We haven’t seen Jonny Brownlee for a while, which disconcerts us. The World Triathlon Series without one or more Brownlee is like a once great box set without a key character. Game of Thrones without Tyrion, say. Still entertaining, yes, but with its shine slightly dimmed.
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But much like the storm clouds heading in our direction, as we catch a brief chat between BBC filming commitments and swim practice, the 2015 season has been somewhat turbulent for the 2012 ITU World Champion.
“Turbulent’s a good way of describing it actually. I had a slow start to the year in Abu Dhabi, one of the best races of my life in Auckland. I really shouldn’t have won that race. And then the puncture in London [where Jonny would finish 42nd]. And I think I really could have taken it to [winner] Alistair there.”
With injury grounding all the top GB contenders, both male and female, at various points throughout this season, it was Jonny’s turn in August when a hairline fracture in his femur reared its badly-timed head, curtailing his chance to tick off part one of the two-part GB Olympic qualification process at the Rio Test Event. He must have been climbing the walls…
“I wasn’t too bad actually. When I know exactly what I need to do I’m pretty good at sticking to it. And it meant I got to do loads of things I wouldn’t usually do – I went to watch Wimbledon, saw Leeds Rhinos, visited my parents in Spain, played FIFA Manager and Call of Duty…”
On the flip side, this enforced mid-season break has meant he’s now seriously short on run volume. “These guys [racing this weekend] have probably done more in the last week than I have in the last few months,” he admits.
So Brownlee fans, brace yourselves. If you’re expecting a resplendent comeback of the kind more frequently demonstrated by the more injury-prone of the two brothers, Alistair, then you could be sadly disappointed come Saturday. Expectations are low for the forthcoming Grand Final race. Currently 13th in the rankings, and with Alistair out following ankle surgery, the world title will not be returning to Yorkshire in 2015.
Then again, we could have just witnessed the best poker face ever played. But knowing Jonny he’s nothing if not self-deprecatingly honest. “You know how much I like to plan, and I’m always prepared for races. But for this one, I just don’t know how it will go.”
He’s also decided the race, and therefore the title, is reigning champ Javier Gomez’s. “I’ll help him get it with a swim-bike break if I can.”
Even if he doesn’t mount the podium this weekend, it’s still grand to have him back.
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To find out how he gets on follow us live on Twitter, and for full race feedback and interviews head straight here to the 220 website post race. The race starts at 5pm local time, 11pm UK time.
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Tensions were high among the paratri squad following the previous night’s storms, which had delayed the Junior Men’s Champs by two hours. With more inclement weather forecast today, the GB squad had had a restless night. As time changes were announced for the Women’s Elite and Junior events, the paratri squad breathed a sigh of relief when their event was given the green light as planned.
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PT4 GB athlete Lauren Steadman hasn’t lost a race since May 2014, and having won the Olympic test event in August the reigning world champ went in to the final with a sizeable target on her back. Never one to play it safe, however, Steadman pushed hard to guarantee her 10th consecutive win.
“That was probably my toughest race yet, said Steadman. “Obviously the standard has risen a lot since last year. I didn’t have the best swim, on the bike I was holding, I wasn’t getting further away and then my head coach and my father said ‘look, you’ve got to have the best 5k of your life.’ [US National Paratri champion and eventual silver medallist] Grace Norman is a track runner and has the ability to outrun me easily. I just focused on my form and it took me home.
“This is a stepping stone for next year and again I’ve got to up my game 10 times as much because next year they’re going to come at me twice as hard.”
Second at last year’s champs and third in the Rio test event, Faye McClelland followed Steadman through in fourth place.
“I’m a bit gutted about that but I’ve got to be pleased because I’ve had a bit of an up-and-down season with injury and niggles,” said McClelland. “But I had a solid race. The swim I was on my own so I didn’t have anyone’s feet to catch and I knew I was playing catch-up. I went out to go as hard as possible on the bike but I started fatiguing on the second lap. I kept pushing and I was pleased it was consistent. Then the run has been causing me issues for some months but all in all my run was fine and I was making some ground on third place, but it just wasn’t enough. It’s great points for next year but I’m disappointed to not medal for the first time.”
