Great Britain's Richard Stannard added another World Championship to his CV on Saturday when winning the 14th Biathle World Championships in Dubai.
*** FULL EVENT VIDEOS BELOW ***
That makes it four Biathlete World Championships, having also won in 2005, 2007 and 2010. With three Gold medals (2003, 2006 and 2011) and three Silver (2001, 2005 and 2012) in ITU Aquathlon World Championship events, that's quite a specialism in swim/run events over the last decade.
Biathle is organised by the UIPM ('Union International de Pentathlon Moderne') and is a run-swim-run event over distances of 1.5km run / 200m swim / 1.5km run. Check out the format in the event videos below.
More British success in the ladies event through Rachel Jones who took silver, while Ireland's Emma Davis (winner in 2007) took the Bronze.
Rachel Jones has quite a history at this event with three wins (2000, 2001, 2010), six Silver (2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012) and two Bronze (1999, 2006) - 11 medals across the last 14 additions.
Interesting stat of the day - bronze medal winner Tomas Svoboda (CZE) is the identical twin brother of Olympic Modern Pentathlon Champion David Svoboda....
Pos
Men
Women
1st
Richard Stannard (GBR) 11:48
Petra Kurikova (CZE) 13:26
2nd
Juan Dominguez (ARG) 12:01
Rachel Jones (GBR) 13:32
3rd
Tomas Svoboda (CZE) 12:02
Emma Davis (IRL) 13:43
RESULTS: MEN | WOMEN
SENIOR MEN
SENIOR WOMEN
Biathle Champs: Gold for Stannard
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Win a pair of Newton Running shoes
Tri247 and Newton Running (www.newtonrunning.co.uk) are giving away a pair of Sir Issac, Lady Issac, Sir Issac S or Lady Issac S trainers worth £120!
The Issac range is designed for those interested in transitioning to a more natural running style. It has a low heel to encourage a midfoot strike, and is cushioned in the midfoot by Newton Running’s patented Action/Reaction Technology lugs, which return energy back to the efficient runner with every footstrike.
To win a pair send an email to competitions@tri247.com with your preferred shoe model and shoe size. Please include 'Newton Competition' in the subject line. Competition closes 25th November 2012 at midnight.
Terms & Conditions
Late or incomplete entries will be disqualified. The competition is only open to Great Britain and Republic of Ireland residents and the prize can only be shipped to addresses in these countries.
The Company reserves the right in its sole discretion to substitute any prize with a prize of comparable value. No cash alternative.
By entering the competition you give permission for Newton Running UK, B2P Sports, to use your name in connection with the competition for promotional purposes by email or other channels.
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Race Timing Systems: alive and well!
You might have noticed that the Race Timing Systems website vanished over the weekend but, contrary to some comments that have been popping up on Twitter and other social media sites, this doesn't mean that they've disappeared! Far from it, the team was out and about timing events as usual this weekend including the Muddy MoRun and Hell up North.
The old website collapsed rather suddenly after several years of valid service and has had to be retired with a new site coming online this weekend to service the Virgin Active Triathlon events that were taking place across the country. The new site can be found at racetimingsystems.net and will be rolling out updated and improved online entry and results services for both organisers and athletes.
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Llandudno Sea Triathlon entries open
The Llandudno Sea Triathlon has established itself firmly in the sport’s calendar over the last few years, and for 2013 there is an additional reason to sign up and secure your place – it has been confirmed that the race will be a qualifier for the ITU World Sprint Distance Triathlon Championships, which will take place in London in September 2013.
The date for the 2013 Llandudno Sea Triathlon has been confirmed as Saturday 29th June, and record numbers of athletes are expected to take part. Entries are now open at www.xtramileevents.com/enter-now and the organisers have announced that over 200 places have already been snapped up, with the race likely to sell out before Christmas.
The Llandudno Sea Triathlon is set amongst spectacular scenery, from the start on the beach to the stunning views around the Great Orme. Both the standard and the sprint distance races incorporate the thrill of a sea swim followed by a cycle on closed roads around the Great Orme with a challenging climb, fast descent and glorious views over the North Wales Coast. The run route goes out along the Victorian Promenade before heading over the Little Orme to Penrhyn Bay and back to finish on the promenade.
The standard distance race includes a 1500m open water swim followed by a 36km (4 laps) cycle and a 10km run. The sprint race consists of a 750m open water swim followed by a 19km (2 laps) cycle and a 5km run. Transition is near the jetty on the promenade providing an exciting spectacle for those who just want to watch. A racked transition will be used, and results will be via electronic chip timing.
Since the 2010 race was voted 220Triathlon magazine Race of the Year in the ‘under 500 entries’ category the Llandudno Sea Triathlon has been growing in size and popularity, and it is now a race which athletes of all levels aspire to take part in. The maximum number of competitors is 1000, and the first waves will start at 2.30 pm.
Race Director Simon Hill commented: “The Llandudno Sea Triathlon is set to be one of the most spectacular races in the 2013 triathlon calendar, and with so many people hoping to qualify for London we are expecting record numbers. The race starts at 2.30 pm and promises an afternoon's fantastic triathlon racing in one of the most beautiful triathlon venues. Places have been going fast and I would urge anyone wanting to race with the aim to qualify for the ITU World Sprint Distance Triathlon Championships to sign up as soon as possible.”
Event costs are £62 for individual entries or £75 for team entries and prizes will be awarded in the following categories: overall winners (male and female), male and female age groups, relay team prize, club prize (first three athletes from the same club) and novice prize. The prize giving takes place at the St George's Hotel after the race.
The crowd support at the Llandudno Sea Triathlon is outstanding, with locals and supporters lining the promenade to soak up the atmosphere, cheer on the competitors and show support for a high profile race that has firmly put Llandudno on the map in the triathlon calendar. There is also a lot to do for supporters and families, and with it being a Saturday afternoon race it is the perfect event to bring the family and make a weekend out of it, or have a weekend away with your club mates.
Entries close on 25th June 2013 or when sold out. Go to www.xtramileevents.com to secure your place now, like the Facebook page www.facebook.com/TriathlonUK and follow Xtra Mile Events on Twitter @GreatTriathlons.
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2013 London Triathlon now open
The 2013 Virgin Active London Triathlon is now open for entries. Sign up now before they switch to the ballot entry system, at which point entry will not be guaranteed.
Taking place on the 27th and 28th July, the 2013 Virgin Active London Triathlon is returning to its traditional slot at the peak of British summertime. With demand for the world’s largest triathlon increasing every year, record entry figures are anticipated once again, so sign up as soon as you can to avoid disappointment.
The Virgin Active London Triathlon offers distances ranging from Super Sprint all the way up to Olympic Plus (plus Team Relay options), so there should be something to suit athletes of all abilities and interests.
Check out the 2012 highlights below and take a look at what lies ahead in 2013.
ONLINE ENTRIES AVAILABLE HERE
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Win one of TWENTY Nitro Reflective BUFF products
We've got TWENTY of the latest Nitro Reflective BUFF products from the guys at Buffwear (www.buffwear.co.uk) available to win by Tri247 readers.
With an RRP of £14 it is perfect now for training in the evenings and in low level light as the reflective strips will shine bright white under headlights to help keep you safe and SEEN.
It will also protect the wearer from chills, just like Original BUFF and is great under a cycle helmet (it's seamless so no lumpy bits to cause abrasions or discomfort).
How to enter
Which of the following is the correct name for the retro-reflective material?
A - Reflexite
B - Scotchlite
C - Brightlite
(You can find a clue here; www.buffwear.co.uk/buff-headwear/reflective-buff)
Simply send an email with "BUFF Competition" in the subject line by clicking this link competitions@tri247.com, state your answer, A, B or C and your name. Best of luck.
Terms & Conditions
Judges decision is final, no cash alternative, UK residents only. Only Buffwear and its brands will have access to your data and will not supply it to third parties for any purposes. Closing date is midnight on the 25th November 2012.
Winners will be contacted by email to gather postal addresses to send out prizes. Best of luck.
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Fertility and the female athlete
In her latest article, Nina McArthur (read her column HERE) investigates fertility in female athletes, a topic that (too) many sports women suffer from when pursuing their sporting ambitions.
Combining personal experiences with practical advice and research, Nina outlines the warning signs and provides some practical advice on how to deal with and spot the warning signs of Amenorrhea.
Fertility in Female Athletes – Find that Positive Energy Balance
I introduced the concept of the ‘Female Athlete Triad' in an article a while back when telling my own story of how intense sport at a high level led me down a slippery slope to almost losing my life. Now, I'd like to revisit one aspect of that in particular, after receiving an email from a concerned sporting couple who persuaded me to delve into the area a little deeper.
The first factor in the Triad is disordered eating. As I experienced, when the thought that ‘losing weight could be beneficial' is planted in your mind, it is very easy to start watching what you eat, whether it be avoiding what you think are ‘bad' foods or progressing to an eating disorder where you simply don't take in enough calories to keep your body functioning properly. A second factor is osteoporosis as a result of the poor nutrition, whereby your bones simply don't get enough calcium and so can lose bone density and become weak.
The third factor, and the primary issue that I would like to focus on in this article, is Amenorrhea. This is where a girls period may be irregular or cease altogether due to intense exercise and inadequate calorie intake. Basically, the level of oestrogen decreases and this is the hormone that helps to regulate the menstrual cycle. In simple terms, this will make having a family become very difficult.
Many girls that I trained with as a Junior suffered from having the onset of their monthly cycle delayed, one was even twenty-one before getting her first period due to a consistent level of high intensity swimming and running from a young age. Interestingly, the majority of my club mates that suffered were the slimmer triathletes and runners, my friends at my Swimming Clubs who had big strong builds and big appetites did not seem to. So why would this make sense?
On a personal level, I didn't suffer until my weight dropped below the eight and a half stone that my body was used to. This was when after being ill with a virus for a week and losing half a stone, I found I was running quicker due to being lighter and wanted to maintain this. I didn't think about any depletion in strength, increased susceptibility to cold or any other health issue. I just wanted to be as fast as I could possibly be....and to win.
Dr Sigridur Gudmundsdottir led some research at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology into the effects of too much exercise and fertility (www.bionews.org.uk/page_51170.asp)
'We believe it is likely that physical activity at a very high or very low level has a negative effect on fertility, while moderate activity is beneficial'. The study involved 3000 women in Norway who were questioned about the frequency, duration and intensity of their fitness regimes between 1984 and 1986, and then asked about their pregnancies ten years later. 'Among these women, we found two groups who experienced an increased risk of infertility. There were those who trained almost every day and those who trained until they were exhausted. Those who did both had the highest risk of infertility', said Dr Gudmundsdottir, whose research appears in the medical journal Human Reproduction.
So at this moment I can imagine many female athletes reading this have gone into panic mode, but don't panic just yet. Whilst the women under 30 who exercised the most were found to be those who experienced the most problems conceiving (a quarter being unable to conceive in the first year of trying as opposed to a national average of 7%), the effect of the extreme exercise did not last long.
'The vast majority of women in the study had children in the end and those who trained the hardest in the middle of the 1980s were actually among those who had the most children in the 1990s', Gudmundsdottir said.
