Startline Coaching

Price: $730 $630 w/ Coupon Code “EarlyBird” Register by 2/27/26
Dates: May 1-3 Location: St. Petersburg, FL

Beautiful environment, wonderful weather, and a premier swimming facility.

Every year, 24 athletes assemble in St. Petersburg, Florida for a 3 day swim camp designed to prepare triathletes for their first races of the year. The camp also prepares athletes with skills and specific knowledge about their individual strokes. Athletes walk away prepared to continue the good work throughout the rest of the year.

Swimmers return to this camp every year. There is plenty for everyone to learn and practice, build fitness, and become increasingly competitive.

This skills based camp includes:

  • All levels instruction
  • Individual stroke recommendation on pool deck by expert coaches with decades of experience
  • Over 10 hours of swim time and individualized instruction in pool & open water
  • Open water practice – starts, exits, turns, pack swimming, & sighting
  • Open water swim in deep water
  • Dryland (strength) & mobility exercises to support your training
  • Video capture & analysis with individualized stroke correction recommendations
  • Testing exercises to understand your optimal stroke rates & race pacing

Our philosophy is to meet you where you are today. First timers can expect to come away feeling confident with your ability to race your first event. More experienced swimmers can expect to improve their stroke efficiency. All athletes will get very specific feedback on their stroke to enhance their race performance. Everyone enjoys substantive time to learn and refine their swimming.

Led by nationally recognized triathlon coaches:

  • Peter Helling: USAT L3 Coach & Coach Educator. Coaching athletes to successful swims for over 18 years. Peter works with both paratriathletes and able bodied athletes of all skill levels. Hundreds of triathletes have successfully completed their first races under his instruction.
  • Earl Walton: Veteran triathlon and swim coach with over 25 years of experience. Earl works with athletes of all levels, from triathletes to masters swimmers to open water newcomers.

Price: $725 Dates: May 2-5 Location: St. Petersburg, FL

Beautiful environment, wonderful weather, and a premier swimming facility.

Every year, 20 athletes assemble in St. Petersburg, Florida for a 3 day swim camp designed to prepare triathletes for their first races of the year. The camp also prepares athletes with skills and specific knowledge about their individual strokes. Athletes walk away prepared to continue the good work throughout the rest of the year.

Swimmers return to this camp every year. There is plenty for everyone to learn and practice, build fitness, and become increasingly competitive.

This skills based camp includes:

  • All levels instruction
  • Individual stroke recommendation on pool deck by expert coaches with decades of experience
  • Over 10 hours of swim time and individualized instruction in pool & open water
  • Open water practice – starts, exits, turns, pack swimming, & sighting
  • Open water swim in deep water
  • Dryland (strength) & mobility exercises to support your training
  • Video capture & analysis with individualized stroke correction recommendations
  • Testing exercises to understand your optimal stroke rates & race pacing

Our philosophy is to meet you where you are today. First timers can expect to come away feeling confident with your ability to race your first event. More experienced swimmers can expect to improve their stroke efficiency. All athletes will get very specific feedback on their stroke to enhance their race performance. Everyone enjoys substantive time to learn and refine their swimming.

Led by nationally recognized triathlon coaches:

  • Peter Helling: USAT L3 Coach & Coach Educator. Coaching athletes to successful swims for over 18 years. Peter works with both Paratriathletes and able bodied athletes of all skill levels. Hundreds of triathletes have successfully completed their first races under his instruction.
  • Earl Walton: Veteran triathlon and swim coach with over 25 years of experience. Earl works with athletes of all levels, from triathletes to masters swimmers to open water newcomers.

3 Day Triathlon swim camp in St. Petersburg, Florida | May 2-4  | Max occupancy: 24 Athletes | Price $675 (until 3/24)

7 weeks until swim camp in Florida! Grab a space before the price increases on 3/24 at midnight.