Relative newcomer to the sport, PT2 athlete Ryan Taylor has been slowly making his way up the top 10 since his first ITU race last May. With a win at the Detroit Paratri event in August, the Worlds were always going to be a tougher challenge for the 22-year-old. But running through the line for bronze, Taylor had a grin as wide as the 46sec gap to fourth place: “I had a decent swim, fell off on the first corner on the bike, so basically I was on catch-up on the bike to get back to the group. But I know my run isn’t the strongest so I just ran into third. I’m really happy, really happy! Such a great result for me. Even with a mistake on the bike I now know I can run through the field.”
Teammate and fellow PT2er Andy Lewis crossed the line in a disappointing 10th, having done one too many laps of the bike leg.
“I was third on the bike and then I just stupidly did an extra lap,” he lamented. “I made up another three or four places on the run, but still, to come to a world champs and mess it up… but it’s a learning curve. I was having a really good race up until then.”
Reigning PT5 champ Alison Patrick and guide Hazel Smith faced new competitors in the shape of Aussies Katie Kelly and guide Michellie Jones. Yes, that Michellie Jones, former ITU and Ironman world champion and Olympian. But crossing the line in second, Patrick and Smith couldn’t have been more pleased:
“We had a really hard swim and a solid bike, taking the first lap a little cautiously cause it was wet,” said a Patrick post-race. “We were in the lead going into the bike but they [Kelly and Jones] caught us up, and then we were just catching on the run. But we’re actually really excited because that gives us something to drive for for next year. I’ve not been pushed on the run this year, this is the first race and it’s exciting. It just means that next year we’re going to have to be better.”
Teammate and reigning silver medallists Melissa Reid and her guide Nicole Walters had a day to forget following a puncture during the bike leg. But they still managed a top-10 finish with a sixth place.
“It was at the furthest point from the wheel stop possible!” said Reid. “We were second at that point, going really well. But there’s nothing you can do and you just stick back in as soon as you can. At least it happened today and not next year [in Rio]. It’s disappointing but there are plenty of positives to be taken from today.”
George Peasgood (PT4) was in fine shape at the end of the bike leg, exiting T2 in fourth place. But with the run his biggest weakness, he was soon chased down before finishing in ninth place, two places behind teammate David Hill, who was racing only his second event of the year due to injury.
“This whole experience has been an absolute bonus this year,” admitted Hill at the line. “I was ready to put my head down and begin a very tough 12 months’ training in the lead-up to Rio. I was really hoping to be in the top 10 today, so a really solid performance. I executed my race plan pretty much to perfection and then just really hunted people down on that run.”
“Straight away it was hard, a straight point-to-point swim, and then on the bike I just tried to hold it in there,” said Peasgood at the finish. “Then as soon as I got to the run it just wasn’t quite my day again. For me, it’s been really challenging this year, but overall I think it’s been a really good season.”
The last wave to come through was PT1. Phil Hogg was the first Brit male over the line in sixth, followed by Joe Townsend in seventh.
“Tough race,” said Hogg at the line. “I had to put some demons to bed after my poor performance in Rio [Phil had been ill in the lead-up and had to seek medial attention at the end of the race, but still finished sixth]. But all my race processes went really well. I’m happy with my performance, but I know I couldn’t have gone any harder. The swim was just amazing. The bike was strong and the run took a lap to get into it, just cause I’d gone so hard on the bike. But I’m pretty happy.”
Lizzie Tench, racing in PT1, took the team’s final medal of the day with a bronze. A regular podium visitor in the wheelchair category, Tench sadly won’t be attending the Games as women’s PT1 isn’t featuring. For the women, Rio will host PT2, PT4 and PT5, and for the men it’s PT1, PT2 and PT4.
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For a full list of 2015 Worlds times and finishing positions, head to www.triathlon.org/results/event/2015_itu_world_triathlon_grand_final_chicago
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A real-life American Dream played out live today to the throngs of supporters who’d shown up in Chicago to witness history being made. US heroine Gwen Jorgensen maintained her record-beating winning streak when it mattered most, providing the home crowd with a spectacle of sporting supremity. Sniffing the lead from the off, Jorgensen crossed the line 1:55:36 later to take her 12th consecutive WTS win and her second consecutive world title.
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The crowd was no doubt hoping for a US 1-2-3 with athletes Katie Zaferes and Sarah True ranked second and third heading into the final event. But GB’s Non Stanford and Vicky Holland had other ideas, sticking with Jorgensen for the majority of the 10k run, before crossing the line for silver and bronze and bagging their slots for Rio in the process.
THE RACE
A 74-strong field lined up at the start of the 2015 WTS Women’s Grand Final in Chicago, where medals, titles and Olympic qualification slots were on offer.
