>>> Ironman 70.3 Staffs: Javier Gomez leaves it to the run for winning move

Rutherford was first out of the water, ahead of Xterra warrior Slack and New Zealand’s Sam Warriner, with Hector and Gossage not far behind.

Georgie Rutherford leads out of the swim; she eventually finished fourth woman

Once on the bike Gossage pushed hard and took the lead by the 37km mark, leading all the way to T2 with a bike split of 2:29:54, and arriving around 7mins ahead of Cheetham and Rutherford. Warriner left transition in fourth place around 12mins behind Gossage, with Hector in fifth.

Lucy Gossage started her lonely run after a bike split of 02:29:54! #IM703Staffs

— IronmanLIVE.com (@IRONMANLive) June 14, 2015

By the halfway point of the run Gossage had built a 10min lead over Cheetham and Rutherford, and that lead grew to 12mins by the time she closed in on the finishing chute, crossing the line in 4:31:09, followed exactly 10mins later by Cheetham, with Warriner taking third place.

1 Gossage, Lucy (GBR) +00:00 04:31:09
2 Cheetham, Susie (GBR) +10:19 04:41:28
3 Warriner, Samantha Jane (NZL) +15:27 04:46:36
4 Rutherford, Georgie (GBR) +17:06 04:48:15
5 Haresign, Eleanor (GBR) +22:09 04:53:18

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The debut Windsor Triathlon kicked-off in June 1991 as part of the 220 Triathlon Series and, 24 years later, its inaugural (and six-time) winner Spencer Smith was hollering support to athletes on the infamous Castle Climb. Whereas that debut race – organised by John Lunt and Jasmine Flatters, who were in attendance today – attracted 250 athletes via postal, fax and phone entries, the sell-out scenes today saw nearly 3,000 triathletes take to the Thames waters in front of Windsor Leisure Centre, a return to that debut race’s swim location.

Happy 25th edition Windsor Tri! A return to the Leisure Centre swim start used on first race in 1991. #WindsorTri25 pic.twitter.com/9xPc5LOdWu

— 220Triathlon (@220Triathlon) June 14, 2015

The first of the 28 waves kicked-off at 6am with the men’s sprint (47 and above), with the Olympic-distance waves starting 20mins later, leading up to the final ‘Race with the Stars’ sub 2:30hr wave at 8:40am consisting of Windsor legends (Stu Hayes and Richard Stannard), elite athletes (Dan Halksworth) and top age-groupers. 

Richard ‘The Fish’ Stannard and @StuHayes13 leading the River Thames swim once again @HumanRaceEvents Windsor Tri pic.twitter.com/qgNEf87H6u

— 220Triathlon (@220Triathlon) June 14, 2015

As has been the case longer than we can count at Windsor, local boy Stannard led out the 1.5km swim, with non-drafting specialist Hayes in close pursuit. Bike powerhouse Hayes was soon in front on the 40km non-drafting bike leg, which like the swim and run legs featured some modifications for 2015, and held his lead into T2 after the day’s best bike split.

Onto the 10km run, and in increasingly cold and damp conditions, Hayes didn’t lose much of his 90-seconds advantage as his climbed the famous Windsor High Street run three-times – a rite of passage for British triathletes for 24 years – in front of Windsor Castle, where Queenie was staying due to the Magna Carta regatta taking place later that day. Hayes’ old Thames Turbo mucker, Spencer Smith, was busy dispensing support on the climb to countless appreciative athletes, and was evidently still in thrall to the iconic Windsor experience some 25 editions after he broke the inaugural tape.

Six-time Windsor champ and 220 hero Spencer Smith shouting support on #WindsorTri25 run course pic.twitter.com/SrlzWwNaWV

— 220Triathlon (@220Triathlon) June 14, 2015

Hayes entered the Barry Avenue finish line with an 90sec advantage over Jersey’s long-course specialist Dan Halksworth and crossed the line in 1:56:22 ahead of Halksworth and Stannard (M30-34 age-grouper Andy Hamilton, however, produced the day’s third-fastest Olympic time).

