Kathy Tremblay takes 2013 off

One of Canada’s most accomplished female triathletes, Kathy Tremblay, will take a break from the competitive grind of high-performance sport in 2013 to recharge her batteries and launch a new health and wellness business in Montreal.

After racing for more than 12 years when she began her high-performance career racing at the Junior World Championships in 2000,the 30-year-old Montreal resident will take the year off to give her body the rest it requires and deserves. Tremblay has competed twice in the Olympic SummerGames and 10 times at the World Championships

“Every ounce of energy I have had over the last eight years was committed to not only qualifying to represent Canada at the Olympic Summer Games, but to be able to compete at my very best, and that is something I am very proud of,” said Tremblay, who is one of two Canadian women to have competed in two Olympic triathlons. “But training for a spot on the start line against the top athletes in the world is nothing short of a grind, and I believe my body and mind need to take a step back from competition.”

Tremblay will take a break from the sport following a career-year in 2012. Battling to fight her way into the top-25 for most of the last Olympic quadrennial, the recently married Tremblay captured her first-ever World Cup victory in Ishigaki, Japan last spring, one week after posting her best finish on the World Triathlon Series when she was eighth at the season-opener in Sydney, Australia. Tremblay, who also competed attwo Pan American Games, has three podium finishes to go along with a handful of top-five finishes in World Cup levelracing. Atwo-timeNational Champion, Tremblay was also part of Canada’s bronze-medal winning squad at the 2009 World Team Championships.

“I am very excited about what I have been able to accomplish this far in my sport career while representing Canada at international events. It is something I will cherish forever,” said Tremblay. “This break will allow me to refocus my sport commitments, and provide me the opportunity to chase new career dreams.”

Tremblay will use her sabbatical from elite racing and hit thestart line in the corporate world.Bachelor of Art in public relations, industrial relations and business start-up graduatefrom the Université de Montreal, Tremblay is joining forces with 2012 Olympic volleyball player Marie-Andrée Lessard to launch a new workplace health and wellness program in an effort to create a healthier and more active corporate world.

The business will operate on three levels: meetings with the experienced elite level athletes to inspire participants to adopt a healthier lifestyle in an effort to optimize their own performances in life; leading on-site activity classes including running, yoga and elastics, along with therapeutic services including applied kinesiology and massage therapy; and an interactive web site that will continue the dialogue and allow participants to follow their progression through the completion of the program.

“I do realize this will be a new challenge, but I’m definitely excited to take on the opportunity,” said Tremblay. “I still have the fire to compete in my belly, but I truly believe this break will allow me to look at life, and my sport,more in perspective, and I appreciate the support and understanding from myteammates and the staff at Triathlon Canada.”

Triathlon Canada will announce its 2013 World Cup squad in the New Year.

“Kathy is a world-class person both on and off the playing field, and we wish her the very best as she prepares for this exciting new challenge,” said Libby Burrell, high-performance director, Triathlon Canada. “While we will miss Kathy in our program, Canada does have a strong group of young athletes in the system that proved they are ready to compete with the world’s best as we prepare to launch a new Olympic cycle.”

For more information on Kathy Tremblay, please visit her personal web site at:www.kathytremblay.ca.