Salomon Trail Team 2012

News Release / 12.03.2012

2011 was another great year for the Salomon Trail Team in the UK, once again producing some amazing domestic and international performances. With 2012 now upon us and the racing season about to get underway proper, the team spent last weekend at a North Wales camp for three days of team talks, kit fitting, training sessions and product briefing ahead of what will no doubt be a very busy 2012.

Present at the camp were representatives from main sponsor Salomon and sports instrument partners Suunto. The athletes also took the opportunity to test new product from 2012 nutrition partner Kinetica.

Team boss Tim Lloyd explains:

"It's always a pleasure to get the Salomon team together to train and plan the year ahead, but this year was one of the best camps we have ever had with a great atmosphere and some great input from Rich Philip at Salomon and Suunto's Jason Kerry. The training camp is important for Salomon and the athletes because we are all working together to move off-road and trail running forwards in terms of product development and events. Plans for 2012 look very exciting. We have some incredible athletes and a busy race and event schedule to look forward to".

The weekend saw the team try out new products on the mountains of Snowdonia in a number of group training runs and even saw them partake in a grass speed session on the Saturday afternoon with team physio and coach Andy Walling. The morning was spent on a 2012 photoshoot with local pro photographer Ray Wood and that was followed by a visit to Bangor University and guidance from sports scientist Jonny Moore who demonstrated such things as the University heat chamber. Sunday saw more group runs and finally a core stability session to round off the weekend.

Regarding the team line-up for 2012 Lloyd continues:

"We have re-aligned the team a little this year, by creating a mix of our highly experienced champions and younger athletes capable of taking the Salomon name into some different spheres. Rob Hope, Angela Mudge, Tom Owens, Ricky Lightfoot, Rob Samuel and Nick Swinburn remain with the team and will once again focus on a programme of international and domestic races, with Tom racing predominantly with the Salomon International team this season.

"Rob Hope will no doubt be looking to regain that British title form which saw him take a hat-trick of titles in 2007, 2008 and 2009, Ricky will be concentrating on some domestic racing and international races such as the Danish Hammer Trail and defending his Salomon Kielder Marathon title. Angela's programme will be a mixture of British fell races and international mountain and trail races, she is looking very fit already this year you can bet that Angela will be super-competitive this season following last year which saw her pick up a few injuries.