Winner of Windsor 2015 is Stu Hayes, followed home by Dan Halksworth and Rich Stannard #WindsorTri2015 pic.twitter.com/4EUyD81WYU

— 220Triathlon (@220Triathlon) June 14, 2015

The women’s race saw Sarah Lewis join Brit greats Liz Blatchford, Julie Dibens, Helen Jenkins and Jodie Stimpson as a Windsor winner, with Anna-Sykes Brown and Louise Croxton following Lewis home.

The fastest sprint times of the day were Marianne Clark (1:27:26 in the F50-54 category) and Patrick Tierny (1:17:50 in M-35-39), with David Candy – a veteran of that debut race – topping the M50-54 age-group (1:25:32) and placing 12th overall.

On what we reckon is the biggest day in UK tri history in terms of participation, Windsor’s enduring mix of age-group and elite action, scenery and heritage proved that the Grandaddy of UK tri still has a major role to play alongside the new (70.3 Staffs) and huge (Blenheim) in the future of UK tri. Here’s to the next 25 years. 

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Look out for a Windsor special in issue 315 of 220, out in July.

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Male elite winner Chris Perham sprinted to victory in a time of 1:35hrs, closely followed by Loughborough University teammates Matthew Wright, just 3secs behind and Morgan Davies, who followed shortly after to take the final podium place. 

Chris said: “This is my first senior super series triathlon and it was certainly an unexpected win. I put the power down in the swim and stayed in the pack for the bike. 

“I came out of transition well so that meant there was a small group of us for the run which paid off – I’m happy with that. Going into the race I hoped to get on the podium so I’m really happy with the win. Next up is the 2015 Holten ETU Triathlon Premium European Cup.” 

Women’s race

Providing another competitive race, the women’s elite title was taken by India Lee who timed 10:3mins on the swim, 33:36mins on the bike and a remarkable 20:18mins on the run to secure her victory ahead of WTS racer Sophie Coldwell and Natalie Milne.  

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The victory for India, trained by Richard Stannard, came on the back of 3rd place at the Antalya ETU Triathlon Cup and gaining qualification for the Rio test event race which will be in August but India “wanted to prove she was in shape.” 

“I’m absolutely delighted with the win today – especially being in the front pack for the swim, I’m really pleased with that,” she said afterwards. “I’ve been working on the swim so it was great that it gave me a good set up for the bike. Then I worked hard with Sophie (Coldwell) on the bike so I could finish off with a strong run. It’s been a great day and I’m really happy.” 

Were you racing at Blenheim today? Let us know in the comments below!

A field of 137 elites battled it out today (14 June) at the Blenheim Triathlon for round one of the British Super Series, and it was Chris Perham and India Lee who prevailed despite some tough competition.

Male elite winner Chris Perham sprinted to victory in a time of 1:35hrs, closely followed by Loughborough University teammates Matthew Wright, just 3secs behind and Morgan Davies, who followed shortly after to take the final podium place. 

Chris said: “This is my first senior super series triathlon and it was certainly an unexpected win. I put the power down in the swim and stayed in the pack for the bike. 

“I came out of transition well so that meant there was a small group of us for the run which paid off – I’m happy with that. Going into the race I hoped to get on the podium so I’m really happy with the win. Next up is the 2015 Holten ETU Triathlon Premium European Cup.” 

Women’s race

Providing another competitive race, the women’s elite title was taken by India Lee who timed 10:3mins on the swim, 33:36mins on the bike and a remarkable 20:18mins on the run to secure her victory ahead of WTS racer Sophie Coldwell and Natalie Milne.  

The victory for India, trained by Richard Stannard, came on the back of 3rd place at the Antalya ETU Triathlon Cup and gaining qualification for the Rio test event race which will be in August but India “wanted to prove she was in shape.” 

“I’m absolutely delighted with the win today – especially being in the front pack for the swim, I’m really pleased with that,” she said afterwards. “I’ve been working on the swim so it was great that it gave me a good set up for the bike. Then I worked hard with Sophie (Coldwell) on the bike so I could finish off with a strong run. It’s been a great day and I’m really happy.” 

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Leeds takes over as UK host of the World Triathlon Series after a long run at London’s Hyde Park, which will be under construction in 2016 to allow for the building of a cycling superhighway throughout the UK capital. 