Take your race preparation to the next level. Come away with a deeper understanding of your swim. Receive instruction focused with targeted corrections, and enjoy time to focus on your swim. Takeaway an action plan for the season ahead. Athletes of all levels are welcome.

Early May is a beautiful time of the year to be In Florida. The sunshine and temperatures are perfect. 

Small camp size with a maximum of 24 participants.

Receive direct instruction from expert triathlon swim coaches

  • See yourself and others on video with coach feedback
  • Receive a personalized video analysis & report
  • Receive a TrainingPeaks swim training plan to prepare you for camp
  • Learn effective drills for you that will help you correct your flaws
  • Develop open water skills & confidence
  • Understand what tempo you should target to optimize your pace
  • Understand pacing for your workouts
  • Get in some yards & prep for that first race of the year

All this & more awaits you at the Startline Coaching Swim Camp in St. Petersburg Florida. The perfect kick off to your summer and your season. The best way to take your swimming to the next level. 

Join us in St. Petersburg Florida

3 Day Triathlon swim camp in St. Petersburg, Florida | Mar 22-24  | Max occupancy: 24 Athletes | Price $645 (until 2/15)

8 weeks until swim camp in Florida! Grab a space before the price increases on 2/15 at midnight.

  1. Sunshine.  World class pool facility on the water.  Amazing coaching.
  2. Video analysis, open water practice, yes yoga on the beach too.

All this & more awaits you at the Startline Coaching Swim Camp in St. Petersburg Florida. The perfect kick off to your summer and your season. The best way to take your swimming to the next level. 

Join us in St. Petersburg Florida March 22-24

12 weeks until Swim Camp in Florida! Grab a space before the prices increases on 1/31 at midnight.

Sunshine.  World class pool facility on the water.  Amazing coaching.

Refine your form. Build confidence in open water. Come away with video of your swim & a plan for your season.

All this & more awaits you at the Startline Coaching Swim Camp in St. Petersburg Florida.  The perfect kick off to your summer and your season and the best way to take your swimming to the next level. 

Join us in St. Petersburg Florida April 14-16th!

I love swim camp. Every year, 20 swimmers and triathletes join Startline Coaching for a 3-day swim camp in beautiful St. Petersburg. Year over year, this “all levels” program improves performance across a broad spectrum of athletes, ages, and skill levels. It’s exciting to have athletes return each year and welcome newcomers.

An immersive experience like swim camp has benefits that cannot be gained in solo, weekly training. It’s a rare opportunity to disconnect and focus on one thing – swimming! Athletes learn about, practice, review video, and incorporate fundamental principles into their open water swim stroke and learn a few Jedi master tricks along the way. Athletes are guided by professional coaches who offer targeted feedback and direction, and are inspired by the energy of the group. For many triathletes, this kind of swim experience simply is not available in their hometowns.

The March 2022 camp was no exception – fins, snorkels, drills, swim sets, a great outdoor pool, and great company. Many thanks to the great crew of triathletes and swimmers who made it such a blast. Coach Earl Walton and I watched with big grins as each swimmer developed a better swim stroke, moved more fluidly in the water, and gained open water confidence. As always it was huge fun and hugely rewarding.

Intrigued? Got a little FOMO? Join us for the upcoming camp from May 13-15, 2022!

Visualize your swim leg. How will it feel?

Too often, the swim portion of a triathlon is viewed as a survival leg. Athletes use brute strength, endurance, and grit to get through it. But if you want faster bike and run legs, then learn to swim without draining your energy and building excess fatigue.

Triathlon swimming is all about:

  • Efficient technique
  • Open water savvy & confidence
  • Pacing control

Our swim camps will get you out of the water ready to race vs. ready to recover:

  • Receive direct instruction from expert triathlon swim coaches
  • See your self and others on video with coach feedback
  • Understand what it is about your freestyle stroke that is holding you back
  • Learn effective drills for you that will help you correct your flaws
  • Develop open water skills & confidence
  • Understand pacing for your workouts

Camp #1 – March 25-27

  • 3 spots left
  • Price: $625 until Feb 28
  • Registration closes March 19

Camp #2 – May 13-15

  • Only 10 spots left
  • Price: $600 initial registration price extended through Feb 28

Join us & transform your swim.

