About

PODIUM TRI

Your Destination for Triathlon Excellence

At PODIUM TRI, we believe in the transformative power of sport. Our mission is to empower every athlete to reach their goals through personalised, multi-disciplinary coaching.

By tailoring our approach to your unique journey, we ensure you train smarter, more effectively, and with greater efficiency – unlocking your full potential every step of the way.

Alan Rapley OLY

Director

Hi, I am Alan, a Director here at Podium Tri. As an Olympian and former GB swimming captain, I’ve lived the highs and challenges of elite sport. My journey to the Olympic stage taught me that success is never a solo effort, it’s built on a team of experts, personalised strategies, and relentless belief in your potential.

Now, as Director of Podium Tri, I bring that same ethos to triathlon. My mission is to help athletes of all levels unlock their best, using world-class expertise and tailored support.

At Podium Tri, it’s not just about competing, it’s about reimagining what’s possible and empowering you to achieve your ambitions.

Fraser Blain

Director

Hi, I’m Fraser, an athlete who has represented Great Britain in various sports, including long-distance triathlon, aquabike, road cycling, and freestyle skiing. I have achieved multiple top 10 age group results at World and European Championship multi-sport events, demonstrating my commitment to excellence.

Alongside my athletic career, I have experience as a Team Manager for elite cycling teams and I am a qualified British Cycling coach. This background allows me to share my knowledge and support fellow athletes as they strive to reach their goals. I know my diverse background in both competition and coaching fuels my dedication to the sport and inspires me to support fellow athletes on their journey.

Meet Our Coaches

Our team consists of highly qualified and motivated professionals, who are all experts in their field. With many years of experience in the industry, they have the expertise to provide comprehensive, first-rate services to our clients.

Abi Woodliffe-Thomas

The Nutrition Guru

I’m Abi, a Loughborough University graduate and experienced performance nutritionist who’s worked with Premier League football clubs, GB Diving, ultra runners, and more.

My passion lies in using evidence-based nutrition to unlock the extra 10% in training and performance. In triathlon, where the demands of swimming, cycling, and running push athletes to their limits, I focus on individualised strategies to optimise performance, enhance recovery, and sustain energy across every stage of competition.

I understand that no two athletes are the same, and tailoring nutrition to their unique needs is key to success. Whether it’s supporting endurance through strategic fuelling, speeding up recovery with targeted interventions, or fine-tuning hydration strategies, I’m dedicated to helping athletes thrive.

For me, it’s all about empowering individuals to feel, train, and perform their best, every single day.

Ian Freeman

The Physiology Guru

I am an experienced sport coaching academic, coach and athlete developer, well known for my engaging, high quality teaching and applied practice experiences linked to Olympic Gold Medal winning performances. For the last 16 years, I have worked with National Governing Bodies (NGBs), Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) and Global Sporting Bodies delivering professional development to thousands of sports coaches, coach developers, athletes and other key stakeholders.

Author of the Athlete Development Support Pathway (ADSP) within Swimming, that offers a more holistic Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model to better optimise talent/skill development and high performance capacities to club/talent development level coaches (and athletes).

Planning is my super strength, if you have something in mind I can get you to your goal.

I am currently studying for a Professional Doctorate (D.Prof) at Leeds Beckett University investigating ‘The Athlete Development Support Pathway (ADSP) better understanding its fidelity on swimming coach experiences and impact on the Talent Development Environment.’

Matilda Mayne

The Psychology Guru

Head of Sport Psychology UoE | HCPC-Registered Performance Psychologist ICF Performance Coach (ACSTH)

I like understanding how people work. I like understanding who people really are. I like helping them be that person when it really counts. I like it so much I’ve somehow ended up doing it for a living.

I’m constantly reminded of how much there is for me to learn, so thanks to those of you who keep posting wonderful, meaningful insights on LinkedIn, you certainly get in the way of my social media breaks.

I will give you the tools to succeed.

Adam Haines

The S&C Guru

Owner at FIT Guru we strive to bring exceptional elite level fitness and wellbeing coaching to the industry in a time where unqualified tik tok fitness influencers and fad diets have become common place. We create progressive, realistic and achievable programmes that help you to get and maintain results without completely sacrificing your lifestyle.

We are here to break barriers, we are here to provide coaching that actually works to help you feel, look and perform at your absolute best. Fit Guru coaching will differ from any fitness experience you have had in the past, that we can guarantee. If you have ever started a fitness journey yet didn’t quite manage to see it through, it’s time to experience next level coaching with Fit Guru.

Expect comprehensive exercise programming, intelligent nutrition protocols and malleable lifestyle learnings via our members lab, private groups and in person coaching.

It’s time to find out what you are capable of.

Jacob Tipper

Cycling Guru

Jacob Tipper is a former elite athlete, with a career spanning UCI race victories and World Cup races. A coach since 2013, Jacob has worked with athletes at the pinnacle of sport, including Ben Healy (Giro stage winner) and Jonny Brownlee (Olympic medalist).

As a co-founder of the Huub Wattbike UCI Track Team, he blends athletic success with expertise in aerodynamics and performance science, helping athletes across disciplines achieve peak results.

Jacob’s unique insight into elite sport continues to inspire and transform those aiming for world-class performance.

Ed Beskin

Physiologist and testing guru

With an undergraduate degree in Sports Therapy and a master’s in Strength and Conditioning, Ed brings over a decade of experience working with elite and amateur athletes. Ed specializes in helping athletes achieve higher levels of performance through a holistic approach that places the athlete at the center of his programmes.

Ed’s work has supported athletes in remarkable achievements, including completing the Land’s End to John O’Groats bike ride, competing in national title boxing matches, and helping athletes achieve places in the National squads.

By integrating evidence-based training, injury prevention, and recovery strategies Ed helps athletes of all abilities unlock their potential and excel in their chosen sport.

If you have the dream, I will support you with the solution.

Mark Skimming

Hi, I’m Mark and I’ve been coaching swimming for years, working with everyone from little ones just learning to swim to Olympic medallists. I’ve helped swimmers and modern pentathletes win medals at every level, from junior competitions to senior internationals.

I’ve also had the chance to be involved in top-level triathlon programmes, helping coaches figure out what their athletes need to work on and how to take their swimming to the next level. Through all of this, I’ve learned that swimming isn’t just about technique—it’s about understanding the demands of the sport as a whole and making sure everything is in balance.

No two athletes are the same. We all move differently, with different strengths and weaknesses. That’s why I take a tailored approach, using my experience across swimming and multisport training to help you improve, refine, and ultimately swim faster and more efficiently. Let’s get to work and have some fun!