London 2012 gold medallist Alistair Brownlee said: “Triathlon has come from a sport that hardly anyone knew about, to in 2016 there being a World Series race in my home city of Leeds.

“In Leeds the entire city is going to be behind the triathlon. It’s going to be the major event of the summer, and I think the whole city will get behind it. Hopefully hundreds of thousands of people are going to come out to support the sport.”

Amateur triathletes will have the opportunity to compete on the same course as the elite competitors in mass-participation races, and the event will be supported by a range of cultural activities in the build-up.

Roundhay Park, Leeds (image credit: Shaun Gregory, Leeds City Council)

Roundhay Park will also host novice GO TRI events aimed at encouraging new triathletes to take up the sport. If you’re planning to come along as a competitor, spectator or volunteers, you can register interest here.

Here’s the schedule confirmed so far for the 2016 World Triathlon Series:

Abu Dhabi, UAE – March 4-5
Gold Coast, Australia – April, weekend dates TBC
Yokohama, Japan – May 14-15
Leeds, England – June 11-12
Stockholm, Sweden – July 2-3
Hamburg, Germany – July 16-17
Edmonton, Canada – TBC
Cozumel, Mexico – September 11-18

Distances for each race will be confirmed at a later date, and one final event could be added either prior to or after the Olympic qualification cutoff in May, which could slightly alter the current schedule and race dates. 

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Cozumel, Mexico joins the World Triathlon Series for the first time next year as the site of the Grand Final, which will include Aquathlon, Age Group, Junior, and Under 23 World Championships as well as the final races that crown the elite men’s and women’s World Champion. 

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“It was a very tough bike course, and after all the rain yesterday it was quite slippy out there! I held back a little on the bike as I knew the guy in the lead (Thomschke) was going a bit too fast for me, but I wasn’t too far behind coming into T2.”

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“I went hard on the first lap then was quite conservative after I got the lead, I’m in the middle of quite a hard block of training so I didn’t want to push it too hard. I’m really pleased with the win and I feel confident building up to the 70.3 Worlds now”

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Top Brit racer Bayliss, who counts wins at Ironman UK and Challenge Vichy on his illustrious CV, has entered Xterra England as part of his double bid at both the Ironman World Champs in Hawaii and the Xterra Worlds in Maui.

As a four-time champion and 13-time podium finisher in long-course racing, Bayliss’ quality is undoubted, if relatively untested on the off-road circuit. His inclusion in the race offers a fascinating dynamic to what is already a strong pro men’s field, with Ruben Ruzafa (ESP), Conrad Stoltz (RSA), Ben Allen (AUS), Richard Stannard (GB), Asa Shaw (FRA/GB) and many more all signed-up.

On the news, Stephen Bayliss said: “I love going off-road, it reminds me of my childhood riding mountain bikes all the time. The race is very close to where I grew up and it’s a special kind of triathlon; a relaxed atmosphere and a different adventure.”

Bayliss has never competed on the Xterra circuit before, and his inclusion adds an element of the unknown to the race dynamic. This year Bayliss came second at the Lanzarote Nutri-Cross Triathlon and is a former Junior Cyclo Cross cyclist at GB level.

VACHERY AWAITS 

The UK leg of the world off-road triathlon series will return to the Vachery Estate in Cranleigh, Surrey, on the Bank Holiday weekend 29/30 August 2015 for more muddy, off-road fun on the trails. Up for grabs will be prestigious National and European titles, a $25,000 prize purse and qualifying points for the historic 20th edition of the world championships held in Maui, Hawaii.

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Age-group triathletes will have the opportunity to race on the same championship course with the pros and compete for prestigious amateur National and European titles, as well as 50 precious qualifying slots to Maui, Hawaii.

The championship distance is open to all triathletes and athletes of any ability and background and combines a 1.5km swim/30km bike/10km trail run on the Sunday. There is also a half-distance sprint race option and athletes can join together to tackle either triathlon as part of a relay team. Soon to be added and new for this year will be 10km and 22km trail runs on the Saturday and kids triathlons.