Local attention was unsurprisingly on the trio of American women leading the 2015 rankings at the start of final event of the 10-race Series. Unbeaten over 13 consecutive races, it was Jorgensen’s race to lose. But with double points on offer, the title could still be claimed by teammates Zaferes and True. With Gorgensen and True having already booked their Olympic seat in Rio, Zaferes had to finish in the top seven to claim the final US women’s birth.
Out to spoil their and the crowd’s day were GB’s Non Stanford and Vicky Holland, fresh from a respective silver-bronze sweep at the Rio Test Event in August. With the GB Olympic qualification process requiring two podiums in both Rio and Chicago, their focus was clear.
As befits a Grand Final, all five were on form in and out of the 1.5km swim. With Zaferes stopping the clock at 17:50mins, her heels were the ones being hotted on, as she led in a group of approx. 12 women. While Stanford was a little slower out of T1, she quickly caught the lead pack and played her part in guiding the group of 22 around the streets of the drizzly city. By the end of lap four of nine, the group had swelled to 29, and included two more Brits – a lady with a point to prove, Helen Jenkins, having pulled out in Rio after being knocked unconscious in the swim, and Commonwealth gold medallist Jodie Stimpson, who suffered from an Achilles injury earlier in the year and was also on a mission to impress the Olympic selectors.
Midway on the bike, the chase group of 18 was 35secs down on the leaders. A small group of five were a further 34secs back before a third group were bringing up the rear over 2mins down on the front pack. British newbie to the WTS this year India Lee was mixing it in this final group which also contained London Olympic bronze medallist Erin Densham.
Stanford had a brief wobble on one corner during the fifth lap, but her months of training in the Yorkshire hills with bike-handling specialists the Brownlees, meant she quickly righted herself.
Little changed over the 40km bike, with the gap remaining consistent between the leaders and first chase group at around 50secs.
Straight out of T2 and it was a re-run of the Rio Test Event, with Stanford and Holland setting the initial pace, before slowly but precisely being joined by Jorgensen. The trio ran together over the first three laps of four before Jorgensen eventually made her move on the final lap, clocking a 32:43 10k split to cross the line as race and title winner. But it wasn’t as easy as it looked…
“The first lap of the swim, I got out and go ‘oh no, this is not the way I wanted to start.’ I felt I was too far back,” she admitted. “On the bike I just couldn’t maintain a good position, and on the run I just didn’t feel amazing. ”
Stanford followed in 29secs later for silver, before welcoming teammate Holland for bronze a further 15secs back.
“Maybe this was a reflection that the three of us are really strong at the minute when it comes down to the run,” said Stanford post-race. “It was a hard race, I found the swim long. I worked my arse off to get back up to the front bike pack. Vicky said that when I rolled up I tried to get straight to the front and she could hear how hard I was breathing. But as the race went on I came into myself a bit. I think I’m still recovering from Edmonton a few weeks ago, the conditions were really hard there. But I’ve done it, I’ve qualified for the Olympics! I can take a massive sigh of relief now. Go on holiday!”
“That was Rio part two,” said Holland at the line. “That was what we came here to do. I don’t want to sound defeatist but realistically I came here to get on the podium. This is absolutely what this whole year has been about. I’m just delighted that it’s now done. Box ticked.
“We knew Gwen would break like that today. The only thing that was in the back of mind was with over 120 corners and dead turns if you haven’t prepared really well you are really going to feel that drain in the legs. That said, it was an unlikely scenario with Gwen. I was doing okay with Non setting the pace and then when Gwen went I knew it was going to be a long last 2k. We had no response. But we’ve got a year to work on it!”
True, who ran on her own for most of the 10k, bridging the gap between the lead trio and a chasing trio of Andrea Hewitt (NZL), Stimpson and Rachel Klamer (NED), came in for seventh.
Having had a phenomenal season to date, Zaferes soon dropped through the field at the start of the run, eventually finishing 24th and fifth overall. Her result also helped propel Andrea Hewitt, fourth at the line, into silver-medal winning position in the overall Series, while True remained in third.
Stimpson broke into the top 10 with sixth, while Jenkins just missed out in 11th.
For full results head to http://www.triathlon.org/results/result/2015_itu_world_triathlon_grand_final_chicago/272182
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PHOTO CREDIT: David Pearce
GB pro athletes Vicky Holland and Non Stanford are two steps closer to Rio thanks to their outstanding performances at yesterday’s WTS Grand Final in Chicago. British Tri’s strict Olympic nomination policy demanded podium finishes at both the Test Event in Rio and the Grand Final to ensure automatic qualification. By repeating their two-three finish from Rio, Stanford and Holland achieved what many believed to be a nigh-on impossible feat, and, bar injury, will be lining up on Copacabana Beach on 20 August 2016.
