Gillian Ellsay of Courtenay is one of seven athletes who will take part in the Cycling Talent Development Program (Cycling TDP) for the initial trial period.
After an exciting assessment camp showcasing some outstanding B.C. cyclists, the Canadian Sport Institute Pacific announced the athlete list that included the 16-year-old Ellsay on Oct. 22. The initial trial period runs Sept. 15 to Dec. 22. The final team of athletes will be named in January.
Selection for the 2013/14 Cycling TDP is based on a three-step process. The initial selection was founded on relevant competition results in track, mountain biking or road cycling along with a recommendation from a coach.
Following this, athletes were invited to a three-day assessment camp, which included cycling-specific fitness testing, skill testing and an interview with the TDP coach. Now that the athletes have been selected, they are undergoing a three-month trial period. The full time Cycling TDP begins Jan. 6, 2014.
“This is a very strong group of athletes to start the second phase of the Talent Development Program,” commented Jeff Ain, the Cycling TDP coach. “The initial assessment camp showed a very high level of raw talent, and I am excited to work with this group for the trial period.
"We will focus on delivering a world class daily training environment over the next 10 weeks to maximize the potential of each athlete. It is a real privilege to have full access to support services from the Canadian Sport Institute in Victoria, which is based at the Pacific Institute of Sport Excellence."
The Cycling TDP is a new partnership between Cycling Canada, Cycling BC and the Canadian Sport Institute Pacific. By developing this program directly in line with Cycling Canada’s High Performance Athlete Development Pathway, cyclists are given the guidance, coaching and sport science support required to advance their athletic careers. The Cycling TDP is committed to supporting the identification and development of Canadian athletes who have the qualities required to be Olympic/Paralympic champions.
– Cycling Team Development Program