2005-10-31 -- Toronto

For Immediate release:

October 31/2005

Triathlon Canada announced their team for the Commonwealth games next March in Melbourne. Jill Savege and Brent McMahon headline six Canadian triathletes who’ll compete in Melbourne and represent Canada’s best chance to win a medal in the first major event of 2006.  Two of Canada’s top ranking triathletes, Simon Whitfield and Samantha McGlone, both declined to participate late last week.

Savege, a 2004 Olympian from Penticton, BC, struggled with nagging injuries throughout 2005 but managed to make Canada's team on the strength of her 2nd place finish at this year’s Mazatlan World Cup Event.  Jill will enter the Games as a strong medal contender for Canada.

Gillian Kornell of Kelowna, BC, is the second member of Canada’s women’s team.  Kornell’s best result this season came in Corner Brook, Newfoundland when she finished fourth.  Kornell has competed in 6 races and is ranked 25 in the world. 

Suzanne Weckend from Victoria, BC, rounds out the Canadian women’s team and will participate in a team support role.

On the Men’s side, Victoria, BC’s, Brent McMahon leads the team heading to Melbourne. McMahon had his best result of the year last weekend when he won a bronze medal at the Xterra World Triathlon Championships in Hawaii.  The 2004 Olympian, McMahon raced to an 8th place finish at the 2003 Pan Am Games and recorded his best World Championships result to date when he was 19th in Gamagori, Japan in September.

Paul Tichelaar of Edmonton, AL, currently 72nd in the World, has also been named to the team and will race in a support role with a third team member to be named later.