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For 2013 ITU World Champion Stanford, who finished in silver position at both qualification events, Rio will be her first Olympic Games. Having missed the entire 2014 season due to injury, Stanford has visited the podium three times in 2015, all three behind Gwen and all three with teammate and housemate Holland.
“This race [Chicago] was a reflection that the three of us are really strong at the minute when it comes down to the run,” said Stanford post-race. “Gwen’s kick was phenomenal today. I was sort of waiting for it. If I’m honest, it sounds defeatist but I was racing Andrea [Hewitt] who was in fourth. It was only on the last lap that I allowed myself to think we’re safe. I had one fleeting thought where I realized I might be going to the Olympics, but I knew I couldn’t think about that until I actually crossed the line.”
For Holland this will be her second Games, having raced in London alongside Lucy Hall to help an unbeknown-at-the-time injured Helen Jenkins to the podium. Jenkins managed fifth, Britain’s highest female Olympic finishing position to date. In Rio, based purely on their current form, both girls should be racing for themselves. But having gone through one Olympic process already, what did the two-time WTS winner make of this year’s selection policy?
“Initially, it was a ‘okay, this one’s going to be stiff’, but it was stiff for a reason,” Holland told 220. “It was set hard but two athletes have done it [Jonny and Alistair Brownlee], that’s a testament to the nation that we are and how strong we are. You don’t want to set a soft criteria and have one of your best athletes to have an off day and get someone else in there. You want the criteria to be set so high that you have to be one of the very best in the world to be going to the Olympic Games. And you want to be qualified knowing that you’re then in with a shot of a medal, and I think that’s reasonable and that’s what both myself and Non have now done.”
Despite being blighted by the GB injury curse at the very start of the year, forcing a five-month break from running, Commonwealth bronze medallist Holland has had one of her most consistent seasons to date.
“To get two wins out of the world series is something I wouldn’t have dreamed I’d get this year, ” said Holland. “The consistency I’ve had with every race on the podium, bar London which was fifth, I couldn’t have really asked for anything more this year. But the two races that mattered were Rio and here [Chicago]. This is absolutely what this whole year has been about. I’m just delighted that it’s now done. Box ticked.”
In the two most important races this year, the podium has been filled by Holland, Stanford and one Gwen Jorgensen, who yesterday retained her world title and clocked her 12th consecutive WTS win. Racing until the final run lap as a trio at both events, it’s that final 2k that, at present, is ensuring gold for Team USA.
“We had no response to her run,” admitted Holland. “But we’ve got a year to work on it without, hopefully, injury problems. And maybe that’s going to be something that’s going to help both me and Non make a difference and start bringing that gap down bit by bit into the next year.”
The final GB women’s Olympic spot is yet to filled, with neither Jodie Stimpson nor Helen Jenkins (10th and DNF in Rio; 6th and 11th in Chicago, respectively) having met the initial selection criteria. Who fills that third spot will now be based on performances at the Rio Test Event, Chicago and a 2016 Assessment Race (to be confirmed within 14 days of the ITU publishing the 2016 WTS race calendar).
No GB man has met, or will meet, the Automatic Qualification criteria, so team selection will again be based on performances at the above three events and previous Games results. The men’s 2015 WTS Grand Final starts at 5pm local time (11pm UK time) today. Tune into Twitter for live updates, photos and video.
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PHOTO CREDIT: triathlon.org/Delly Carr
Olympic silver medallist, world 70.3 champ, world Xterra champ and now five-time world ITU champ, Javier Gomez today cemented his position as one of the greatest athletes of all time.
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Finishing second in the Chicago Grand Final behind teammate Mario Mola was enough to retain his world title and become the first ITU athlete to win five world crowns.
Gomez started his world-record beating championship campaign by exiting Lake Michigan in 16th place, 18secs down on leader Slovakia’s Richard Varga (16:1mins). But he was straight into the lead bike group, stuck in for 40k and ran the entirety of the 10k with teammate Mola, before the latter charged in the final turn around Buckingham Fountain to take the win and second overall in the Series.
THE RACE
Leading the standings heading into the grand Final, Gomez was favourite to take the race and title, with teammate Mola second in line to the 2015 crown and France’s Vincent Luis in third.
