A dominant Scottish pack took the top four places in Sunday's Eton Youth Triathlon, a 'Super Sprint' 400m swim, 10km bike ride and a 2.5km run.

Cupar’s Andrew Hood finished first; close behind him was Cameron Milne, the Central Scotland Institute of Sport supported 16 year old from Kinross.  In third and fourth places respectively were Laurencekirk’s Peter Anderson and Edinburgh’s Will Johnston.

CSIS_CameronMilne_byRobEyton-Jones.jpgJust 30 seconds separated the race’s top three who had worked as a well synchronized team on the bike leg.   All three are members of Triathlonscotland’s performance squad and aspire to form the core of Scotland’s 2014 Commonwealth Games squad. 

Cameron Milne has been a triathlete since 2007.  The former swimmer was persuaded to enter an aquathon following his sister’s transition from swimmer to triathlete - she won the Scottish Schools title on her first attempt.

“The first aquathon I did I hated it,” recalls Cameron.  “I was an experienced swimmer and first out of the water then I hated the run.

“But I had already entered another race so I decided to do it and I enjoyed it much more, so I entered more races.  That October I got accepted into the Scottish triathlon squad and it went from there.”

Now coached by National Coach, Chris Volley, Cameron has been steadily improving all three disciplines with a particular emphasis on bettering his running.

“Chris has built up a careful balance of them all for us,” said Cameron. “Running was the main focus over the winter because that was my weak point last year, but this year it has gone a lot better.”

Supporting his efforts is the Central Scotland Institute of Sport, part of the Area Institutes of Sport network which provides high performance expertise to Scotland’s potential world class talent. The CSIS gives Cameron access to essential support services locally in sports medicine, sports science, strength and conditioning, and career and lifestyle guidance.

“The strength & conditioning sessions have improved my running a lot,” he said. “Strengthening my hamstrings has helped tremendously and improved flexibility.

“The nutritionist has helped a lot.  A couple of weeks ago in the National Duathlon Championships I became dehydrated and had to stop.  The nutritionist has helped me create a nutrition plan for the race at the weekend which helped me do as well as I did.” 

In a fortnight Cameron heads back to England to compete in a triathlon at Blenheim Palace. Two weeks later he could be in the British team heading to Luxembourg for the European Youth Relay Championships. 

The team will be announced later this week but Cameron is hopeful that he, and the two Scots who stood beside him on the podium on Sunday, will be selected.  Edinburgh’s Will Johnston could travel as the reserve.