Windburn Race Team Our Coaches

Dave Lipchen

Dave’s coaching career has involved working with athletes of all ages, but has focused on the youth age groups using the LTAD (Long Term Athlete Development) model to appropriately develop their abilities.

He developed the Manitoba Youth Triathlon Program in its entirety in 2008 and was the full-time Head Coach of the Triathlon Manitoba Youth Team from 2008-2012, with the focus on developing high performance athletes from 10 to 18 years old.

In this context, Dave has recruited and developed many of Manitoba’s top youth athletes since 2008. Dave also has been a competitive athlete since 1992. He is now the Head Coach and Director of the Windburn Multi-Sport Academy made up of athletes aged 12 and up.

Windburn’s coached training sessions and individualized programs are designed and implemented by Head Coach, Dave Lipchen. Dave partners with coaches at the Manta Swim Team, Manitoba Cycling Association, University of Manitoba Bison’s Track Team and Peacock Endurance Project to ensure athletes receive a holistic training environment from experts in each sport. Dave’s coaching style involves daily communication with each athlete to help monitor well-being, ensure adequate recovery and prevent injury.

The emphasis on two-way communication also maintains motivation, engagement and focus on daily training tasks as well as long-term goals. Dave is an athlete and, thus, actively participates in all training sessions to inspire athletes to train and compete at their highest level.

Education

National Coaching Institute (NCI) at the University of Winnipeg with an Advanced Coaching Diploma in 2012.
Certified as a Competitive Triathlon Coach from Triathlon Canada 2008.
University of Manitoba Exercise and Sport Science Degree in 2006.

Achievements

Coach of the Year 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2017
Presented by Triathlon Manitoba
Represented Canada in 7 World Triathlon Championships
Chicago, USA, 2015; Vancouver, Canada, 2008; Sater, Sweden, 2004; Cancun, México, 2002; Edmonton, Canada, 2001; Perth, Australia, 2000’ Lausanne, Switzerland, 1998
Represented Canada in 2 World Duathlon Championships
Calais, France, 2000; North Carolina, USA, 1999
Voted Triathlon Canada’s National Age Group Team Captain 2000 Perth, Australia

Emily Unger

Emily has been a triathlete all her life. She began her training with the Manitoba Youth Team, eventually moving on to train with the Manitoba National Triathlon Center. Emily has raced across Canada and the United States.

She has raced both junior elite level and age group levels. She has represented Windburn Multisport Academy since 2015. She represented Triathlon Canada at the World Championships in Chicago in 2015.

Her love of the sport extends beyond competing though as she more recently was a coach for the Manitoba Powersmart Summer Games in 2016, developed and implemented the triathlon camp for the City of Winnipeg summer youth camp program. She has been a triathlon official.

She was the recipient of a Sport Manitoba “Women to watch in sport” award in 2015. Her favorite part of the sport is the friends she has made and skills she has learned along the way and the post race watermelon

Quinn

I started competing in triathlon during Windburn race team’s inaugural year back in 2014. Since then I have competed in all levels of triathlon from local races to Canada Games and World Championships.

I began coaching Windburn’s Developmental Program in the spring of 2018, with the goal of having fun while developing new skills and introducing athletes to the sport of triathlon. I aim to inspire the next generation of Manitoban triathletes by continuing to compete in the sport myself.

Through my years of training and competing in triathlon I picked up skills and techniques that I am able to pass onto the athletes I coach and train alongside. I strive for fun and energetic training sessions while insuring a safe and positive training environment.

Dave and I work closely together and collaborate to insure athletes in the Developmental Program are receiving the right training for their age and ability, so that they may reach their highest athletic potential now and in the future.