With all three making the lead pack out of T1, a small group of eight men soon formed at the start of the nine-lap bike, including Jonathan Brownlee in his first race back since London, in May, before a hairline fracture derailed his 2015 Series chances.
Despite hosting some of the strongest cyclists on the ITU circuit, the lead group was soon consumed by the chasing group, creating a swell of 26 by the end of the first lap.
Fourth-place Series sitter before the start, Richard Murray (RSA) failed to make the front pack post swim, accruing a 1:01min deficit at the end of lap one. Instead of leaving it to his strongest discipline, the run, to make his decisive move, however, Murray kicked in on the sixth lap to propel the now chasing group up to the leaders and bridge a 40sec deficit.
Knowing his run would be his weakness today, Brownlee was seen trying to coax various members of the front pack into a break. With no takers, the group remained as one… a big one, because by the time the second chase pack caught up it was boasting 59 athletes. Four managed a cheeky break on the last lap, but with no strong runners they were never a threat to the main contenders.
Andrea Salvisberg (SUI), one of the quartet, managed to stay ahead of the group for the entire first lap, but with the two Spaniards breathing down his neck his time in the spotlight was short-lived.
The next three laps saw Gomez and Mola switch leads repeatedly, before Mola made the decisive move on the final corner. Mola crossed the line as race winner and 2015 WTS silver medallist in a time of 1:44:54, having clocked a 28:59min run split. Gomez took the tape 4secs later to take second and his fifth world title.
Using his run supremacy to full effect, Murray finished third, 43secs back, to retain his fourth place in the Series overall. Luis ran in for fifth to also keep his bronze-medal position in the WTS.
Hitting T2 towards the front of the group, Brownlee was initially running in the top five. But he soon found himself heading backwards as his lack of run form caught up with him. Brownlee would eventually finish 12th.
For a full list of results head to triathlon.org
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Stay tuned for quotes from the top three finishers, plus 220 interview with Jonny Brownlee.
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Jonny Brownlee, GBR, 12th in race, 11th in Series
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In his first race back from injury, Brownlee was unsure how the Grand Final would pan out. With the leaders until T2, he slipped down into 12th at the line.
“It would have been disappointing if I’d done any better than that. It would have been a bit unfair with the amount of running I’ve done. I haven’t run more than an hour in the last three months. I’ve only run 10k two times.
“I knew it wasn’t going to happen on the run. It was the first time I’ve run off the bike since Gold Coast, and I was like ‘wow, I shouldn’t really be here’. But when I surged I had nothing, I just had to be really cautious about it. But I don’t know why people were chasing me down on the bike because I wasn’t a threat to anyone. I’ve done three weeks running! The name on my bum can work against me sometimes.
“To get a result that’s respectable off the training I’ve done… you’ve got to be realistic but it is frustrating… on those dead turns and you see those people [ahead] and think ‘I should be there’. But I was in the race, not hanging off the back.
“It all just came too easy at the start of the year. I still believe that performance in the Gold Coast was the best overall performance this series. I had the best swim I’ve ever had, me and Varga did a two-up time-trial 40k and then I put 20seconds into him on the first 3k of the run. That shouldn’t happen.
“I had an aim to be here three months ago and the doctor said you’ve got no chance. But here I am! I said to my coach this morning, ‘it can’t get any worse than London.’ But then that’s not something to be very proud of really. I was probably in the form of my life in London, but whereas today I wasn’t.
“I’ll have less rest now than I normally have cause I had a big rest in the middle of the season. And then get back in Gold Coast form and hopefully it all come too easily again.”
Richard Murray, RSA, 3rd in race, 4th in Series
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Murray bridged a 40sec gap on the bike to the leaders in the course of one lap, to run himself onto the podium.
“Everyone started to smell the fumes of the front group, I think. There were a couple of points where it was a bit confusing and it almost didn’t come together and I didn’t want to leave it to chance. Because whenever we got really close everyone sits up and the gap can open, so I literally just went for it to make sure I was there.
“I was shouting for five or six laps. I probably spent a couple of hundred calories just shouting! I think a lot of the guys aren’t used to the whole rolling, road bike side of it, so they pull off and go really wide on the bike and it starts to confuse the whole group. But luckily it started to work nicely together and we had a lot of strong guys and then we managed to close the gap. But it definitely burnt the legs a lot. By the time we caught them the amount of energy spent was massive. So on the run I was cramping from about the second lap. It looked like it was not going to end up pretty.