So what this says for me from my own experience is that you need to live life within your own limits. You know what your body is capable of and you also know when you've physically overdone it, be it working too long a day and lacking the energy to clamber up the stairs to bed or ‘bonking' on a hard bike ride when your energy levels reach zero. Consistently overdoing it and not ‘listening to your body' results in women being unable to maintain the right hormone mechanisms for successful fertilisation. A BBC Article from 2004 (www news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3620758.stm ) said ‘In extreme cases, the woman's body enters a state of 'negative' energy balance and her reproductive system shuts down to prevent a pregnancy and conserve energy' Basically, you stop ovulating because the body is energy-deficient, it is just too tired to manage anything else other then the basic level of survival!
I know that when my body weight dropped to a level half a stone lower than what was right for me, I experienced Amenorrhea, even though girls who were a similar weight as me were absolutely fine. It was simply that their bodies could still function well at their weight because it was right for them and that they could cope with their chosen level of physical activity.
Don't get me wrong, working towards a life goal such as completing an Ironman or half marathon is not to be avoided, but consistently pushing your body beyond its capabilities during the years where you might want to be looking towards a family only increases the risk of fertility problems.
So listen to your body. When you're young, in your twenties or thirties and starting to think about having a family, make sure you're enjoying the sport you do but think about either the fuel your body needs to have enough surplus to regulate all the body's mechanisms whilst not tiring yourself out every single day.
It is still possible for females who love sport to have and love a family as well, we just need to find that positive energy balance. It may be hard, but it's what I have had to do over the last few weeks to recoup my energy levels and remember my social and work responsibilities too. You have to tell yourself that listening to your body and pulling back to a level of exercise that your body can easily maintain is the right thing to do. It may just be cutting back fifteen hours of training a week to ten, making that bike ride half an hour shorter or not working as hard as you can in every single gym session.
Just look at the swimmer Dara Torres. She struggled with infertility, retired from the sport for seven years, finally had a daughter at the age of 41 then returned to win three silver medals at the Beijing Olympic Games doing the sport she loved. That is a true life achievement; sport, family and happiness all together. I couldn't think of anything better.
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ITU awards 2014 and 2015 Multisport World Championships
The International Triathlon Union (ITU) have announced a trio of host cities for three Multisport World Championships in 2014 and 2015. The 2014 ITU Cross Triathlon World Championships were awarded to Zittau, Germany. In 2015, the ITU Duathlon World Championships will be hosted by Adelaide, Australia, while the ITU Long Distance Triathlon will be held in Motala, Sweden.
"Multisports are an integral part of our organisation," said Marisol Casado, ITU President and IOC Member. "They provide an important avenue to grow our sport amongst an international audience. We are excited to bring these championships to new cities in countries with rich histories of hosting races."
In just its fourth edition, the ITU Cross Triathlon World Championships will travel to the small border town of Zittau, Germany for the first time. While cross triathlon normally consists of a 1km swim, 25km mountain bike and 6-8km cross-country run, Zittau has proposed a 1.5km swim, 36km bike, 9km run course through the mountains. Next year, ITU's premier cross triathlon event will be held in The Hague, Netherlands.
Adelaide, Australia will debut as the host of the 2015 ITU Duathlon World Championships. Though the race will be a first for the beachside city known for its sports culture and festivals, Australia previously hosted the 2005 ITU Duathlon World Championships in Newcastle. The coveted duathlon event is slated be split between Ottawa, Canada and Cali, Colombia in 2013 and will return to Spain in 2014.
The biggest event on the ITU long distance triathlon calendar will be staged in Motala, Sweden in 2015. Situated between larger cities Stockholm and Gothenburg alongside beautiful Lake Vattern, Motala will become the second Swedish city to stage the ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships, with Sater having hosted the 1999 and 2004 championships.
Event organisers have proposed a 2-lap 4km swim, 3-lap 120km bike, and 3-lap 30km course for the 21st edition of one of the most grueling events on the ITU schedule. Next year, the long distance world champions will be decided in Belfort, France, while Weihai, China will host in 2014.
Exact dates for all races and prize money details will be announced when finalised.
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Functional Fitness Coaching
Functional Fitness Coaching and Events (www.functionalfitnessevents.co.uk) was started in 2009 by Mark Livesey, himself an accomplished triathlete. From the beginning Mark was keen to offer a service focussed on the athlete, offering high quality in the areas where it matters most. Mark believes that these are; slick events which are both accurate and fast, coaching packages which are all inclusive and affordable, and single training days to fast track your progress.
Coaching
Mark's coaching packages are all inclusive with no hidden costs – so they contain a lot of extras. Mark likes to coach only those athletes that he can regularly meet up with, he doesn't believe in coaching solely online. This means the programmes his athletes receive are tailored to them and are constantly tweaked in line with progress and developments. He will coach one-on-one sessions regularly, assessing progress and teaching new techniques. In this way he gets the most out of the athlete and ensures developments are quickly capitalised on. His programmes also include lactate and performance testing, and sports massage. These are things not many coaches offer, but they are truly essential in helping athletes to achieve their goals. That is not to say there is no hard work. Mark builds his athletes throughout the winter, focussing on strength and conditioning as well as the three main disciplines. Each athlete receives a log-in and password for Mark's members-only area on his website where he posts videos to keep them focussed and demonstrates exercises in case they should forget the details. All of this coupled with expert nutrition and training advice sees Functional Fitness athletes go from strength to strength. Marks 15+ years of experience in triathlon racing at the top level in all distances puts him in a position to understand exactly what the athlete needs, and the Yorkshire man in him means the prices are kept very reasonable! .
Swim Analysis Workshops
A new addition for 2012, Functional Fitness Coaching are now offering single day swim analysis workshops. The first will take place on 24th November in Harrogate. An ASA qualified swimming coach with years of coaching experience, Mark tailors these days to meet the needs of individuals. The focus is on one-to-one coaching and video analysis, with both pool time and classroom time. Small groups for these workshops mean Mark can give each athlete the attention they need. With fantastic analysis tools at his disposal, Mark can spot even the smallest of errors and provides an excellent DVD for each athlete to go away with. These include not only a personal video with mistakes pointed out, but also example videos of good swimmers and drills. This enables the athlete to keep improving beyond the session.
Check out the Functional Fitness website now for more information on these packages, and on Mark's events for 2013.
www.functionalfitnessevents.co.uk
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Debut 70.3 Lanzarote this Saturday
Given the popularity of the volcanic island of Lanzarote with British triathletes, it's not surprising to see that that the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Lanzarote this Saturday has a significant number of Pro and Age Group athletes racing from Britain and Ireland.
This first year event is a P-500 ranking on the KPR system, with a total of $15,000 in prize money - meaning a $3,000 first prize, male and female.
The Home Nations Pro entries include:
Ladies: Bella Bayliss, Eimear Mullan (IRL), Tamsin Lewis
Men: Stephen Bayliss, Daniel Halksworth, Matt Ellis, Jonathan Hotchkiss.
The winners of the full length Ironman Lanzarote in May were Victor Del Corral Morales (ESP) and Michelle Vesterby (DEN) and both have returned to try and secure another win over half the distance. Unlike the Ironman which runs from Puerto Del Carmen, the 70.3 is based at the Club La Santa centre.
Switzerland's Ronnie Schildknecht, the six-time Ironman Switzerland winner had a disappointing Kona this year despite coming into the race with great fitness, and would certainly be one of my favourites for the win, though he will have to come from behind to do it with the pairing of Bayliss and Halksworth certain to make the pace very fast in the swim leg, wanting to be away and clear on the bike before Schildknecht arrives in T1. In that respect, he may well have Morales for company in the chase!
At #47 - a late entry perhaps? - is 2002 ITU World Champion Iván Raña - and having seen the success with which some ITU athletes have had in the 70.3 format, he can't be ruled out. He will of course have plenty of local support, along with Morales. Raña took some time out from triathlon a few years ago to try professional cycling and another ex-pro rider who might impact the race is Italy's Massimo Cigana. A three-time Laguna Phuket Triathlon winner, Cigana has a history of racing well this late into the season.
Unlike Ronnie, Sonja Tajsich (GER) had a best ever Kona, running through the field to take fourth and if she can hold on to that form, will be there or thereabouts. Eva Ledesma (ESP) will be another gunning for the victory, and with home soil advantage I would expect her to challenge for the podium - wins in Fuerteventura and Barcelona last year, plus a second at Ocean Lava show she is comfortable racing in Spain.
Bayliss, Mullan and Lewis will all believe they have a good shout though, and with good reason. Bella has won in Lanzarote before, Mullan loves anything that involves hills, while Tamsin's record at the Alpe d'Huez Triathlon proves she isn't afraid of an incline either. All have trained extensively in the area too, so the routes will be very familiar.
All things considered, for mid November it's a pretty solid field and not an obvious one to predict either - which makes it all the more interesting. We expect the post-race, end-of-season party on Saturday night at Club La Santa will be a 'big one' too...
START LIST
www.ironman703lanzarote.com
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Train with the DSquad in Australia
Tri Dynamic team up with Darren Smith for “Dsquad” Australian Tri Camp
Following on from their successful first collaboration in London just after the Olympics, triathlon training camp specialists Tri Dynamic have teamed up once again with Elite ‘Dsquad' Coach Darren Smith. This time they will be heading back to Darren Smith's native Australia to organise another high quality, high attention triathlon camp open to age group and elite triathletes who are keen to learn from Darren Smith. The nation's capital is a fitting location for this unique camp which will take place over the National ‘Australia Day' holiday weekend from FRI 25th-MON 28th JAN 2013.
The Dsquad Australia Tri Camp will be limited to just 15 athletes who will have the unique opportunity to work closely with Darren Smith and his world class support team including Dsquad Dietician Dr Liz Broad and Rehab Specialist Rick Van Riemsdijk. They will spend four amazing days with Darren Smith in Canberra in his world class coaching environment, learning from him in all three disciplines. There will also be interactive learning seminars, video analysis and special guest speakers. The lucky camp participants will not only have the unique opportunity to watch the world famous Dsquad athletes training and preparing for the new season but also to join in on some of the sessions!
Commenting on the London Master Class Darren Smith said ‘I got a kick out of working with those who attended the Tri Dynamic training weekend in London because the enthusiasm from the participants was infectious and frankly it was pretty easy to make some really significant changes in such a short period of time. Bang for bucks, both time and energy is good for everyone.'
Darren Smith has been the driving force behind the hugely successful Dsquad. Over the last decade he has produced athletes who have won multiple World titles and countless ITU World Championship Series victories. Darren Smith and the D-squad split their time training in Davos, Sedona and Canberra. He has a knack of taking on athletes who have the necessary raw talent and helping them to achieve their full potential, moulding them into the best triathletes in the world. These include Olympic Silver medallist and 4 x World Champion, Lisa Norden, #2 ranked 2012 WCS finisher Anne Haug, multiple WCS winner and former world #1 Barbara Riveros Diaz, 4th place finisher at London Olympics, Sarah Groff, GB Olympian Vicky Holland and South African Olympian Katie Roberts. He is the only triathlon coach to have six athletes competing at London 2012 in any one event. He has also coached several athletes to 70.3 and Ironman podiums including Belgian Bart Aernouts (2nd IM Switzerland 70.3, 11th at 2012 Kona and fastest run split of the day).
