stated criteria. Please note, a total of six athletes are not required for a Team to exist. In the case where there are more than three athletes of one gender meeting the criteria and less than three in the opposite gender meeting the criteria, Triathlon Ontario reserves the right to award more than three spots to one gender while still maintaining the maximum of six total spots.
Term
The Team will be reviewed annually. Existing Team members and potential Team members will need to apply each year. An athlete can only be on the Team for a maximum of three consecutive years. If a current Team member wins an IRONMAN, IRONMAN 70.3 event (outside of Ontario), or qualifies for the IRONMAN World Championships as a Pro, he/she will no longer be eligible to apply for the Team in the following year.
Benefits to Team Members
Financial Support
For the 2025 season Triathlon Ontario will provide each Team member a total cash training assistance bursary of $1,500.
Promotional Support
Triathlon Ontario will create a dedicated web page to the Development Team with a profile on each athlete with links to their personal webpages, blogs and social media handles. Triathlon Ontario’s Digital Media Specialist will dedicate resources to assist each athlete in the development of their social media strategy for the purposes of increasing their profiles and look for mutually beneficial ways to work together to develop each other’s brands and profiles . Where appropriate, Triathlon Ontario will make introductions between its official suppliers and the athletes to see if a mutually beneficial relationship can be formed between the supplier and the Team member.
Requirements of Team Members
• Maintain an active Triathlon Ontario membership in good standing
• Add the Triathlon Ontario logo to the Team member’s website alongside other sponsors
• Add the Triathlon Ontario logo to the Team member’s race kit alongside other sponsors
• When mentioning/thanking other sponsors in social media or website/blog postings, the Team member is to add Triathlon Ontario
• Must race at least one Triathlon Ontario sanctioned long course race during the funding year
Criteria for Consideration
• Must have an IRONMAN Pro License through Triathlon Canada
• At least one podium (top three) overall finish in a Triathlon Ontario sanctioned long course race in the year of qualification
• Must be 30 years of age or under as of December 31st, of the funding year
• Must earn one of the following results – Within 8% of the overall winning time in athlete’s gender at one of the following events:
– IRONMAN 70.3 event (outside of Ontario), or
– IRONMAN event or
– Challenge Family event or
– World Triathlon Long Distance World Championship
Please note, meeting the Qualification Criteria does not automatically guarantee a spot on the team. If the number of applications received meeting the above stated Criteria exceed the number of available spots, Triathlon Ontario will review the applications and make a final decision.
Residency Requirement
A prospective athlete must be a permanent resident of Ontario for one year prior to his/her selection for Team inclusion.
2025 Application
(Open until March 28th, 2025)