“I was actually in agony, cause at all the right-hand turns, my left hamstring… so I had to hold it back and Mario and Javi went off and I couldn’t run any quicker cause I was actually cramping up. And luckily towards the end I was actually feeling better over the last lap to go.”
Javier Gomez, ESP, 2nd in race, 1st in Series
Gomez needed to finish fourth or higher to take his fifth ITU world title. Finishing second behind teammate Mario Mola, he crossed the line to make history.
“I was surprised at the way Mola came out of the water, to be honest! He was in front of me, and had a great swim. I know Mario’s probably the fastest runner, he had a good day today, but I was happy with my title in my pocket, running shoulder to shoulder with him. I still tried to win the race, he was just stronger.
“But I’m happy with a second and of course with my fifth world title. I’ll need some time to understand what I’ve achieved over these past nine years. I’m really proud of my career so far. And I hope it’s not the last one. I hope I’m still competitive in the next few years. I’m really enjoying my career at this point.
“I tried [to surge] a couple of times on the last lap, and the last time I tried I surged pretty fast, and said I’m going to give everything now and see what happens, but [Mola] was a bit stronger in the last 300m and was able to hang on. I just couldn’t beat him, he was faster today. I think we ran pretty fast, I gave it my best, I ran well, he was just stronger.
“I’m running faster and anything could happen [heading into 2016 for the Rio Games]. You can get injured… but obviously I’m still on top and this gives me a lot of confidence for my training next year and I’ll hopefully be running a bit faster.
“I won’t do 70.3 races before Rio, I need to focus. I really enjoy 70.3 racing but it could be my last Olympic Games and I want to give it my best shot. I’m still enjoying this kind of racing, I’m still competitive. It’s hard to decide [if I will go long after Rio], I will decide next year.”
Mario Mola, ESP, 1st in race, 2nd in Series
Mola ran side-by-side with compatriot Javier Gomez until a surge with 300m to go saw him take the race win.
“I always learn from Javier, so when I have the opportunity to run side by side it’s always an amazing feeling. I was lucky to get this one and win today but he’s five times world champion, what can you say.
“I’ve been training and working on my swim and sometimes it shows up, but we’ve got to be happy with that. I have a good teacher in [fiancée] Carolina [Routier]. She deserves this as much as I do.
“I knew that it was very hard to become world champion today because Javi had been on the podium in almost every single race he’s done. So as soon as I was side by side I was sure he was going to be world champion, so my options were to keep the silver and the second position overall, so I tried to make the gap bigger to make sure I was able to finish in that position. In the end, I got first so I can’t be more pleased than that.
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“At that point [when he made the move that would stick], when you already have 1hr40 racing in your legs you’ve got to go flat out. I was just waiting for my chance. I knew that if we were together for the last 4-500m I could beat him, so that’s why I tried to stay as close as possible. And that’s when I made my move. There wasn’t much energy left but you’ve got to go to the end to find that little bit of extra energy and motivation to make it to the end.”
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This weekend sees the UK’s second biggest triathlon taking place at Kent’s Hever Castle. More than 7,000 swim/bike/run fanatics will take over the 13th century castle for two days of racing in stunning surroundings and with a fantastic festival atmosphere.
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With so many athletes racing this weekend, we’ve asked for some race tips from Carol Bridge, previous winner of the middle distance Gauntlet, and David Bishop, who’s previously nabbed second in the men’s Olympic distance race.
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David’s tips
“Firstly, if you get the chance, make sure you check out Hever Castle and its gardens, you’ll then be able to appreciate how lucky you are to race in such a venue. The course is simply beautiful! The swim start is picturesque; you walk down into the water from the famous loggia set in the heart of the gardens. Be careful here though, as it can be slippery. I hear the swim course is different this year so I can’t comment too much on the swim. I do know you follow a similar route to the Gauntlet and get the chance to swim along the River Eden, which, from the looks of last year is very cool. At least it will give athletes less chance to go off course!
“The run up to T1 and transition itself is fairly long. I would suggest, use this time to relax a little bit and focus on getting it right. Hever is such a big event now meaning transition will likely be a maze. Make sure you know what you are doing, where the exits are and where your bike is located. I always look for familiar landmarks, well flags or banners on the side of fences. You spend hours swimming up and down in a pool to improve your swimming; don’t waste those hard earned seconds in transition!
