About Triathlon Newfoundland and Labrador

The Government of Newfoundland & Labrador and Triathlon Canada recognize Triathlon Newfoundland and Labrador (TriNL) as the governing body for the sport of triathlon in the province. We are a participating member of SportNL. TriNL is a volunteer-based, not-for-profit organization that promotes and supports all triathletes in the province. Every dollar of revenue we receive gets re-invested back into the sport to support our athletes, no matter what their personal goals.

Although triathlon traditionally involves the combination of swimming, cycling, and running, TriNL encompasses multi-sport endurance events in the province including triathlon, winter triathlon (snowshoeing, mountain/fat biking, cross-country skiing, running), duathlon, and aquathon and activities associated with components of such events. TriNL also supports para-triathlon events and activities.

TriNL helps to build triathlon and multisport activities through:

Sanctioning races to ensure they are designed to be safe and fair for athletes
Obtaining liability insurance for the protection of all athletes, race directors, volunteer and officials at all sanctioned races and activities
Sanctioning clubs
Encouraging growth and development of the sport
Training and certifying officials so that sanctioned races will be conducted in a fair and safe manner
Supporting NCCP coaching training and certification programs so that there are sufficient community and high-performance coaches available in the province
Encouraging athlete development, especially at the youth and junior level, for inter-provincial level competitions such as the Canada Games
Building triathlon membership

Vision

Triathlon Newfoundland and Labrador will develop, promote and support the sport of triathlon and related multi-sport endurance events in our province.

Values

Excellence: We are a member-based, service-oriented, volunteer-driven association committed to, and accountable for, excellence in all facets of our work, individually and collectively, and in fostering conditions that maximize the potential of our sport, athletes, members, volunteers and partners.

Equal Access: We ensure events are conducted in a safe, fair, ethical and harassment-free environment regardless of age, race, gender or ability. We are a facilitator of opportunities for all people in all regions of the province to discover the thrill, rewards and challenges of triathlon and multi-sport competition.

Enterprising: We are professional in the way we create and organize technically sound programs, clinics and events. We encourage partnerships and allow for personal growth and success through sport participation.

Board of Directors

Kim Larouche, President & Director

Kim has been involved in triathlon ever since she competed in her first race way back in 1984. With a background in swimming and running, the evolving sport at the time was a natural fit and quickly became lifestyle from there.

She has competed at a local, national and international level as an age group athlete in a variety of distances from the super sprint to the Ironman distances. Highlights of her triathlon career includes competing as an age grouper at the World Championships 70.3 in 2008, qualifying for the ITU age group competition in 2020. and finishing her 4^th Ironman in Barcelona in 2019.

In her spare time, she works as health care consultant, loves to spend time with her family, her weird dog, and volunteer with organizations which are important to her like Triathlon NL.

John Walsh, Vice-President/Secretary & Director

John’s involvement in competitive sports started with road running around 25 years ago. First as a participant in local races and some mainland marathons and half marathons and then as a race director and / or organizer for the Mundy Pond 5K, Harbourfront 10K and the Huffin Puffin Marathon. He then started and operated local 5K fun run events such as the Chocolate Run and the Wine Run. He is the coach of a local running club called Inferno Runners Running Club. His involvement in triathlon started with a dare to try and learn how to swim 6 years ago as running a marathon he was told “wasn’t hard enough without swimming and cycling first”. Since then he has completed triathlons including IRONMAN Canada Penticton and road cycling races. He trains with Rock Racing Triathlon Club. And he is on the organizing committee for the Kids of Steel Triathlon and the St. John’s Triathlon. He can usually be found exercising or chatting about or researching and tinkering with bikes and trying new triathlon gear when not spending time with family.

Joshua Bonnell, Treasurer & Director

Josh Bonnell comes from a long background in sports but got into triathlon through open water swimming while living in China in 2020—and hasn’t looked back since. He’s had the opportunity to race across China and Mexico, growing his passion for the sport along the way. In recent years, Josh has also been actively involved in the community, volunteering at triathlon, running, and open water swim events.

Abdelrahman Ahmed, Director

Isabelle Turcotte Baird, Director

An Olympian (Sydney 2000-Triathlon) and physiotherapist, Isabelle competed in her first triathlon at age 14. Born in Quebec city, a swimmer first, followed by a passion for track and field which ended quickly due to a serious knee injury while cross country skiing. After reconstructive surgeries Isabelle returned to the pool, cycling to rehab her knee and some running through Triathlon. She raced for Canada as a junior in 1990 at her first World Championships finishing 14th and earning a Silver medal in the Junior Women Team category. Isabelle continued as an age grouper until making the podium in the Elite division at 1997 National Championships in Corner Brook. She later competed in many World Championships, the 1999 Pan American Games, and numerous World Cups placing as high as 7th overall.

Isabelle’s Board experience started as an Athletes’ Representative with Triathlon Canada, the ITU (now World Triathlon), and the COC. She later became an Executive member of Triathlon Canada 2005-2009, an Olympic Supporter with the COC until 2025, and is a current member of one of the Committees in the COC. When she is not working, or working out, Isabelle is often gardening, pickling a few whiffle balls, and traveling.

Don Clarke, Director

Staff

Stephen Delaney, Executive Director

Steve joined TriNL in April 2017 as Administrator and has been a competitor in local triathlon events since 2007. He has been involved in the road running community for many years, and conducts chip timing for many local running and triathlon events each year. Steve is retired from the IT professional services and systems development field, last working with Bell Canada. He is active as a wine columnist and has served as a director of the Opimian Society, a national not-for-profit wine club.

Volunteers

TriNL is currently recruiting volunteers to be trained and serve as officials at sanctioned events. TriNL also supports the organizers of sanctioned events in recruiting volunteers to assist in hosting their events in a range of categories – course marshals, lifeguards, setup and take down, and many other activities. Many events need volunteers on organizing committees to ensure events can take place. Please contact us if you are interested in volunteering in any capacity.

Gerry Donovan Award

Award Definition

The Gerry Donovan Award recognizes a Triathlon NL member who demonstrates an outstanding contribution towards the sport of triathlon in Newfoundland and Labrador. The award acknowledges the passion, leadership, commitment, volunteerism, and performance displayed by Gerry as an athlete and a leader in our sport.

Areas of merit to be considered when selecting a recipient for the award are:

Athletic Contribution: personal performance based primarily upon participation in a variety of triathlon competitions.
Spirit and Passion: A nominee should foster a special spirit and passion for the sport as a participant.
Leadership: A nominee should demonstrate a standard of leadership in building the sport of triathlon on a local, regional or provincial level.
Volunteerism: A nominee should display a high level of volunteerism to the sport such as a coach, official, or an organizer of cycling, running, or swim groups.
Any other special contribution made by a nominee to the sport of triathlon or its components at a local, provincial, or national, or international level.
The number of years a nominee has been involved in the sport of triathlon.