>>> WTS Gold Coast 2015 – in pics

The decision was made at an ITU Executive Board meeting held in conjunction with last weekend’s WTS Yokohama, the Queensland city commonly known as a ‘surfer’s paradise’ will also host WTS events in the intervening years of 2016 and 2017.

The ITU also confirmed that the UK city of Leeds will replace Hyde Park, London on the 2016 WTS circuit, due in part to the fact that Hyde Park will be under construction in 2016 to allow for the building of a cycling superhighway throughout the capital.

In addition to the World Triathlon Series announcements, the ITU Executive Board voted on several multisport championship events. In 2017, Penticton, Canada will organise the first Multisport World Championships Festival, which will see duathlon, long distance triathlon, aquathlon and cross triathlon championship races taking place together during a week-long festival. 

This ground-breaking event now allows for athletes to compete in various multisport races, as opposed to electing only one each season. In addition to the 2017 Multisport Festival, the Executive Board awarded the 2018 edition to Odense, Denmark.

In the final year that will see each multisport World Championships organised as stand-alone events, Lake Crackenback, Australia has been announced as the site of the 2016 ITU Cross Triathlon World Championships.

Anne Gripper, CEO of Triathlon Australia, said “This is fantastic news for the sport of triathlon in Australia. To have the world’s best elite and age group athletes competing on the Gold Coast in 2018, as well as in the magnificent Snowy Mountains at Cross Triathlon World Championships in 2016, provides Australian triathletes of all ages with a great incentive to train and compete over the next three years as they strive to wear the green and gold on home soil.”

ITU will shortly release the bidding conditions for the 2016 Triathlon World Cup events, the 2017 World Triathlon Series races, the 2019 World Triathlon Grand Final, and the 2019 Multisport Festival. The full 2016 ITU World Triathlon Series will also be announced soon.

(Main image: Delly Carr / ITU)

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Saturday started with the first LittleLife Scootathlon (390m scoot/390m bike/250m run), with 100 kids taking part. The children’s efforts were rewarded with a t-shirt and medal giving them all fantastic bragging rights at school the following week!

Having had all winter to cool down, Dorney Lake greeted the adult triathletes with a less than balmy 14 degrees. The intrepid first wave struggled with the temperature to begin with but soon got into their stride as they swam fast to keep warm.

Patrick Tierney stormed to victory in the men’s race with the only sub-1 hour time of the day, completing the 400m swim, 21.2k bike and 5k run in 58.58. Unusually for triathlon, it was the swim that made the difference on the day. 

It may have been the fact that the wind had dropped by the time the final wave reserved for Ful-on-Tri triathletes took to the water, making the lake significantly less choppy than the first wave at 9.30am, but 5:36mins for the 400m swim was an impressive time even in calm waters. 

Second place went to George Eyles who just missed out finishing in under an hour, crossing the line in 1:00:12. Richard Curling, also of Ful-on-Tri took third place honours in 1:00:30 and had the added satisfaction of having the fastest T2 transition time of 41 seconds making him the proud winner of the T2 trainer’s prize, courtesy of Zoot.

Over in the female race, Ful-on-Tri were a class above the competition, taking four of the top five places. Sarah Lewis, who came 13th overall on the day, was the fastest female, completing the course in 1:04:21. Lewis’ swim of 5:26 was the fastest overall on the day, and the only sub-20 minutes for a female on the run course made her a very worthy winner. 

Christina Jenkins, also of Ful-on-Tri, took second place in 1:06:12. Tamsin Neale was third across the line finishing in an impressive 1:08:56: she was also the fastest female in T2 transition across the weekend making her the lucky winner of a pair of Zoot trainers. 

Super Sunday

Almost 700 triathletes were welcomed on Sunday by glorious blue skies and sunshine at Dorney Lake for day two of the Garmin Eton SuperSprints.

Following Saturday’s format, the Super Sprint consists of a 400m swim, 21.2km bike and 5km run. Despite only one distance on offer, the event attracts a mix of seasoned athletes looking to test their legs after a gruelling winter of training as well as many first timers looking to take advantage of the short swim distance as a way to dip their toes into the world of triathlon. 

Before the triathlon waves kicked off, the real stars of the show headed to the start line, with their helmets firmly on and their scooters at the ready. It was of course the start of the increasingly popular LittleLife Scootathlon, an event for 4-8 year olds who scoot 390m and cycle 390m before running the 250m to the finish line where they receive their special Scootathlon medal.

The big kids (7-8 year olds) were first off, showing their younger siblings how it should be done. Race Director Matt Brooke who was leading the way for the young athletes had his work cut out keeping ahead of the field. Two more waves; the 6 year olds and then the 4-5 year olds then proceeded. In total we saw over 100 children take part, which is very exciting news for the sport of triathlon.