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Registration is open now at www.xterraengland.com

The same cannot be said for those mastering paratriathlon guiding, who also have to support through the swim and bike and negotiate transitions – and who, if part of the elite British triathlon programme, have to complete these tasks fast enough to cement expected Team GB berths for the event’s Paralympic debut in Rio next year. 

But that is the challenge Nicole Walters has taken on. The 25-year-old from Bath fell into paraguiding in 2013 to help out her sister’s friend and in two short years has progressed to being one of three funded guides tasked with helping bring back a pair of medals from Brazil next year. 

“The prospect of Rio has been there all along, but until recently it was never certain we’d be going,” Nicole explains, referring to the International Paralympic Committee’s decision to accept only six of 10 potential paratri categories. “I always remained pessimistic so not to get my hopes up and it was probably the best way of looking at it. Now the category has gone through, there is a lot to look forward to.” 

ALIGNED STRENGTHS

Walters competes in the PT5 class, supporting visually impaired triathletes, and this season switched from the athlete she first assisted, Cornwall’s 2013 world champion Melissa Reid, to predominantly racing with Welsh newcomer Rhiannon Henry. 

“The pairing is out of my control,” she explains. “British Triathlon want to make sure they don’t just have the best guides with the best athletes, but that their strengths are aligned. Over the next couple of months the guides and triathletes will swap around and hopefully by the end of this year it will be settled so we can make firmer plans going into Rio.” 

Mirroring its able-bodied colleagues, British Triathlon’s elite paratriathlon team has enjoyed an impressive run of success in recent years and the women’s PT5 division is amongst the strongest, having won four of the past five world titles, including Scotland’s Alison Patrick in Edmonton, Canada, in September. 

The set-up under head coach Jonny Riall has become increasingly professional with the introduction of UK Sport funding, dedicated overseas training camps and even the launch of a Guide-to-Gold scheme in November to make sure Britain had the best women possible for the support roles. 

The advertised requirement was “not only to possess the right physical abilities, but also the right mental and organisational approach.” Plus, they would need to be able to run well inside 20mins for 5km. 

“That was stressful but I got through it,” Nicole explains. “Fortunately I was good enough based on my ability not just my experience.” 

It has allowed her to stop working part-time at a nutrition company and travel to train during the week with those vying for selection. It makes for contrasting experiences. “Melissa already knew what she was doing, so it was a case of slotting into that,” Nicole says. “Rhiannon was new, so there was a lot more pre-race preparation. Simple things such as where to store items in transition.” 

FAST LEARNER

Henry, 28, might be new but is proving a fast learner. Already a Paralympic veteran of three Games, winning two bronze medals in the pool in Athens 2004 before switching to paracycling, she won her first triathlon in Buffalo City, South Africa in March, where in tandem with Walters she defeated Reid by over four minutes. 

“Rhiannon’s race is still very much a swim/bike and see what’s left on run style of racing,” Nicole says. “That’s how I tend to race myself anyway, but in South Africa she actually ran faster than [runner-up] Melissa. Twenty-one minutes over 5km for her first experience running off the bike was good. It’s not a weakness, it’s just the discipline where more gains will be made.” 

While Britain may currently look set for Paralympic glory, the international competition will only become more intense. Henry has already shown what an instant impact an athlete can have and as other countries’ talent identification improves it’s likely more strong single discipline specialists will make the switch. 

This year, the three main events include the European Championships in Geneva in July, the test event in Rio in August and the World Championships in Chicago in September. 

IN IT TO WIN

It’s all far removed from where Walters, brought up playing squash and as a club swimmer, expected to be when she first moved to study at the University of Bath in 2007. “At the time the British high performance centre was still there and it was a good set-up,” she explains of her introduction to triathlon. “The student tri club was separate but elements combined with the elite squad that featured the likes of Julie Dibens, Matt Sharp and Aaron Harris.” 

She progressed through sprint and Olympic distance racing to half-Ironman and even placed third in the 2.6km swim, 120km bike and 20km run event called the Boskman in the New Forest in 2010. A switch to bike racing followed for a couple of years before the lure of triathlon proved too strong. 

She has no regrets about joining the guiding programme, stressing it’s not as selfless as it may first appear. “A lot of the time people see it as you helping somebody out,” Nicole explains. “But it’s your race as well. If you’re not on the start line wanting to win, you won’t perform your best and nor will the athlete. You have got to own the race and have the drive to win the medal.” 

