Troy G. Fidler - Head Coach and Director of Fidler
Sports
With 26 years experience in triathlons, Troy is one of the true
pioneers of the sport. Whilst still in school, he entered his
first triathlon as a 16 year old in 1984. Since that time, he
has gone on to compete in over 300 triathlons and multi-sport
events both here and overseas.
As an athlete, Troy has reached the pinnacle of the sport with many
outstanding achievements. These include 3 open Australian
Triathlon titles (Long Course in 1990, Sprint and Olympic in 1995)
and was named as the "Australian Triathlete of the Year" in
1995. He has represented Australia at three World
Championships with his best performance being 8th in Wellington,
New Zealand in 1994. Troy no longer competes but maintains a
high level of fitness with the occasional bike race or ocean swim
thrown in.
As a coach, Troy is responsible for founding one of this country's
largest and most successful triathlon squads. Members of this
training group compete across all distances from Sprint to Ironman
and encompass all levels from juniors to seniors, beginner to
elite. He is the club coach for Spike Triathlon Club - the
2005, 2006 and 2007 National Triathlon Club Champions. Regardless
of ability, all athletes are given the same attention with the
squad motto always being "fitness and fun".
Jason Christophers - Assistant Triathlon
Coach
Words from 'JC'...
About 10 years ago, not long after I was divorced and tipping the
scales at a neat 100 kegs, I felt it was time I did something a bit
more active. So, as with a lot of other people, I found myself
entered into the BRW triathlon on the Gold Coast with a couple of
workmates. Having nearly done the 400m in swimming training, on a
borrowed bike and some old court shoes, I finished my first race.
The bug well and truly bit. I did another race in the same vein not
long after at Robina and then did Noosa later that year.
The next season I met this bloke called Troy Fidler who was some
Australian champion I'd never heard of. He had just started
up Spike Triathlon Club and before I knew it I was competing in my
first half ironman triathlon in Canberra.
Since then, I have done many more races, including Busselton in
2004 and Forster in 2005, a marathon, other half ironman races,
Olympic distance triathlons as well as the local sprint
races.
In 2007, myself and some friends had a team compete in the Kokoda
Challenge in the Gold Coast hinterland (a 96k trail run) and we
finished with a credible 5th place. This was an achievement for me
as running is not my favourite discipline, give me the bike any
day!
Claire Fidler - Assistant Triathlon Coach
Claire has been competing in Triathlons since 2000 with her
first race being the Coomera Quarterman in which she placed an
unexpected 3rd in her age group. Claire's background before
triathlons was as a competitive swimmer and 1st VIII rower during
her school years. She also played competition waterpolo for 5
years and commenced her coaching career as a rowing coach for
school girl rowers.
Claire steadily improved in triathlons to the point where she
represented Australia at the 2002 Triathlon World Championships in
Cancun, Mexico. At that race she finished 2nd Australian
across the line and 17th outright in her first international
competition. In 2003, Claire competed in the Forster Half
Ironman, placing 5th in her age group and qualifying for the
Australian Ironman Championships in Forster in April 2004. At
her first attempt at the full Ironman distance, she crossed the
line in 11.13 hours, placing 9th and being convinced that shorter
races were more her style.
Claire has won her age group at numerous triathlons including Gold
Coast, Raby Bay and Bribie Island. She did however fail to
uphold her end of the bargain of winning the family double with her
husband Troy when she finished second at the Caloundra Triathlon in
2005, something he continually reminds her of. Since that
time, Claire has become a mother to two children, Seth and
Coco. She did manage to place 2nd at her comeback race at
Noosa Triathlon 2006 and now races when time allows - not very
often, especially since returning to full-time work.
Claire completed her Level 1 Triathlon Accreditation in November
2004 and is a competent assistant coach with her favourite
discipline being the bike. She is easily approachable and
always the first person to make welcome any new members to the
squad.
Janelle Hilyard Boyschau - Swim Coach
In Nelle's words....
"My passion for swimming began at a young age and I became
consistently involved with the sport at a competitive level
throughout high school. My coaching career began as a
teenager where at 15 I began coaching multiple squads (all ages,
all strokes) in my hometown of Goulburn. I became fully qualified
in 1978 as a general R.N. with post-graduate psychiatric, nursing
throughout Goulburn, Sydney, Brisbane and Europe.
After having children I continued nursing and completed Level 1
coaching through Queensland Aussie Masters. My coaching career
continued through my five year co-coaching position with the
Swimfit squad at Centenary pool, coupled with an adult squad
coaching role at Oxley State School on a seasonal basis.
I was consistently involved with relief coaching for adult mini
squads at Ithaca Creek State School pool, and since then have been
employed regularly as a freelance private coach specialising in
stroke correction. I have returned to my old stomping ground
at Centenary Pool coaching under Troy with Fidler Sports and am
thoroughly enjoying the challenge!
When I'm not at the pool or running the household, I love being in
the ocean or doing anything creative, and am well known for being a
self-proclaimed op-shop junkie!
John Whip - Cycle Coach
Johnny Whip is a cycling coach and yoga teacher who runs a small
yoga studio and bicycle wholesale business from his home in The
Gap. He also runs the Ffast Cycling Club from this venue.
Whip won his first race in 1957 and has been involved in the local
cycling scene since then (except for the ten years he went off
chasing waves).
His cycle coaching places a strong emphasis on technique. Posture
(bike set-up), pedalling, the different techniques required for
flatland, ascending, descending and cornering as well as an
understanding of how the bike works.
Whip has taken on a coaching role with Fidler Sports to monitor and
mentor the "Low Pressure Bunch" on Troy's popular Saturday enduro
ride and is grateful for the opportunity to work with such a fine
squad.