Next came the adults’ triathlon races, with nine waves throughout the day. The first three consisted of Mates Waves, which allows friends and family to take part together regardless of age and sex. The remaining waves were split by age and gender. 

In the men’s race there was less than 1 minute between the top three finishers, but only one man broke the awe-inspiring 1 hour barrier and that was last year’s 3rd place athlete, David Hill, who powered home in 59:48. Just missing out on the sub 1 hour club by 7 tenths of a second, and finishing in a very impressive 2nd was Harrison Smith who crossed the line in 1:00.07. Close behind him was Richard Bull who took bronze position with a time of 1:00.31.

Young athletes stole the show in the women’s race with two under 17’s finishing in the top three. First to finish was Kathryn Bell in a time of 1:12.28. There was very little between the silver and bronze positions with Tracey Hare crossing the line in 1:13.13 and Emily Bannister in 1:13.33.

A special mention goes to Elle Linton who overcame her fear of the open water and, after a very nervous start, went on to conquer her fear and finish the course in a very respectful time.

No-one could challenge the speedy T2 times set by Saturday’s triathletes, so Richard Curling of Ful-on-Tri (41 seconds) and Tamsin Neale (47 seconds) were the weekend’s winners of brand new Zoot trainers.

The Eton Sprints and the Mixed Distance Tri are heading to Dorney Lake next weekend (23/24 May), and organisers Human Race will also be bringing the 25th Windsor Triathlon to the banks of the Thames on 14 June. 

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Speaking to commentator Bob Babbitt’s Babbittville Radio, Al-Sultan said he’s been “struggling more with the injuries than actually training.”

He added: “The most important thing is your brain – if you’re mentally no longer there to really be there 100 percent, then it’s hard. Yesterday I realised that, ‘OK, I’ve had so many bad races, and I can’t stand having one more bad race.’”

We’d like to wish a happy retirement to 2005 IRONMAN World Champ Faris Al-Sultan! Thank you for a memorable 18 years. pic.twitter.com/4voZCKuHqS

— IRONMAN Triathlon (@IRONMANtri) May 19, 2015

He did say that he may do a few more short-distance races this summer, but other than that is undecided whether to move into triathlon coaching or something else entirely separate from the sport.

Al-Sultan has a string of top-flight results to his name, including winning the Ironman World Champs in Kona in 2005, taking silver at the same race in 2004 and 2006, and more recently winning the Ironman European Championships in Frankfurt in 2011. 

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You can listen to the Babbittville Radio interview here.

>>> Gallery: Jenson Button Trust Triathlon 2014

There’s also going to be a £7,000 prize purse on offer, with £1,000 on the table for both the male and female overall winners. We caught up with the F1 ace to discuss the move…

So why Derby?

Triathlon’s massive up there and they love their sport, which is great. Especially cycling. It’s just nice having it somewhere different.

And also it can become a bigger event, not in terms of participants, because we still want to keep it a family thing, but in terms of people watching and being a part of it.  

You’re big on the festival element of a race. Why’s this?

I feel a lot of triathlons are great if you want to go there and race, but it’s arrive, do your thing and leave, which can also be a massive comedown.

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It’s nice to have the festival vibe where there’s a band afterwards, there’s a BBQ and people hang around. I think that makes the event and keep people interested in the event.

Was the race modelled on any other event? 

Lavaman in Hawaii, an Olympic-distance. I did that one a few years ago with friends and there was a BBQ and a band. I was like this is just wicked!

I thought it was such a great idea. And it’s a great way for people to have fun and hopefully raise as much money as we can for Cancer Research.

Any plans to expand?

We’ve had a couple of people talk to us about expanding it, and having it in different countries, but I think you’ve just got to be very careful. As with anything, expanding too quickly you lose the main focus, which is people having a good time. 

And it’s not a money-making business for us, it’s seeing people have a good time and also raising as much money as we can. I think Macca’s going to do something similar in Australia. He did the race last year and he really enjoyed it… I think he enjoyed the beers in the evening more than anything, though!

Do you have a finishing time in mind?

Well this year I’m actually going to train for it! I’ve never trained specifically for it before. It’s actually really good, really short stuff, just an hour and a half on the bike, I’m used to like four, five hours. But it’s going to hurt a lot!

Hopefully it’ll be better than the last few years because I keep having problems – I had a puncture last year, I wore my missus’ wetsuit two years before that which didn’t fit and I had a bit of a panic attack… so it’s not been the best race for me. Everyone else seems to have a great time, I don’t!

For more information on the Jenson Button Trust Triathlon head to www.jensonbuttontri.com.

