{"id":1684,"date":"2010-03-17T21:55:56","date_gmt":"2010-03-17T19:55:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conradstoltz.com\/?p=1684"},"modified":"2010-03-17T21:55:56","modified_gmt":"2010-03-17T19:55:56","slug":"interview-with-crankcoza-conrad-stoltz-interview-the-junior-the-frenchies-and-the-infected-foot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conradstoltz.com\/index.php\/interview-with-crankcoza-conrad-stoltz-interview-the-junior-the-frenchies-and-the-infected-foot\/","title":{"rendered":"Interview with Crank.co.za: Conrad Stoltz interview: The \u201cJunior\u201d, The \u201cFrenchies\u201d and the infected foot."},"content":{"rendered":"

\"conrad-stoltz-itu-limoge\"<\/p>\n

“We expected Greg Bennett, but its the South African, Conrad Stoltz, who wins the only ITU leg in France” 1999<\/p>\n

[\u201cI\u2019ll bet this is the strangest interview you\u2019ve ever done,\u201d says Conrad Stoltz as he locks his Specialized road bike to a lamp post outside a Stellenbosch coffee shop.<\/em><\/p>\n

Thirty minutes earlier, he had to duck out from our conversation to visit his physiotherapist for a good working over: a couple of niggling injuries needed some soothing.<\/em><\/p>\n

The \u201cCaveman\u201d has certainly been through his fair share of ups and downs over a career dating back to 1991. In fact, he may just be the longest serving professional sportsman in South Africa (if one thinks back to the 1995 Rugby World Cup, Conrad was already a \u201cveteran\u201d of the French triathlon circuit).<\/em><\/p>\n

CRANK was fortunate enough to sit down with Conrad recently and talk about his early days as a professional triathlete in South Africa and continental Europe.<\/em><\/p>\n

CRANK: Conrad, you had your \u201cbreakthrough\u201d race aged 17 at the SA Champs in Langebaan way back in 1991. Could you talk us through your build up, expectations and the race itself?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

CONRAD STOLTZ<\/strong>: That was indeed a \u201cmilestone\u201d race for me \u2013 something just \u201chappened\u201d that day and I moved up the next level.<\/em><\/p>\n

It was the first year that we had a heated pool in Pretoria \u2013 they built a Health and Raquet Club in Pretoria in 1990; I bought a life membership costing something like R700. So that was the first year that we were able to swim right through the winter, which had always hampered us in the years before.<\/em><\/p>\n

My aspirations then were to win the junior category \u2013 there was great depth within the junior ranks with Greg Lunderstedt, Bryan Mellville, Cameron Jones, Dave Hyam; to name but a few.<\/em><\/p>\n

On race day, there was a \u201cmore than\u201d gale force southeaster which resulted in huge waves in the swim- very intimidating for us \u201cVaalies\u201d. Back then we swam out the marina out to sea \u2013 or so it felt.\u00a0 \u2013 Kevin Richards had a huge lead out of the water, which he extended on the bike to over four minutes.<\/em><\/p>\n

I was a complete \u201ctri geek\u201d and rode…<\/em> ]<\/em><\/p>\n

Click here for the rest of the classic interview on www.crank.co.za<\/a><\/p>\n

\"fit-marseilles\"<\/p>\n

France Iron Tour- the 10 stage one- in 95 or 96? Stage 2 start in Marseilles. That’s me in the middle, (silver sleeveless suit) hogging the start line. Back in the days I could still swim…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“We expected Greg Bennett, but its the South African, Conrad Stoltz, who wins the only ITU leg in France” 1999 [\u201cI\u2019ll bet this is the strangest interview you\u2019ve ever done,\u201d says Conrad Stoltz as he locks his Specialized road bike to a lamp post outside a Stellenbosch coffee shop. Thirty minutes earlier, he had to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[58,59],"tags":[189,194,305,314,354,1754,412,423,522,555,556,565,574,626,637,662,673,672,862,871,922,997,1805,1806,1152,1195,1196],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n