Ocean Spray WATA workshop tomorrow

The Ocean Spray WATA School Challenge Workshop is on tomorrow at the Iberostar Rose Hall Beach Hotel in Montego Bay, St James.

The event is part of the Jamaica Triathlon & Multi-Sports Festival which started yesterday and runs until Sunday.

Hosted by Entertain Jamaica and the Jamaica Triathlon Association, the Ocean Spray WATA School Challenge Workshop is expected to attract more than 400 long-distance running, swimming, and cycling athletes, ages 13-18, from more than 50 high schools across the island for a free, fun-filled day of clinics, specialised speakers and coaches on nutrition, imaging, brand building, discipline and training techniques in the various disciplines.

Rayne Russell, Entertain Jamaica's event director, has expressed his appreciation for the support from Ocean Spray.

"Now in our fourth year of staging the event, Wisynco Group Limited has been on board since the beginning and we are truly grateful. We look forward to improving our local youth sports programme with the Ocean Spray School Challenge Workshop and 5K. The multi-discipline seminar and clinic promises to be even better in developing our future Jamaican triathletes."

Over the past 10 years, Wisynco Group Limited has been a major sponsor and avid supporter of sports development in Jamaica.

Tamara Ward, country manager, Coca-Cola & Ocean Spray, feels that the product is an appropriate fit for events of this nature.

Ward said: "Like our tag line, WATA Wid Wow!, we think that athletes who engage and dedicate themselves to performing at their best and engage in multiple sports disciplines are Wow!"

She added: "Proper hydration is a critical factor in ensuring the optimum performance of players in any sport, and Ocean Spray WATA provides hydration in a natural form by combining water with the refreshing taste of cranberries."

Entertain Jamaica has lined up all-star coaches and speakers for the event, including Denis Johnson, a former world 100 yards record holder, coach and sports director at University of Technology, to do the lecture on running; Iona Wynter, the only woman to have represented Jamaica at the Olympic Games in triathlon and cycling; Christian Tavares, president of the Jamaica Cycling Federation; Jackie Walter, swimming coach; and leading fitness, triathlon, nutrition and metabolism expert from the United States, Ben Greenfield.

The workshop has received sponsorship from Gymkhana, Island Grill, Powerade, LIME, Honey Bun, Youthlink, Nature Valley, Haviannas, Locker Room Sports, Marksman, and the Jamaica Tourist Board.