New recruits to the D-squad already making their mark after working with Darren Smith include GB's Jodie Stimpson (3rd at 2012 Hy-Vee Triathlon, 5th in WCS Auckland) & the fast improving duathlete turned triathlete Katie Hewison (GE Canary Wharf Triathlon Champion, 2012 ITU Duathlon World Silver medallist & 2012 ITU Triathlon Cancun World Cup winner). Darren Smith has also had huge success coaching his athletes to victories in non-drafting races including the prestigious Des Moines Hy-Vee Triathlon where Sweden's Lisa Norden & GB's Jodie Stimpson placed 1st & 3rd in 2012 with Lisa Norden recording back-to-back victories in 2011 & 2012.
‘The entire Dsquad will be around and working towards the new season ahead so there will be time to join in with the group. Four days working with us will be plenty to make a significant impact on each participant's race performances.' Darren Smith
The Canberra camp will be an invaluable opportunity to learn how Darren Smith coaches his athletes and also to have a unique glimpse into what it is like to train in a world class environment. Participants who attended the London Triathlon Master Class with Darren Smith have reported some amazing improvements within a very short space of time.
Tri Dynamic and Darren Smith will be working together on other events around the world in 2013 including another Master Class in London in February, so keep an eye on their website for details coming soon. You can email Tri Dynamic to be among the first people to be notified once the next London Master Class is announced. Places will be strictly limited. For your chance to attend this amazing camp early booking is advisable as places are limited. Visit www.tridynamic.co.uk
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Racetime Events season review
Jonny Nicol from Racetime Events (ww.racetime-events.co.uk), the East Midlands based events organiser reviews their 2012 season and outlines plans for some new and innovative additions for the 2013 season.
Racetime Events: 2012 Season Review
Our second season has come and gone and Racetime Events continues to grow. In 2012 we introduced a new event in Leicestershire, the Leicester Sprint Triathlon at the state of the art venue of Leicester Grammar School. Feedback was excellent from British Triathlon officials and competitors and this event is certain to grow in popularity. We also introduced a Junior triathlon to our Desford event which again received great feedback and was enjoyed by all.
2013 will see another new event with the Oakham adult and junior triathlon on the 30th June, with stunning views on the cycle section of the race this is another race that looks like being a great success. We will also be introducing a slightly different format of open water triathlon with a Triathlon Time Trial format based at our Open Water facility in Leicestershire. More details to come on that one soon.
2012 was a busy year with the introduction of a new Open Water training facility in Leicestershire which was used by novices, elites and even Olympians!
We also started our own Race Team to try and support some local athletes, we had great support from sponsors and the team finished the season off with seven wins, three second places and four third places plus a handful of Age Group wins and a creditable 11th place at our first attempt at the National Relays.
We would like to say a massive thank you to our volunteers - we always need more! - volunteers receive either a free entry into one of our races or we make a donation to our charity partner Macmillan on their behalf. They also get fed and watered and receive an event t-shirt.
Details of our 2013 Events (open for entries), Open Water venue, Race Team and Coaching packages can all be found on our website www.racetime-events.co.uk
A big thanks also to our sponsors who have supported both our events and Race Team:
USN, POWERbreathe, 1BandID, Swimcam, Proskins, Frog Island Sports, Ashmei, Triaveyron, Aquasphere, Bonk, Sunwise and Greepers Laces.
Johnny and the Racetime Team
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On Running Demo Day this Saturday
Where – TRI-1st, 293 Harbourne Lane, Birmingham, B17 0NT
When – Sat 10th Nov 2012, 1100-1500hrs
OnRunning have brought a new range of shoe to the market that help to absorb both the vertical and horizontal forces impact the body when running. This is done by using oval shaped sections of rubber on the sole that compress in a number of directions.
On’s shoes help to absorb the impact but they don’t do all the work for the body. They follow the more simplistic line of shoes that aren’t loaded with heavy stabilising features, thus helping promote a more natural style of running.
OnRunning are currently the shoe of choice of professional triathlon team TBB and were worn by Caroline Steffen the women's second place finisher at Kona, the Ironman World Championships.
If you would like to try a pair we are running a demo day this Saturday 10th November. For more information about On Running visit www.on-running.com.
If you like the shoes will also being offering them at a discount day price.
www.tri-1st.co.uk Call: 0121 472 0459 Email: info@tri-1st.co.uk
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Additional slots for Ironman Kalmar
Earlier this year I went to (and was very impressed with) the debut of Ironman Kalmar in Sweden. So much so, my comment at the time was "truly, I think this is one of the best events I've ever been to."
Fully expecting the word to have spread in advance of 2013, the race duly sold out within a couple of days.
There was hope of more slots - "our goal is to find more slots but we need time with concerned authorities and see what we can do to develop the race" - and if you missed out first time around, you've now got a second chance.
Ironman Europe have just announced that an additional 350 spots will be released on Tuesday November 13th at 12.00 noon (CET).
Race day is Saturday 17th August 2013 - race website: www.ironmankalmar.com.
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Jonathan Brownlee is Mr. Consistent
Is Jonathan Brownlee the most consistent triathlete in the world right now?
When your older brother is Olympic Champion Alistair Brownlee, that would be quite a bold claim. Indeed, if you consider that Spain's Javier Gomez has in the last three months won Olympic Silver, the Hy-Vee Elite Cup (non-drafting), the ITU Grand Final in Auckland and the XTERRA World Championship then his consistency - well, certainly his versatility at the very least - must be a match for anyone you would think? That said, there is one measure at least by which the younger Brownlee would come out on top depending on how you want to approach the analysis...
Consistency:
Reliability or uniformity of successive results or events
The achievement of a level of performance that does not vary greatly in quality over time
The 4th July 2010 was a significant day for the Brownlee family. Having won every race of the newly formed ITU World Championship Series he entered in 2009, a 2010 objective for Alistair Brownlee was to add one of the few missing titles to his CV; European Champion. Athlone, Ireland was the Championship venue. With the help of 20 year old younger brother Jonathan, Alistair achieved this through one of his career best performances.
