Last weekend our Viking Foundation Brazilian Team headed to an iconic distance race held in São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil. This location is special for the Trisutto squad, both current and previous generations of athletes.
São Carlos is the town where we first took a team of athletes to help establish a social project that was started and run by my good friend, Cali Amaral.
It was 2001 when I first met Cali at the ITU World Championships held in Edmonton. Every day a very good looking man turned up to every one of our training sessions. I approached him and asked what he was doing.
"Hi Coach, I came to attend the ITU Coaching course being held upstairs in the same building"
Well why are you here every day and not upstairs?
"Well I went the first day, but it was all just a lot of talk..., the real coaching lesson is happening down here every day"
Won't you get in trouble being here?
"I used to be a professional football player. I want to be the best coach I can be. I'm about winning, not a pat on the head and be a bad coach. The world champion talkers are up there, but the world champion triathletes are down here, Cali belongs here!" Cali responded in his pigeon English.
And to this day 20 years later he is still here. Cali has been Brazil's best coach for all of that time. He is now head of another social project deep in the heart of Indonesia. Not the heart of the triathlon universe I can assure you!
But sure enough within two short years Cali took the local juniors of the program to the podium of the south east Asian games.
Yes, I have special memories of São Carlos. The first training camp for Nicola Spirig at Trisutto along with so many great athletes. The great Emma Snowsill. Lizzy Blatchford, Craig Walton and the names of World Cup winners and medalists have all been in attendance. For seven years we did two camps a year. It is the home of Reinaldo, and now the training base for Manoel and Luisa.
Trisutto Legacy in São Carlos - For seven years we did two camps a year.
2022 GP Extreme São Carlos - Race Report
Last weekend our team literally had a 2 kilometre walk to the race start, and true to their heritage, they kept the Trisutto legacy in the town high, with devastating performances from all three.
Luisa kept her early season incredible form by dominating from the swim.
The boys staged a Trisutto squad war where they blew away all others, then settled down to a two man slap down.
Reinaldo knowing his apprentice's speed on the run threw everything at Manoel over the 100 kilometre bike leg, but the teacher has taught his pupil well! Manoel's bike has improved dramatically and he answered every attack Reinaldo threw at him to then take control, with daylight to 3rd place.
Just a great job guys, you all did Trisutto proud!
Thank you from all of us.
São Carlos still very much in our hearts!
Read more on Trisutto Athlete Development Programs and Social Projects: