Ellie Salthouse

As a young child, I grew up being encouraged to participate in a broad range of sports, from touch football to hockey and everything in between. Having an older brother meant contact sports were very attractive to me, anything just to keep up with him. It wasn’t until I was 11 years old that I started to particularly enjoy cross-country running, even being selected for national teams. Naturally, having talent for the sport meant that I grew to love it and, when I saw an advertisement for the Weet-Bix kids triathlon on the back of the cereal box, thought it could provide good grounding for a triathlon pursuit. Who would have thought, munching on my Weet-Bix at the tender age of 11 could have sparked the start of a long and successful triathlon career?

After joining a junior triathlon squad at 11 years old, I immediately fell in love with the sport and knew I wanted to eventually pursue it as a career. I turned professional at 17 years old, in my final year of high school, and found myself juggling study and a professional sports career all at the same time. Successfully graduating from school in 2010, it was only natural that I chose to be a full-time athlete. I made the commitment to myself and my coach at the time, to live the Australian summer in Brisbane and the European summer in Vitoria Gasteiz, Spain. This pattern remained from 2010 until 2013. During such time, I was given opportunities to travel the globe racing in Continental Cups, Continental Championships, World Cups, junior World Championships and as a member of a French team on the prestigious French Grand Prix circuit. But my biggest success during this time on the ITU circuit was an individual silver medal at the Inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, 2010. 

At the end of 2013, I decided to retire from the sport completely and pursue other avenues. I had lost the love and desire to be the world’s greatest. However, It only took 6 months away from the sport to realize that I had unfinished business in the triathlon world and I would never forgive myself if I didn't give it another chance. 

That was when I met Siri Lindley, my current coach, and the one who has already helped me realize so many of my dreams. Upon meeting Siri, I committed to spending the USA summer months in Boulder, Colorado with Siri and her stable of athletes, and the Australian summer months back home in Brisbane. I now refer to Boulder as my home, it’s truly an athletes paradise. After two more years on the ITU circuit under the direction of Siri, we decided to give half distance racing a go at the start of 2016. Arguably the greatest decision of my life. I finished my first season on the half distance circuit with four half distance titles, multiple podium finishes and a top 10 World Championship finish, an achievement I never could have imagined for my first year at a new distance. 

So far this year, Siri and I have already achieved three 70.3 podium finishes, and a 5th place at a World Championship, the foundations for a very successful remainder of the season. Thank you for following my triathlon career and being a part of my journey, I look forward to sharing many more successes with you this year. 

-Ellie xx