Christine Hemphill,
Professional Triathlete
Home: St Jean-de-Sixt, Haute Savoie, France
Home: St Jean-de-Sixt, Haute Savoie, France
Family: Married with two boys, Jackson (8) and Liam (5)
Club: Team Mermillod Triathlon, Annecy
Club: Team Mermillod Triathlon, Annecy
Coach: Dave Green
Sponsors: Valdora Cycles, Zoot France, La Clusaz Resort, Team Mermillod Triathlon, Hotel Beauregard, La Clusaz, Apres Velo
When I started triathlon
Sponsors: Valdora Cycles, Zoot France, La Clusaz Resort, Team Mermillod Triathlon, Hotel Beauregard, La Clusaz, Apres Velo
When I started triathlon
I only started triathlon again almost by accident after long break from competitive sport. I wanted to raise money and awareness for Duchene’s Muscular Dystrophy which my nephew has, and entered the Australian Long Course Nationals to do so. I qualified for the World Championships without planning to. As they were being held in Australia I thought why not give it a go, so I went on training, improved, enjoyed it and kind of forgot to stop again after. I never thought it could change my life so much, but here I am 2 years later, living and training full time in France, racing triathlons professionally across Europe and loving it!
Why I love triathlon
I still love to play! I forgot to forget about it as I grew up. I also love setting and achieving challenging goals, so I play hard! Triathlon specifically is a really interesting challenge as athletes have to balance three disciplines. I love each of the three sports, so it is pretty natural to put them together. Also I like variety, so it suits me better than just picking one and focusing entirely on that.
Strengths and weaknesses
I really love training and racing. I learned to manage a busy schedule to fit in work, kids and training, supported by a wonderful family, flexibility and determination. Both the bike and run are relatively similar now in terms of disciplines, so yes that makes the swim my weakness!
My favorite race / result
The best race I have experienced was the Long Course World Championships in Immenstadt, Germany in August 2010. The course was stunning, competition tough, weather great, local crowds and Aussie team support amazing. I also managed to beat my expectations, winning my age group and finishing 9th overall. All up it was a really great day out. I also always love racing the Australian Long Course Nationals in Huskisson with friends and family.
Triathlon results
Europe 2012
- 2nd overall female, 1st vet category La Montee l'Aravis
- 4th overall female, 1st vet category Annecy Olympic Distance
- 5th overall female, 1st vet category Doussard Half Ironman
- 9th overall female, 1st vet category Alpe D'Huez
- 9th professional female Ironman Lanzarote
- 9th professional female Challenge Fuertoventura Half Ironman
- 1st overall female Alberville Duathlon
- 2nd overall female Mt Blanc Olympic Distance, 1st veteran category
- 2nd professional female Lyon 111 TriStar,
- 3rd overall female Tri de Romans Sprint Distance, 1st vet category
- 4th overall female Doussard 70.3 Half Ironman, 1st vet category
- 9th professional female Nice Ironman
- 10th professional female St Polten 70.3 Half Ironman
- 15th overall female Alpe D'Huez Long Course, 1st vet category
- 9th professional female Challenge Henley
- 19th elite female ITU Long Course World Championships, Las Vegas
- 1st Long Course World Championships, Germany (AG), 9th overall
- 1st Paris Olympic Distance ITU race veteran woman. 6th overall
- 1st Lac des Sapins Olympic Distance veteran woman. 2nd overall
- 1st Bourg-en-Bresse Olympic Distance veteran woman. 2nd overall
- 1st Rumilly Olympic Distance veteran woman. 5th overall
- 1st Mt Blanc triathlon veteran woman, 4th overall
- 5th Olympic Distance World Championships Budapest (AG)
- 8th professional and overall female Challenge Barcelona Ironman
Australia 2009/2010
Goals for 2012
- Sub 10hr ironman
- Top 5 professional female finish in major long course race
- Finish my Lv 2 BTF coaching qualifications (done) and deliver high quality triathlon camps in the Aravis
- Provide an organized, stable environment for the family and be the best support I can be for the kids and Rob
- Help the boys develop in their various endeavours; scholastic, physical and social
- Improve my French so that conversations with French friends can become deeper, richer and more interesting and the bureaucracy of life easier to manage
Favorite training spots
Cycling: Any of the great climbs around our region. My favourite ride this year so far was riding the stage 11 of the TdF with the crew from La Giettaz, from Albertville over the Cols de Madaleine, Glandon, Croix Fer, Mollard and La Toussiure. Last Summer it was was riding home from Italy after a camping trip. The ride took me over the Col de Petit St Bernard to Bourg-St-Maurice up the Cormet de Roseland to Beaufort, up Col de Saisses down to Flumet and Col de Aravis home. I love heading over Col de Colombiere to Morzine and back via Col de Joux Plane and Samoens too.