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After being subjected to days of southern humidity and heat in pre-race week, athletes were greeted with rain-soaked skies on the Sunday morning as they waited on the banks of the mighty Tennessee River for the 1.5km and 1.9km swim starts.

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In the Half Distance pro race where athletes vied for a 25k Euro prize purse, the victory was a repeat of sorts for winner Cameron Dye, as the Boulder, Colorado, native is a former champion of the Rev3 Olympic Distance Triathlon, the prior pro race contested on this course. 

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In the women’s race, American Lesley Smith used a never-give-up attitude to come from behind, running her way through the pack nearly seven minutes faster than any other female to nab the lead within the last few hundred yards ahead of Canada’s Rachel McBride.

A former cross country runner for Gloucestershire and a boxing coach for three years, Andy recently won bronze in the PT2 category (see classifications below)  at the Madrid ITU World Paratriathlon Event. 

How does the set-up in Loughborough work with you? 

I currently attend Loughbourgh five days a week and it works quite well. It’s great to be around the team and have access to the coaches and experts to ensure I get what I need.

How important is the Hub to you? 

It’s so important to have this facility. For me, I’m very motivated but I find training at the hub pushes me even further. 

What would qualifying for the Paralympics mean to you? 

I, along with many others, have made massive sacrifices – giving up my job, leaving my home and family (wife and two children) at home, so qualifying would mean the world to us.

It’s a hard hill to climb and I’m currently at the bottom making my way through the trees. We have to remember that I only started triathlon one year ago so getting points and on starts lists now is the most important thing for me.

With no precedent for tri in the Paralympics, how are you approaching this huge race target?

>>> Three more paratriathlon medal events for Rio 2016

Taking every day one step at a time, really. I don’t know what to expect to be honest, some of the guys have been to the Paralympics before but for me it’s such a big thing. I just can’t focus on it right now as there are so many things that need resolving first.

What’s your main goal this year?

For me it will be to improve all aspects of my performance taking each one very seriously. My main goal this year is to qualify for the Worlds and Europeans, but the PT2 cat is so new that we’re currently chasing points to make this happen. We (me and Ryan Taylor) can only do our best and hope that we get GB points.

Do you have a nemesis in your category?

For me, every competitor deserves respect to be competing at that level with a disability. But when the horn goes on race day, it’s just me, my bike and my blade.

What would you say are your biggest strengths and weaknesses in paratri?

I’m very focused on what I want. I’m a big team player but my strengths lie in my planning and motivation. I’ve made massive gains in the swim.

My weakness is possibly worrying about things I can’t control. However with the support of Steve Casson my coach I can refocus my energy very quickly.

How much does your disability affect you in training?

Due to me using my good leg a lot it becomes very tired and has to be managed very carefully. But I also suffer quite badly with sores on my stumps.

I don’t get funding or sponsorship for my prosthetics so when this happens I need to spend a lot of time getting it right. 

How do you balance family, work and training? 

This is the hardest thing for me to manage, as I find leaving my family at times of need really difficult. My wife has been so strong with me but trying to explain to a one-year-old that daddy has to go away is hard.

I gave up my job to become a full-time athlete (something I never thought I could say), so my family know why I’m doing it. But as a dad, sometimes I wish I could do normal dad things, it’s just hard to fit it all in.

Who or what inspires you most on a bad training day?

Hard one that. I would say when I’m in Loughbourgh and I’m not having a bad day, Joe Townsend. We get along really well and he always makes me laugh.

But when I’m at home it’s my wife and kids. Coming home after a bad day and seeing their faces always makes me smile.  

Paralympic category classifications

PT1 Wheelchair users. Athletes use a recumbent handcycle on the bike course and a racing wheelchair on the run segment. 

PT2 Athletes with comparable activity limitation and an impairment of, but not limited to, limb deficiency, hypertonia, ataxia and/or athethosis, impaired muscle power or range of movement. In both bike and run segments, amputee athletes may use approved prosthesis or other supportive devices.

PT4 As above but with less severe impairment. 

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PT5 Total or partial visual impairment, competes with a guide.

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>>> Move to the middle – Ironman 70.3 training plan

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Billed as “arguably the UK’s toughest and most stunning single-lap iron-distance race”, it will be fully supported and feature a family-orientated festival of triathlon. 

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The race will start on 12 July with a 3.8km swim in Lake Padarn – home to the Slateman Triathlon – before sending athletes on a 180km bike through “mind-blowing scenery, flawless tarmac and of course a number of iconic climbs”.

Finally, the run stage comprises of a full-length mixed terrain marathon set in the heart of the Snowdonia National Park. The route takes in key climbs such as Bwlch maesgwm,  Pen-y-Pass and the infamous Dinorwig Quarries. 

