Chris Clarke - JUNIOR COACH MANAGER

With over 30 years of experience in coaching and endurance sports, Chris Clarke has had the privilege of competing in numerous triathlons around the world, including qualification for 10 Triathlon World Championships, such as the Iconic Ironman Triathlon World Championships in Kailua - Kona, Hawaii. 

Chris’s journey into triathlon didn’t begin with a background in swimming, cycling, or running, but instead through his experience as a ex UK Armed Forces Physical Training Instructor, his lifelong passion for health, fitness, and personal growth. He took on triathlon not only as a personal challenge, but to prove to his clients and fellow athletes that you don’t need a background in multi-sport or endless training hours to succeed. Chris is a firm believer that, with smart, time-efficient training, anyone can race well across all triathlon distances - even with a busy lifestyle.
Qualifications:

  • UK Triathlon Coach

  • UK Cycling Coach

  • TriNZ Accredited Coach

  • Ironman Certified Coach

  • UK Athletics Coach

Sam Petty - Lead coach for Academy / development (15year+ group)

Background: Having grown up in the UK in a quiet country area within Devon, I competed heavily in both swimming and running. As I progressed through school it became clear that my main passion was track athletics and this is where I found the most success.

I then moved on to the University of Birmingham and continued in both swimming and running, whilst studying a degree in Environmental Science. It was through this that I was able to come to New Zealand on a placement and work at NIWA as a climate research assistant. With my later move to New Zealand in 2014 I married Angie Petty (nee Smit). From 2014 my interest started to grow significantly in cycling and triathlon and my training shifted into this direction.

From 2016 I started working at Canterbury Swim School and became head coach for Waitaha swim club. Then in 2019 Angie and I created Team Petty, our own running coaching business focused on teenage athletes.

We now have a daughter Azaliah born in 2022 who has brought a whole new area to our lives.

Coaching qualifications: 

Bronze level SNZ coach

Accredited Tri NZ and athletics NZ coach

Coaching experience: 

  • 5 years coaching at Waitaha Swim Club

  • 3 years coaching athletics 

  • 6 years coaching with the CTA

Sporting experience: Throughout school I made steady improvements and in my final year I was able to win the English Schools Athletics Champs over the 800m. I progressed my 800 PB to 1:49.06 and have achieved a mile time of 4:01.47. As a senior I won 2 bronze medals at the NZ champs over the 800m.

On a swimming front I competed regularly as a child but this has been much more limited recently, however as a senior I did manage to qualify for the NZ short course champs in the 400IM.

Although my serious racing in triathlon was for just a couple of years (due to an mtb crash and a return to athletics) I greatly enjoyed this and was able to reach an Oceania cup level in competition.

JOHN NEWSOM - COACH / Triathlon NZ LEAD FOR CANTERBURY

Background: John has been competing in triathlon since 1991 and a full time coach since 2004. He founded the Tri Club junior programme and has been actively coaching since the inception around 2009.

Coaching credentials: 

  • Level 2 accredited coach

  • 2011 New Zealand Triathlon coach of the year

  • Coached internationally at the Hong Kong Sports Institute

  • Past coach with Triathlon New Zealand high performance programme

  • Graduate diploma in Human Nutrition, Certificate in Health Sciences, B.Comm, Post graduate diploma in E-Commerce.

Coaching experience: >20 years coaching athletes of all levels. In that time he has guided athletes from finishing their first triathlon to qualifying for the Hawaii Ironman and world championship events, all the way up to winning ITU World Cup events.

Sporting experience: 

After completing his first triathlon in 1991 John has raced at World Championship level at both short and long course events. For several years in the late 90’s he was a full time athlete splitting his year between Asia, France and New Zealand. Now in his 40’s John is still able to produce a sub 9hour ironman and be competitive with the young guns over the shorter distances.

  • Ironman 70.3 Hawaii Overall champion 2017

  • Sub 9hr Ironman performances at Challenge Roth 2008 (8hrs51mins) & 2017 (8hrs54mins)

  • Marathon PB 2:38:33 (during 2nd only attempt at the distance)

  • Kona qualifyer as a pro (2005) and age group athlete (2014)

  • Challenge Wanaka 2007(Iron Distance) 3rd overall

  • Multiple wins on Asian Cup Circuit 1998 - 2000

  • Laguna Phuket International Triathlon, Thailand 2nd overall 1999

  • Hong Kong Internationation Triathlon 1st overall 1999

  • NZ Junior representative 1994-1996