Swimming: Lac D'Annecy or Marquisats Pool in summer. Hotel Beauregard's indoor pool or La Clusaz's outdoor heated pool in winter.
Running: Out on the GR trail past Les Confins under the stunning main Aravis Range, or at the Grand Bornand loop around the river, or for track work, down through the forest from La Vacherie to Thones track.
Some interesting race experiences
When racing in Europe I have learned you need to plan for any weather. One race I went to was 32C and the first really hot day of the year. Two weeks later it was 8C at Lac de Sapins and the water was 14C. It was absolutely freezing!!! I wasn’t prepared and coming from Australia had never considered racing, especially on a hilly bike course in a long, warm jersey. I put a wind vest on in T1 and went out on course only to shiver so hard that my Valdora was shaking! I was so cold that by the top of the ascent I was scared of the descent due to the additional cooling effect. I loved the run though as I finally warmed up, getting feeling back in my feet at about the 6k mark.
Best advice for new triathletes
Consider both nutrition and recovery (sleep, massage, yoga etc) as additional disciplines that need active management and focus just like the obvious three.
Do it for the pleasure not the outcome. If you get the first, the second (whatever that is for you) will come. Although make sure that your goals are realistic and shared with those you care about. Build triathlon into your life in a durable way.
What I enjoy outside of triathlon
Time with my kids and husband. Our favourite activities include, swimming and picnicking down at Lac D'Annecy or at the local pools or off discovering new great places, camping and adventuring in the mountains in summer. In winter we all love to ski; alpine, telemark or skating! I also love catching up with friends, preferably over a coffee or two. Listening to great music, reading interesting books and watching movies are great for the moments of quiet I find.
Strengths / achievements outside of triathlon
My greatest achievement is nurturing two wonderful boys and not giving up on all the interesting adventures life offers in doing so. Now I get to share those adventures with them.
Prior to triathlon I successfully established an interesting, professional career in financial services and mining doing corporate strategy development, third party negotiations and designing and delivering organisational change. I love working in, building and developing high performing teams.
In sport, outside of triathlon, I ski in winter and love it. In my BC (before children!) days, Rob and I loved exploring the wilder parts of the world by bike, foot, rope or kayak. We mountain guided in the Blue Mountains behind Sydney where canyoning and later climbing were our preferred weekend or holiday activities. We had some great adventures such as crossing the South Coast Wilderness of Tasmania by foot from east to west and then getting more food and a sea kayak dropped in by plane and sea kayaking along the south western coast. Incredible beauty and general with moments of real fear! Tiger snakes, gale force winds crossing the Ironbound Range, 2 meter swells, storms etc were all part of the adventure.
What is next
Continue to develop as an athlete, raise the bar for 2012 and appreciate the opportunity I have to be a professional athlete. Integrate my previous professional and current athletic achievements through coaching and motivating others to achieve their goals.
We made a huge change bringing our family to France to live. So personally, our medium term goal is to establish ourselves as a family in a great and very different life in Europe, learning to operate happily in French and appreciate the culture, environment and opportunities here.
