(c) Image : Swisstriathlon
Recent bronze medalist at the Europeans in Madrid, ninth in the World Championship Triathlon Serie in Sunderland in July and this year’s revelation, Cathia Schaer, who is swimming with an Orca wetsuit (as a junior, she also bought her first wetsuit in our shop in Lausanne), kindly agreed to answer a few questions in between competitions.
Cathia, can you introduce yourself in a few words?
My name is Cathia Schär and I’m 21 years old. I’m currently studying economics at Unidistance, but I’m mainly involved in my sport, triathlon. My current goal is to qualify for Paris, and I’m off to a good start so far.
How did you discover triathlon?
I discovered triathlon when I was 10, thanks to my first coach who lived in my region. I took part in my first triathlon in Vevey. Then I signed up for Triviera Kids. I liked the sport and the club atmosphere, which is what brought me this far.
You realized excellent performances in the first half of the season. What do you attribute your progress to?
I think my progression is due to the regularity of my training over several years. I’ve also been able to find a better balance in my life, better managing the energy I put into daily activities other than sport. The importance of sleep and recovery is also something I’ve been focusing on lately.
But above all, I’d say it’s the passion and desire to get ahead that drives me to do everything I can to make it work.
You’ve “exiled” yourself to Sursee to benefit from excellent training conditions, and you train several times a day. How do you manage to reconcile your sporting activity with your private life, studies, profession, etc.?
It’s true that my move to Sursee has really helped me to focus on my training. Everyone around me in Sursee is going through the same thing, balancing study and sport. My distance learning allows me to be flexible, even if it takes discipline to follow a program alone from home.
Above all, I try to organize my day-to-day life so that it’s as smooth as possible for the training sessions I’ve planned.
We have a lot of beginners of all ages who visit our site. What would be your main advice for a first triathlon?
I’d advise you to prepare your gear the day before the race, because there are a lot of things to think about, and even today I sometimes forget something.
Working on technical points like swimming or transitions doesn’t take much energy to do, and can save you a lot of time during the race.
And last but not least, no matter what your level, it’s important to have fun!
What’s your strongest discipline, and your weakest?
Cycling is my strongest discipline, and swimming my weakest.
You swim with an Orca wetsuit, what advantages do you find in it?
What I like about the Orca neoprene is the thin material at the shoulder which gives me flexibility, while keeping a good flotation with the central part at the belly and legs.
And finally, what are your goals for the end of the season? Will you be taking part in any triathlons in French-speaking Switzerland?
My last big goal is the grand finale of the WTCS in Pontevedra. Then I’ll do a few more World Cups. I’d also like to start at the NL in Yverdon, but there’s nothing definite yet.
Thank you Cathia, and good luck for the end of the season !