“The bike is challenging but fun! Don’t blow your doors on the first climb, which you hit within the couple of km. This is possibly one of the hardest sections on the course but you still have a long way to go, and two laps! The bike really does have a bit of everything…. Flat sections, hills, long descents. Play to your strengths and make sure you fuel yourself. Hever is a tough day out. If you don’t get this right you will pay for it at the end of the run.
“The road coming into T2 is fairly narrow, so if you are planning on overtaking then make sure you have done so before you enter the castle grounds. The spectators usually gather around the entrance to T2 so make sure you have wiped the spittle from your face. If you are in a close battle with a rival this is a good opportunity to see where you are in the race. The transition again is fairly lengthy presenting another opportunity to relax and gather your thoughts.
“The run is possibly my favourite discipline of the day. It is confined within the castle grounds, it is largely off-road so choose appropriate footwear – I find race flats fine, but if conditions are wet and you find running off-road difficult at the best of times then perhaps a shoe with more grip would be a better choice. Like the bike, the course is tough so pace yourself for the two laps! Apart from that, enjoy the weekend. I always say the Castle Series events are more than just a race!”
Carol’s tips for the Gauntlet
“Hever’s swim course is really beautiful but, as with all open-water swims, navigating the course is challenging. Make sure you wear tinted goggles – the sun will dazzle your vision otherwise. On some parts of the course you’re very close to the bank, so use it to guide your direction when you breathe to the side. This will reduce the number of times you’ll need to lift your head to look forward.
“It’s an obvious and very common tip, but really make sure you practise swimming in your wetsuit. It’s very different to swimming without. Also rehearse taking your wet wetsuit off quickly for transitions.
“The course at Hever is not what you might expect for this part of England. There are quite a few hills and some that are pretty steep. Make sure your bike has suitable gears. I used 11/25 on the back and 53/39 on the front. Try to spin as much as you can on the climb, conserving enough energy to power over the top so your speed increases as quickly as possible immediately afterwards.
“Nutrition is obviously very important in the Gauntlet. There are a number of food stations along the bike and run routes, which is great, but make sure you have your own supply of gels and bars just in case you miss the food stations. After the race, you will be very dehydrated so be sure to drink plenty. I find isotonic sports drinks like Erdinger are very good to rehydrate after the event.
“The run is two 10.5km laps on a mix of road, trail and bridleways so keep an eye on the pre-race weather and choose your footwear accordingly. Although it’ll be a tough day, make the most of the experience. There is a great atmosphere and the finishing chute is lined with spectators. I can guarantee it will feel amazing running the last 100m to the line.”
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Make sure you take time to visit the 220 Triathlon stand at Hever if you’re there this weekend – and look out for 220’s Helen and Matt who are both racing! Are you racing too this weekend? Let us know in the comments!
More than 3,000 people have taken part in the Wiggle London Duathlon, the world’s largest run, bike, run event. Duathletes, runners, cyclists, fund raisers and elite athletes tackled the duathlon in the stunning surroundings of Richmond Park.
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The race began at 8:45am, and duathletes of all abilities took to the closed roads of the park to tackle one of the four run-bike-run challenges, either the ultra-distance (20km run/77km bike/10km run), standard distance (10km run, 44km bike, 5km run), half-distance or relay event.
Alan Murchison won the men’s standard distance duathlon, completing the course in a time of 2:01:27, whilst pro triathlete and duathlete Emma Pallant won the women’s race in a time of 2:12:22. Murchison, a multiple European & World AG Duathlon Champion commented: “It was great to compete in the world’s biggest duathlon and even better to win it! The conditions were excellent and it was a pleasure to take part in such a well organised event”. Emma Pallant who raced in preparation for the Adelaide ITU Duathlon World Championships, said: “The atmosphere was incredible, the weather was perfect and all the competitors and spectators seemed to be having a great time”.
The ultra event was won by Tom Marshall in 4:22:43 and Vikki Sivertsen in 5:04:27.
The course in Richmond Park, the host for all ten previous editions of the event, is the largest of the capital’s eight Royal Parks and the biggest enclosed space in London, provided the perfect setting for the competitors.
The event was started in 2005 and has grown in popularity each year. Public places for this year’s event sold out four months before race day, and the final Ultra finisher crossed the finish line just after 5pm having run and cycled well over 100km.
