5 Minuten Lesezeit
British triathlete and dryrobe ambassador Rachael Vatter has had quite a year. As well as tearing it up at competitions across the globe, Rachel was crowned World Aquathlon champion for her age group back in July.
We caught up with Rachael to find out what drew her to triathlon and see what she's got lined up next:
Where do you live and train?
During the holidays I live in Eaglesfield in the Lake district which is a gorgeous place to train especially as I have the opportunity to swim in some of the beautiful lakes. I love training in the lake district because any ride or run that you go on there will always be some amazing views along the way. During term time I study at Loughborough University which is an amazing place to train due to the high calibre of athletes that I get to train with.
What’s your favourite place that triathlon has taken you?
I have visited many places around the world when competing in triathlon. My favourite is probably Cozumel, Mexico as it is such a different place to the UK. The weather was constantly around 35ᵒ and the water temperature was 28ᵒ, for my race I swam in the sea which was crystal clear and full of exotic fish. As well as the weather the organisation and running of the race was fantastic which meant that it was such an enjoyable experience.
What is your proudest achievement in sport?
I am always proud to put on the GB suit and represent my country, but I think my proudest achievement so far would be racing and winning the Aquathlon World Championships 2018 in Fyn. I thoroughly enjoyed racing in Fyn and was incredibly proud to take home the win and be crowned World Champion in my age group.
What’s coming up next in the calendar?
Next year I have qualified for and will be travelling to: the World duathlon and aquathlon championships In Pontevedra Spain, the European duathlon and aquathlon championships in Romania and the World triathlon championships in Lausanne, Switzerland.
What are your goals for the future? In sport and otherwise?
I am currently studying an engineering degree and hope to graduate in the next few years. I am also increasing my level and intensity of training this year, which I hope will be reflected in the next few races next season.
Have you always been an athlete? When did you start?
I have always been into sport which I think is partly due to both my parents also being quite sporty. I have always enjoyed swimming and running which I think is one of the reasons I made the jump to triathlon easily. I started doing triathlons 13 years ago when I was 8 years old. My primary school started a triathlon club and my love for the sport has grown ever since. I started representing team GB in 2015 where I raced in Geneva for the Europeans and Chicago for the Worlds.
What draws you to triathlon?
One of the things that I enjoy most about sport is the training, a lot of my training both at university and at home is done with a club and I really enjoy being able to make new and lifelong friends. I also enjoy being able to push myself in a competitive environment as well as seeing how much I can improve against my previous times.
What does dryrobe do for you, and how has it made a difference to your sport?
I love using my dryrobe as a change robe before and after training and competition. The dryrobe allows me to comfortably change wherever I am, be that post open water swim or competition. As well as allowing me to change pretty much anywhere my dryrobe is also perfect for keeping me warm and dry pre-event or warming me up post-event.
Only last week I competed in a duathlon in the torrential rain which would usually dampen mine, and my spectator's, spirits. With my dryrobe I was able to stay dry whilst setting up transition, which is especially important as being cold before a race is very disadvantageous for a good outcome. While I raced, my sister wore my dryrobe and was very pleased with it as it kept her warm and dry during my race. After the race, I was able to get straight into my dryrobe and change into warm clothes instead of having to hang around for changing spaces or trying to awkwardly change behind a towel.
#dryrobeterritory