“It take a lot of concentration and can be stressful at times. There are more things out of your control, you cannot majorly impact how the other person’s race goes and you have to stay positive. If you’re unsure about something, you cannot let the other person know. 

*Since this interview was filed, it is of great regret that we learn of the death of Katie Henderson, who was selected as a guide for visually impaired athletes training for the Paralympic Games in Rio. Katie, an accomplished triathlete known for her outstanding swimming, was a world age-group medallist in standard- and middle-distance competition and described by British Triathlon as “one of the best swimmers in the sport and an inspiration to many”. Katie died in a road traffic incident on her way to this month’s Ironman 70.3 race in Staffordshire. For the full tribute from British Triathlon, click here.

How to be a paratriathlon guide

There’s a lot more to the role than you might expect. Here Nicole Walters takes us through the individual disciplines, contrasting her experience with novice Rhiannon Henry to the more experienced Melissa Reid. 

SWIM

You have to be tethered at some point on your body and the tether cannot be more than one metre long. We try and keep as close as possible, ideally with me a little in front so the athlete can draft. 

Melissa prefers an ankle tether, and we trialled different ways with Rhiannon before settling for just above the knee. I go along with whatever’s best for the individual athlete. 

I’m faster than Melissa in the water, so by allowing her to draft we get round the course quicker. That doesn’t mean it’s an easy swim. I still have to sight and make sure our arms are synchronised, which may not be my natural cadence. I’ll tap her on the head to turn or tug the tether if she’s drifting away. 

In the first year I competed the visually impaired men and women set off at same time, so there were a couple of male pairs to draft off, but now the category is split, it becomes a true time trial from start to finish. 

I worked hard on my swimming over the winter to make sure Rhiannon wasn’t faster than me and pace-wise we are fairly similar. Rhianon hadn’t done a lot of open water so perhaps that’s where I have the edge. 

As we emerge from the swim, we unclip the tether but stay within one metre. Rhiannon has a little sight so as long as I’m within that distance she can follow me. I’ll point out any obstacles and show her to the kit we have already laid out. 

BIKE

It’s probably my strongest discipline and this is the part of the race where the guide can really make a difference because no matter how fast you swim or run, you cannot drag the athlete! 

It’s also different from racing solo because I can turn myself inside out on the bike, then just need to keep up on the run. 

You can start with your shoes on the tandem. With Rhianon in South Africa it would have been beneficial because it was slightly downhill out of transition with time to slip our feet in. I haven’t done a flying mount though, for fear of kicking whoever was behind in the face. 

I’ll shout if a tight turn is coming up so they can lean a little too, and let them know if we’re going to hit a speed bump or pothole. I’ll also tell them about long, straight sections so they can grab a drink. 

Dismounting into T2 we always take our feet out of the shoes to save time but I’ve not done a flying dismount yet as I need to bring my feet round the front of the bike. It’s something to work on. 

I then take care of racking the bike and leave the athlete to sort themselves out for the run. 

RUN

You take a lead from the athlete. You cannot drag them round the run course, but you can help with pacing to make sure they have best race possible. 

With South Africa being Rhiannon’s first race I had more of a dominant role, as she become more experienced there is no reason why she wouldn’t take more of an even share of what’s going on. 

Melissa is completely blind in her right eye, so I guide to her left, where she has tunnel vision. The first few hundred metres are normally tough because I’ve gone harder on the bike than I would have had it been an individual race. 

I’ll shout encouragement a lot of the time to run faster and let them know where other competitors are on the course. They’re normal things that run through your head, but I’m just vocalising it. 

I’ll ask them beforehand how they want me to act. Should I shout or be quiet and just offer basic instructions? For her first race Rhiannon didn’t know so I said I’ll be as vocal as possible and tell me to shut up if you’ve had enough. 

It helps if you get on, but looking at it a bit deeper there is a job to do. As long as you’re the fastest pair you should work together as that’s what will win the medal. 