Results:
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FIRST DUATHLON MALE: Alan Murchison in a time of 2:01:27
FIRST DUATHLON FEMALE: Emma Pallant in a time of 2:12:22
FIRST ULTRA MALE: Tom Marshall in a time of 4:22:43
FIRST ULTRA FEMALE: Vikki Sivertsen in a time of 5:04:27
If you think of overseas training, chances are islands such as Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Mallorca spring to mind. And understandably so, with the Canary and Balearic Islands offering guaranteed warm weather throughout the British winter months, and affordable flights from across the UK.
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But when the mercury rises around April time, it actually becomes nigh-on impossible to train, which is where a relatively new overseas training location steps in – Austria!
Nestled within the tiny Austrian town of Fuschl am See, just 30mins west of Salzburg, is Hotel Mohrenwirt. Run by the Schmidlechner family for five generations, it’s currently in the hands of keen triathletes Jakob and his wife Sabine. Together with their experienced staff they provide guests with a host of services and packages to suit every athlete and traveller. Here are just a few of the highlights on offer:
Swimming
The crystal clear waters of Lake Fuschlsee, where guests can enjoy some of the best open-water swimming we’ve ever experienced, is just a 300m walk from the hotel. There’s also free access to a 25m heated outdoor pool, again just a few minutes’ walk away, where two swimming lanes are reserved every day (end of April – end of September) from 8am until 10am, exclusively for Mohrenwirt guests.
For an injection of competition, Mohrenwirt hosts the annual Fuschlsee Crossing, which takes place every August and offers two race distances – 2.1km or 4.2km. We were fortuitous enough to catch the swim during our stay, and were impressed by the level of organisation, enthusiasm and celebration that was afforded to each and every competitor. All entrants were treated to a post-race barbeque, set to a Euro Pop soundtrack not that dissimilar to scenes we witnessed just one day later at the much bigger Ironman 70.3 World Champs, in Zell am See, a 90min drive away.
Biking
Located in the Salzkammergut region, the hotel is the ideal base camp for ambitious cyclists looking to explore the surrounding lakes and mountains on two wheels. The network of trails in the region is perfect for road bike riders looking to train hard or prepare for a race. Pick up the latest maps, including route descriptions, from the hotel’s bike info corner – each ride is graded according to its difficulty level. Jakob or a member of his team also run weekly guided rides in the region.
Canyon road bikes can be hired at the hotel, with guests able to reserve the bike of their choice when booking their stay.
Running
There really are very few better ways to start the day than by taking a run around the stunning Lake Fuschlsee. 220’s Matt Baird did just that during our stay*: “The 12km run loop from the hotel door around the Fuschlsee lake is a thing of beauty,” he says.
“Skirting back and forth from the lake shore, the rolling circular route takes in dense woodland, lakeside beaches, farmers’ fields complete with cows wearing cowbells and infuriatingly tempting lakeside bars, with enough triathletes in Lycra on the course to add a little competition into the runs if you feel like upping the pace. And if you do get too hot in the midsummer Austrian sun, then the glistening blue water is only a hop, skip and jump away…”
And should competition be your thing, the hotel organises its own 12km run race, the ‘Fuschlseelauf’, every August.
All-inclusive triathlon package
Prices From €87 per person/night
Dates 6 April – 25 October
Included in this package:
Buffet breakfast.
Afternoon après bike snack.
Five-course dinner with three main course choices and salad buffet.
The Mohrenwirt energy pack for when you’re out and about, with energy bar, energy drink and banana.
Access to the Mohren-Spa, including a roof terrace.
Access to the hotel’s private beach on the crystal clear Fuschlsee with jetty, sunbathing lawn and paddle boards.
Admission to the modern public beach ‘Fuschlseebad’ with heated 25m outdoor pool.
Free entrance to the gym in the public Fuschlseebad.
Access to the hotel’s natural orchard garden with sunbathing lawn.
Free laundry service for your sports clothing.
Support and tour suggestions provided by hotel staff.
Map with suggested tours and elevation profiles.
Running map.
Free GPS devices with preinstalled tours for hire.
Workshop for simple repairs and a bike wash station.
Locked bike garage with video surveillance.
Shower facilities available until the evening on the day of departure.
Wifi throughout the hotel.
DVD rental.
City bike rental.
For more details on the facilities on offer (be sure to check out the barbecue hut, pictured above!), training camp dates and a full price list head to www.mohrenwirt.at.
And to read more about the German Pro Triathlon Team Mohrenwirt, head to www.mohrenwirt.at/pro-team.
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*220 were given a complimentary two-night stay at Hotel Mohrenwirt.
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