After his domestique style efforts on the bike, Jonathan faded quickly on the run from the lead group of four at T2 to cross the line well off the pace in a long since forgotten 38th position. A first European Senior title for Alistair, but that day has proven to be a landmark event for Jonathan too. Why?
Jonathan Brownlee has finished on the podium in every triathlon he has competed in since Athlone
A few highlights:
31 consecutive podium finishes in total
28 out of 31 events finished first or second.
Six World Championship titles won:
2 ITU Sprint World Championship Gold medals
2 ITU Team / Mixed Relay Triathlon World Championship Gold medals
1 ITU Under-23 World Championship Gold
1 ITU Triathlon World Championship Gold
1 ETU Under-23 European Championship Silver
1 ETU Triathlon European Championship Silver
In those 31 events, only five athletes have finished ahead of Jonathan in individual competition (Alistair, Javier, Sven Riederer (SUI), Joao Silva (POR) and Alexander Bryukhankov (RUS))
Only two of that five (Alistair and Javier - of course), have beaten him more than once...
Triathlon - statement of the obvious - is an endurance sport which typically you would expect athletes to develop through their late twenties, early thirties through the development of that endurance background over time. Jonathan Brownlee is just 22 years of age however, and has manged to race for two and half seasons now without having a single bad race in over 30 events. Even the very best athletes will have a shocker somewhere along the line. Remember Alistair's 2010 London meltdown, Javier trailing in 40th in his home town of Pontevedra last year, Craig Alexander's "I swear I was passed by a traffic cone" at 70.3 Racine - even the remarkable Chrissie Wellington has had a terrible race: Columbia Triathlon 2009.
I imagine Jonathan will have to suffer a few of these type of days over the coming years too - but you can't help but be impressed by what he has achieved so far.
The worrying thing for his competitors? He has been getting better every year...
Jonathan Brownlee - triathlon race history, 4th July 2010 - End 2012 season
Date
Position
Event
Count
Athlete(s) ahead
04/07/2010
38th
ETU European Championships, Athlone
Results
POST ATHLONE RACING HISTORY
18/07/2010
2
French Grand Prix (Paris)
1
Alistair Brownlee
24/07/2010
2
ITU World Championship Series London
2
Javier Gomez
21/08/2010
1
Lausanne ITU Elite Sprint Triathlon World Championships
3
-
28/08/2010
2
Vila Nova de Gaia ETU Triathlon U23 European Championships
4
Joao Silva
08/09/2010
1
ITU Triathlon World Under-23 Championship Budapest
5
-
18/09/2010
1
French Grand Prix (La Baule)
6
-
19/09/2010
1=
GE Parc Bryn Bach Elite Triathlon
7
-
03/10/2010
2
French Iron Tour (5 stage event)
8
Alistair Brownlee
09/04/2011
2
ITU World Championship Series Sydney
9
Javier Gomez
23/04/2011
2
French Grand Prix (Nice)
10
Alistair Brownlee
22/05/2011
2
French Grand Prix (Dunkerque)
11
Alistair Brownlee
04/06/2011
2
ITU World Championship Series Madrid
12
Alistair Brownlee
24/06/2011
2
Pontevedra ETU Triathlon European Championships
13
Alistair Brownlee
09/07/2011
2
French Grand Prix (Paris)
14
Alistair Brownlee
06/08/2011
3
ITU World Championship Series London
15
Alistair Brownlee, Alexander Bryukhankov
20/08/2011
1
ITU Elite Sprint Triathlon World Championships
16
-
21/08/2011
1
ITU Team Triathlon World Championships
17
-
28/08/2011
1
French Grand Prix (Tours) - Team
18
-
09/09/2011
3
ITU World Championship Grand Final Beijing
19
Alistair Brownlee, Sven Riederer
17/09/2011
2
French Grand Prix (La Baule)
20
Alistair Brownlee
28/04/2012
2
French Grand Prix (Sables d'Olonne) - Team Prologue
21
Les Sables Vendee Tri Team
10/05/2012
1
ITU World Triathlon San Diego
22
-
26/05/2012
1
ITU World Triathlon Madrid
23
-
09/06/2012
1=
GE Blenheim Triathlon
24
-
23/06/2012
2
ITU World Triathlon Kitzbuehel
25
Alistair Brownlee
04/08/2012
3
London Olympic Games
26
Alistair Brownlee, Javier Gomez
25/08/2012
1
ITU World Triathlon Stockholm (Mixed Relay World Champs)
28
-
25/08/2012
1
ITU World Triathlon Stockholm
27
-
09/09/2012
1=
Sartrouville Triathlon
29
-
16/09/2012
1
French Grand Prix (Nice)
30
-
20/10/2012
2
Barfoot&Thompson World Triathlon Grand Final Auckland
31
Javier Gomez
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Weekend preview: November 10-11
The domestic scene is a bit perkier this weekend and there's a new boy on the Ironman 70.3 circuit as well to liven things up. The new arrival is Ironman 70.3 Lanzarote, read the race preview here. Lanzarote has long been a favourite stomping ground for British athletes and as well as a good - and uncharacteristically hard to call - pro field there is the usual GB contingent attending the La Santa-based race. It's going to be tough as all the biking takes part in the northern part of the island and there's not much respite from either hill or wind up that end.
The big domestic race is the RG Active Ballbuster which has switched from its normal Saturday slot to Sunday - note to self, check the alarm! This one has been running over 20 years and has a deserved reputation for being tough on the legs. It's that second run that does it with the long downhill section and then the final zig-zag climb to the finish.