Get involved

Helpful guiding links… 

http://www.guiderunning.uk/

Contact

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http://www.englandathletics.org/england-athletics-news/opportunities-to-become-a-guide-runner-or-find-a-guide-runner

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Fresh from a spectacular win at Ironman 70.3 Staffordshire, Gossage will be back at her happy hunting ground in Cheshire to defend her course record in the Gauntlet event (1.9km swim/96km bike/21km run). Standing in the way of the cancer doctor-turned-pro-triathlete will be New Zealand’s Sam Warriner, the versatile veteran of countless ITU World Cup wins and a Commonwealth Games medalist, and the Scottish Middle-distance champ Nikki Bartlett.

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Over in the men’s Gauntlet race, Matt Leeman will be on the start line alongside Darren Jenkins, a man who’s racing all five of the Series’ Gauntlet races in 2015 (not forgetting the small matter of racing the long-distance 226km Bastion at Hever Castle in July, of course!).

The Olympic-distance event is not shy of pro’s either with Liam Lloyd and David Bishop presenting strong competition from the outset.

ENTRIES STILL OPEN

While Lucy Gossage and her elite brethren will be aiming for top honors, 1,400 triathletes (including 350 children and a large number of tri newbies) will be attempting to beat their own personal goals during the midsummer’s day across the eight – yep, eight – different race distances (see below). 

Entries are still open for the event, with highlights including The Cedar (100m/4km/1.3km) for 8-10 year olds, the new Starter Sprint (200m/10km/2km) for adult beginners to tri and the truly testing experience of the 119km middle-distance Gauntlet.

First raced in 2010 by 100 athletes, the Cholmondeley Castle course finds athletes launching into an open-water swim in Deer Park Mere Lake, before transitioning into a bike route that circumnavigates Bickerton Hill, the southern most tip of the Peckforton Hills.

The run passes through the estate grounds, which date back to the 12th Century, before triathletes sprint down the main lawn to the finish line with Cholmondeley Castle as the 200-year-old backdrop. The classic Castles experience awaits athletes post-race, with family activities, tasty grub and live music ensuring both spectators and athletes are entertained throughout.

You can sign up for Cholmondeley (pronounced Chumley) at www.castletriathlonseries.co.uk. The race distances are:

Half Iron / Middle Distance – The Gauntlet (1.9km/96km/21km)

Olympic / Standard – The Cholmondeley (1,500m/44km/10km)

Sprint Plus – The Marquess (800m/44km/8km)

Super Sprint – The Gothic (400m/22km/4km)

Starter Sprint – New Race Distance (200m/10km/2km)

Junior (13-15 yrs) – The Chestnut (300m/8km/4km)

Children (11-12 yrs) – The Oak (200m/4km/2km)

Children (8-10 yrs) – The Cedar (100m/4km/1.3km)

From Lough Cutra to Chantilly and Castles Cholmondeley, Howard and Hever, some 16,000 triathletes are set to race at the UK’s biggest tri series in 2015, with the flagship event at Hever Castle in September once again preparing to host the world’s biggest children’s triathlon over the weekend of multisport festivities.

The next Castle Triathlon Series event is the Bastion at Hever Castle on 12 July, before the Series heads to Castle Howard, Yorkshire, on 25-26 July, Chateau de Chantilly in France on 29-30 August, and Hever Castle on 26-27 September.

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The Castle Triathlon Series supports the NSPCC as the Official Charity Partner and works with many other sponsors and partners to give the competitors the best experience including; Swimming Partner, Speedo; Nutrition Partner, High 5 and massage partner, Six Physio.

The training plan, which is available soon, is designed with the Galway event in mind, and includes course-specific sessions and workouts. The organisers say: “Our Challenge Galway plans will give you confidence in your fitness to not only make it to the finish line but get there knowing you have had your best race performance possible.” 

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Challenge Galway is Ireland’s first-ever full-distance Challenge Family triathlon, and will take place over the weekend of 24-26 June 2016.  

“Galway is a perfect triathlon setting with a course that will appeal to everyone,” say the race organisers. “A fast swim course is followed by a hilly and demanding bike course, which is sure to test your fitness once you head out on the flat marathon run through the city of Galway and beyond.” 

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For more information, head to www.challenge-galway.eu.