Pre-registration is open already here. Routes and all other information can be found here. 

(Images: SportpicturesCymru)

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>>> Lough Cutra Castle Triathlon 2014 race report

The longest race was The Gauntlet, a tough half iron distance with 200 hardy souls competing for the title. First male home was Kevin Thornton from Galway Tri Club, leading from the swim exit and smashing the course record with 4:15:08. A tight race for second was won by Mariusz Olejniczak of Naas Triathlon Club pipping UK elite Matt Leeman by just 30 seconds. Siobhan Gallagher (Donegal) led the women’s race home in a time of 5:11:39 followed.

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“I really enjoyed the course”, said Kevin Thornton after the race, “The lake was fresh but I was happy with my swim. I really loved the bike course through the Burren, it’s a very honest course and I absolutely loved the two hills. The trail part of the run was especially great, I’d done the Olympic here a few years back and think it’s a great venue for triathlon”.

Aichlinn O’Reilly, winner of the Olympic distance race

First over the line in the Olympic distance was young Aichlinn O’Reilly of Westport Triathlon Club in his very first standard event, his time was 2:05:15. He was third out of the lake but moved into first place about 12km into the cycle and held pole position all the way to the finish.

Second home was Max Hazell (Wiltshire) with last year’s runner up Aaron O’Brien (Limerick Tri Club) in third and Brennan Townshend of Loughborough in fourth place. Kitty Perle (3D Tri Club) was a clear winner in the women’s event in 2:32:37 followed by Olivia Ross-Hurst (Ful-On Tri) in 2:36:21 and Joanne Flanagan (Ennis Tri Club) in 2:37:08.

An elated Achlinn O’Reilly spoke in glowing terms after the race, “I really enjoyed it. I wasn’t sure what to expect in my first ever senior race, I’d hoped to finish in the top three but winning was absolutely amazing, particularly against some overseas competition”.

Trevor Woods from Cork Tri Club  won the Sprint Plus race (800m/44km/8km) in 01:53:46. The women’s race winner was Rachel Clancy of  Limerick Triathlon in 02:10:50. The Super Sprint was won by Kieran Jackson – (1:01:38), with Claire Scott (Peninsula) winning the women’s race in 01:18:36.

The Lough Cutra Castle Triathlon is the first of the five Castle Triathlon Series weekend events to take place over the course of this year in Ireland, England and France this year. For more info head to www.loughcutratri.ie.

The Gauntlet (1.9km/90km/21km)
Male

1: Kevin Thornton – Galway Tri Club (4:15:08)
2: Mariusz Olejnicza – Naas Tri Club (4:25:29)
3: Matt Leeman – Hockley  (4:25:59)

Female

1: Siobhán Gallagher – Donegal (5:11:39)
2: Adele Neill – Hi Elbow (5:27:35)
3: Maire Fox – 3D Tri (5:38:01)

The Lough Cutra (1500m/44km/10km)
Male

1: Aichlinn O’Reilly – Westport Tri Club (2:05:15)
2: Max Hazell – Wiltshire  (2:07.18)
3: Aaron O’Brien – Limerick Tri Club (2:09:09)

Female

1: Kitty Perle  3D (2:32:37)
2: Olivia Ross Hurst – Ful-On Tri (2:36.21)
3: Joanne Flanagan – Ennis Tri Club (2:37.08)

The Prendergast – (800m/44km/8km)
Male

1: Trevor Woods – Cork Tri Club (1:53:46)
2: Mark Nolan – Cork (1:55:54)
3: Martin Divilly – Team Collinamux  (2:01:56)

Female

1: Rachel Clancy – Limerick Triathlon (2:10:50)
2: Katherine Sherry – Dublin (2:33:13)
3: Caroline McMenamin – North West Tri Club (2:35:48)

The Viscount Gough (400m/22km/4km)
Male

1: Kieran Jackson – (1:01:38)
2  Darren Dunne – Nenagh Triathlon (1:03:36)
3: Ronan Dirrane – Predator (1:09:18)

Female

1: Claire Scott – Peninsula (01:18:36)
2: Miriam Wall  –  Galway (1:20:12)
3: Jessica Dunne – Galway Triathlon (1:21:10)

The Castle (200m/13km/2km) 

Male

1: Bill Thuillier – Kinsale Tri Club (00:52:04)
2  Cyril Sullivan (00:52:24)
3: David Stewart (00:53:25)

Female

1: Lucy Cottee (00:49:23)
2: Ciara O’Boyle – Predator (00:52:17)
3: Brenda Breathnach – Ennis Tri Club (00:53:20) 

For more information, and online application, visit www.castletriathlonseries.co.uk.

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