The Ballbuster might have moved to Sunday but Saturday still has plenty of run/bike/run action. The Edinburgh RC Winter Duathlon Series kicks off with its first race and the Robin Hood Challenge adds trail runs to its Evil Sheriff Off-Road Duathlon while the Milford Duathlon Relay spreads the effort across teams of three.
Sunday's racing also features the Gravesend Cyclopark Autumn Duathlon and the Minet Park cycle circuit hosts the (sold out) Hillingdon Autumn Sprint Duathlon with a Youth and Tristar distance race as well.
And if you didn't get enough off-road action at last weekend's Hell up North the whole shebang gets transported down to Longmoor Camp in Hampshire for Hell down South, a double helping of mud and worse as it offers runs on both days.
FULL WEEKEND RACE LISTINGS
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Giant open brand store with Tri UK
Giant take on Somerset and open a brand store in Yeovil
The Giant Store – Yeovil has opened for business, run by existing independent bicycle retailer Chris Boon. The latest edition to the Giant Store family is situated in South Somerset positioned on the outskirts of the vibrant market town of Yeovil.
Ian Beasant Managing Director of Giant UK commented “Giant Stores focus on understanding the customer and their cycling experience ensuring that the end user gets complete satisfaction from their purchase...” Beasant continued “this is the first Giant brand store we've opened that’s in an existing, established business, we believe the partner and location provides the perfect environment for a Giant brand store.”
The store, positioned on the edge of the town within easy reach of the beautiful countryside of Somerset, occupies 375m2 of prime retail space offering a unique shopping experience as well as something for all customers.
Independent bicycle dealer and founder of Tri UK Chris Boon said “we are so excited about the Giant Store, we believe it offers our customers both existing and new a completely different appeal and retail experience”
Giant Stores offer a professional retail outlook in a friendly and approachable environment, the store offers something for all whatever the discipline from performance enthusiasts to leisure cyclists, junior riders and everyone in between.
Boon continued “our business is established in the Triathlon market and we believe the Giant Store will serve this and so many other customers, with Giant we have a bike for all.”
The latest edition to the Giant Store family accompanies stores across the UK; to read more about Giant stores or to find a store in your local area visit www.giant-stores.co.uk
Giant propose to roll out further brand stores in key target locations. Further potential stores are already being planned and Giant are in discussions with independent partners.
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Train with GB Triathlete Vanessa Raw
Vanessa Raw, GB Triathlete, to support triathletes training day in Bushey
Following on from our fantastic summer of Olympic sport and the current buzz around triathlons, Vanessa Raw, GB Triathlete, has happily agreed to take part and support a new and unique triathlon training day aimed at those new to triathlons. Created by Active Training World Ltd and called the ATW Train'athlon, this exciting new event appealed to Vanessa who is keen to encourage people to join the sport, said "I'm really looking forward to working with ActiveTrainingWorld at the ATW Train'athlon and helping newcomers to triathlon get hooked on this fantastic sport!"
The first of these Train'athlon events takes place on Saturday 5th January 2013, in the modern and well equipped Sports Centre at St Margaret's Private School in Bushey, Hertfordshire. With exclusive use of their luxury 25 metre heated swimming pool, sports hall and idyllic outdoor setting, event attendees will have a fun, informative and energetic full day of training. Triathletes will take part in various training sessions throughout the day with top professional coaches – some of whom themselves are former Olympians or have been part of the GB Triathlon team during their careers. And of course, Vanessa Raw, will be taking part throughout the day to offer her advice, support and motivation to those that attend.
Entrepreneurial James Shipley, founder of Active Training World, and keen triathlete, spotted a new-found demand for triathlon training after our Olympic success. As James explains “We've seen an increase in traffic to our website since the summer, it seems more than ever, people want to access our free running training plans, in particular, our triathlon training plans. I want to help people get the ‘triathlete bug' as I did 20 years ago. So I've created this training day which ensures attendees get top class coaching by GB triathletes and former Olympians. Plus they'll leave with loads of new advice and tips to practice in their usual training sessions.”
The comprehensive and interactive sessions will take place in the pool, outside in the idyllic school grounds and in the sports centre. The sessions include improving your swimming techniques and an introduction to open water swimming, transition coaching – mounting and dismounting at speed, bike handling skills, advice on how to avoid specific triathlon injuries and an optimum bike set up.
Active Training World Ltd will be hosting these events throughout 2013 and in various locations throughout the UK. They cost £90 per attendee which includes five informative training sessions, a nutritious breakfast and lunch, a free event t-shirt and swim cap. Plus the opportunity to meet and train with our special guest Vanessa Raw and other GB triathletes and former Olympians!
FULL DETAILS
Find out more about the event by emailing ATW founder James Shipley at James@activetrainingworld.co.uk
SIGN UP HERE
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Raña, Boterenbrood at 70.3 Lanzarote
The end of the Olympic Cycle is always an interesting one in the sport of triathlon, and the results today at Ironman 70.3 Lanzarote may have provided a glimpse at some of the changes we'll be seeing a lot more of into 2013.
Men
There was a home win for Spain's Iván Raña, a name we've always associated with racing on the ITU circuit. While countryman Javier Gomez rightly takes the majority of the plaudits and press from the Spanish perspective for his consistent brilliance, we should remember that Raña is a class act too - ITU World Champion in Cancun, Mexico in 2002, followed by consecutive silvers over the next two years, Ivan is more than proven over the draft-legal format. Three Olympic Games appearances in 2000 (5th), 2004 (23rd) and 2008 (5th) prove that much.
Raña exited the swim in conjunction with Brits Stephen Bayliss and Daniel Halksworth today, just a few second back on leader Rasmus Petraeus (DEN).