3 Day Triathlon Swim Camp in St. Petersburg, Florida | $600 price increases midnight 1/31 | Max occupancy: 30 Athletes

We’d love to see you and want to be sure you don’t miss out on registering before the price increases tonight.

Sunshine.  World class pool facility on the water.  Amazing coaching.

All this & more awaits you at the Startline Coaching Swim Camp in St. Petersburg Florida.  The perfect kick off to your summer and your season and the best way to take your swimming to the next level. 

Join us in St. Petersburg Florida April 14-16!

Head coaches: Earl Walton & Peter Helling

8 weeks until Swim Camp in Florida! Grab a space before the prices increases on 1/31 at midnight.

Sunshine.  World class pool facility on the water.  Amazing coaching.

All this & more awaits you at the Startline Coaching Swim Camp in St. Petersburg Florida.  The perfect kick off to your summer and your season and the best way to take your swimming to the next level. 

Join us in St. Petersburg Florida March 25-27th!

3 Day Triathlon Swim Camps in St. Petersburg, Florida | 2 camps available |
black Friday registration price – $550 available until midnight | Max occupancy: 30 Athletes

25 people arrive at a pool – Some want to qualify for the World Championships, some want to race their first triathlon.  Some of those folks were talked into the Swim Camp by a significant other.  All left the pool swimming better, with new friends, a little suntan and a chance to thrive not just survive the first leg of their triathlon. 

Swimming is a life skill and a doorway to fitness and new experiences – we can’t wait to get you in the pool and show you what is possible!

Coaches Peter Helling and Earl Walton have a combined 50 years of coaching between them and look forward to helping you reach your goals this season.

Join us in sunny St. Petersburg Florida for the Startline Coaching Swim Camp and bring your goals. 

Use the coupon code “blacktriday” during registration. The coupon is valid through 11/30.

Looking for a breakthrough on the bike? Looking to get away from the northern winter? Come to southern Spain this coming Feb-March. The views are breathtaking, rides are challenging, food is outstanding, and camaraderie will leave you with memories and friends for a lifetime. Last year, I had the pleasure of joining 4 Startline Coaching athletes at Strong Like Bull. We were all blown away by the experience.

Operating for over 14 years, Strong Like Bull camps give cyclists the ultimate multi-day tour experience.

The team of John Hirsch & Sean Langford bring you to the peaks of Pico de Veleta (Sierra Nevada) and El Torcal de Antequerra (Sierra del Torcal) among many others.

Every ride is a guided non drop ride with multiple pace groups. No ride is repeated and every ride brings with it substantial climbing and 60-70 miles of riding. A SAG wagon supports every ride should you feel you need to take a break but the views and riding variety have a way of just pushing you on.

Kerstin Barr of Soulshine Kitchen provides delicious food that caters to the dietary and fueling needs of all campers.

Campers stay in a farm house together with many bedrooms, and space to spread out. Campers can expect to share rooms with another camper. The farmhouse also has a lovely pool that is wonderfully therapeutic after a day in the saddle.

Larry Rosa of Larry Rosa photography captures every athlete at their absolute best, and drives the SAG wagon.

Triathletes looking to get in a run or two or a swim will be able to do so as well. The local pool (Piscina Cubierta) is a wonderful facility 8 * 25 m facility. Catch a swim in the morning before heading out on the bike or take a run right out of the door of the farmhouse.

To cap it all off, each camp includes a one day trip to a historical site. Last year’s camps visited world heritage sites, the Alhambra Granada and the Mezquita Cordoba, plus a day in town to shop, see the sites and enjoy a night on the town together.

In sum, Strong Like Bull camps are shouldn’t be missed experience for any cyclist. Come away transformed.

Coach Peter

Photo Credit: Larry Rosa photography