MANA Athletes Focus on World Titles and Olympic Selection

February 7, 2023

/ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – Mana athlete Joe Skipper is targeting two world championships alongside major prize purses in 2023, building on his career-high professional ranking, two IRONMAN wins and historic sub-7 hour finish over the full distance last year.

The British long-course triathlon star kicks off his season at CLASH Miami next month in a bid for the lion’s share of the $50,000 USD prize purse. This will be his only race in North America as the racing turns Euro-centric to his first target: the World Triathlon Long Distance Championship in May in Ibiza, where Skipper aims to win his first world championship. He will then Challenge Roth for the fourth time. He says, “I have some great memories and I’m looking forward to taking on a world-class field in my attempt to win at one of the most iconic long-course races in the world.”

With the IRONMAN World Championship men’s race to be held in Nice, France, Skipper will have the benefit of staying closer to home time zones in the preparation. “I will do an altitude training block in Font Romeu,” he reveals. “I can’t wait for the season to start. It’s looking to be a great summer of racing!”

Rising long-course triathlete Charlie Quin has signed onto the Mana athlete management roster, a move that takes him from elite athlete to professional in taking the business of sport in earnest.

After representing Australia on the World Cup and Continental Cup circuit, he made the move across from Olympic to non-drafting triathlon last year. Quin has since cut his teeth winning the world’s biggest standard distance triathlon event, the Noosa Triathlon before going on to take second at Ironman 70.3 Melbourne. He ended 2022 crowned champion of Southeast Asia’s longest-running triathlon event the Laguna Phuket Triathlon following in the footsteps of sport legends such as Mana co-founder and two-time Ironman world champion Chris McCormack as well as fellow Mana Global athlete and Ironman Asia Pacific champion Amelia Watkinson.

Quin says, “I was excited to sign with Mana as I believe they had a strong vision and passion for creating positive change in the world through sport. I felt we shared the same values around the effect sport can have on an individual and a community. I hope to be part of that through my performances as a Mana athlete. Mana is one of the leaders in the sport of triathlon and has already helped many of the sport’s top athletes, so I’m very excited to be able to work with them.”

One of the first fruits of Quin’s signing with Mana was inking a partnership with renowned sports brand ASICS. “Signing with ASICS is a great step in my journey as a professional athlete,” adds Quin. “I have been using ASICS products for a long time, so to have their support as a sponsor is something I am proud of. As an athlete you always want to have the best equipment. By partnering with ASICS I know I will have the best shoes and apparel to train and race in.” Quin has also partnered with Sailfish wetsuits, joining the ranks of athletes like three-time world champions Mario Mola and Craig Alexander.

The Paris Olympic and Paralympic cycle is starting to heat up, and Mana athletes Henri Schoeman, Tyler Mislawchuk, Maya Kingma, and Lauren Parker are set to race heavily on the World Triathlon circuit to better their chances for selection.

“The focus of my year will be securing early qualification for my third Olympic Games in Paris,” says Mislawchuk. “The Grand Finale and Olympic test event both fall within a month of each other which provide a clear peak.”

Schoeman has battled back from career-threatening injury not just once but twice since Tokyo. He says, “I’m really excited to put myself back out there again. Putting the past three years behind me, I’m looking to make the most of every opportunity this year.”

MANA SEG works with the very best in the world of endurance sport. For a detailed discussion about working or partnering with any of our athletes, please contact: tim.ford@manaseg.com