Raña rode strongly and soon pulled away over the tough and windy Lanzarote hills. Switzerland's Ronnie Schildknecht (just under two minutes back in the water), set the days fastest bike time and along with Toumy Degham (FRA) were able to pass the Spaniard and gain a lead at T2, but it wasn't to prove significant. Schildknecht had 1:45 on Raña starting the run, but when Ivan then powered away to a 1:13:27 run versus the 1:18:51 of the six-time Ironman Switzerland winner, there was only one winner. Raña reached the finish line on the blue tartan track at Club La Santa nearly four minutes clear. Boris Stein put together a consistent race to take third place, to hold off the fast running pairing of Alessandro Degasperi (ITA) and Victor Del Moral Corral (ESP) in the battle for 3rd/4th/5th.
Stephen Bayliss (11th) and Daniel Halksworth (14th) were possibly showing the effects of a long season, while Matt Ellis was a DNF after the run.
Now 33, a clear win in your first 70.3 on what is a very tough course - will this be the transition into the next phase of his career for Raña?
We said in our preview piece that the ladies race in particular was not an obvious one to predict - so anyone who had Boterenbrood, De Groote and Tajsich predicted as your top three, chapeau!
Women
Like Raña, 27 year old Danne Boterenbrood (NED) is a name more familiar on the ITU circuit. She hasn't got the same depth of palmarès as the Spaniard, but this year finished 32nd in Madrid, 19th in Stockholm and 27th in Auckland in the ITU World Triathlon Series races.
As you might expect from an ITU racer, she was first out of the water, a lead she continued to hold with a 2:44:55 bike split. Only second placed Sophie De Groote (BEL) went faster in the ladies field, her 2:43:30 the best of the day.
Boterenbrood reached T2 with almost two minutes buffer on De Groote, and with the pair completing the 13.1 miles just one second apart, that was how it remained until the finish. After a characteristically slow swim, Kona fourth place finisher Sonja Tajsich (GER) got herself back into contention with a very solid bike and run combination to take third.
Eimear Mullan (IRL) was sixth and Bella Bayliss ninth, both athletes some way further back than their pre-event hopes. Both can look back on their overall 2012 efforts with some pride however, confident in more to come next year.
So, two first time Ironman 70.3 winners at their first attempts at the distance. As the natural order and 'changing of the guard' happens at the end of the Olympic Quadrennial, I think we'll be seeing plenty more of that type of story over the coming months.
Age Groups
Provisional at the stage, but we believe that the following British athletes have cross the La Santa finish line at 70.3 Lanzarote Age Group winners:
Fiona Hunter Johnston (F1824)
Allison Stewart (F25-29)
Darelle Parker (M40-44)
Jeannie Fry (F50-54)
Margaret Sills (F60-64)
Richard Hobson (F45-49)
Pos
Men
Women
1st
Iván Raña (ESP) 4:07:35
Danne Boterenbrood (NED) 4:40:05
2nd
Ronnie Schildknecht (SUI) 4:11:27
Sophie De Groote (BEL) 4:41:55
3rd
Boris Stein (GER) 4:12:59
Sonja Tajsich (GER) 4:44:03
4th
Alessandro Degasperi (ITA) 4:13:32
Katja Konshak (GER) 4:48:16
5th
Victor Del Moral Corral (ESP) 4:13:35
Eva Ledesma (ESP) 4:49:24
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Weekend roundup: October 10-11
Oh, how I wish I had been at Club La Santa on Saturday! I always enjoy being in at the start of something new and, hopefully, the new Ironman 70.3 Lanzarote based out of there will become a regular fixture on the calendar. Of course, Ironman 70.3 events aren't always permanent fixtures - we have had events come and go on that calendar just like any other - but one thing we do know is that if you make them tough they will generally attract a loyal following. And tough it was... Check out the race report here, results are, as always, linked off the main Ironman website.
Had I been lucky enough to have enjoyed some late season sunshine in the Canaries (instead of a long weekend in Boston MA just ahead of Superstorm Sandy and a couple of damp days last week urgently re-building a website in Denmark) I would have missed the other super-tough event this weekend. I'm not entirely sure how many RG Active Autumn Ballbusters there have been, John Lunt says over 20, but I think I've only missed one and that was only because I was stuck in an MRI scanner! Not that I have ever raced it as a) I never liked duathlon that much and b) it's way too hard! It also felt really strange having it on a Sunday - although it has to be said that of the two days this weekend Sunday was definitely the better with a really cool, crisp Autumn feel and virtually no wind.
The field may have lacked some of the headline names of recent years but there was some very quick racing out at the front. Andrew Greenleaf (Serpentine) was definitely not hanging about and led the pack throughout to deliver a winning time of 2:37:59 while clubmate Richard Phillips confirmed his second place ahead of Hugh Mackenzie (Imperial College TC). Clare Miller dominated the women's field heading Sarah May (Calderdale Tri Club) by over seven minutes with late entry Fay Cripps closing out the podium in third. Full results are HERE.
Hillingdon Triathletes put on their Autumn Sprint Duathlon at the Minet Park cycle circuit where the wins went to Jean-Claude Besse (Imperial College) and Liza Croft (Hemel Hepstead CC). There must be some serious duathlon talent over at Imperial as they also picked up third, fourth and seventh (plus that third at Ballbuster)... Full results for the race are HERE, the results for the TriStar event are HERE.
The mud-obsessed had a double dip opportunity at Hell Down South with runs (one can't really call them races...) on both days over the Longmoor Camp venue just off the A3 in Hampshire. Now that's a very muddy place on a dry day so the report from a colleage that, "half the track was water and the other half was mud" probably isn't that far from being a literal truth! Results for both days can be found on the HellRunner site - just be aware that events like this often take a day or two to get settled as the technology can take a bit of a beating with conditions like this!
FULL WEEKEND RESULTS LISTINGS
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