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The second instalment of the 2XU Triathlon Series at Brighton unfolded with its own set of challenges, but Tri-Alliance rose to the occasion, transforming adversity into an inspiring demonstration of resilience and team spirit.
The event plans took an unexpected turn as the rain from Saturday prompted the EPA to deem the water quality poor, resulting in a no-swim decision. However, the squad quickly adapted to the contingency plan: a run, ride, run sequence. Despite the initial disappointment of a beach run (no one likes a sand run), our athletes rose to the challenge, putting their best foot forward - quite literally - embracing the duathlon with enthusiasm.
A total of 46 athletes and 4 Technical officials (Pam, Sam, Simon, and Greg), graced the event, demonstrating Tri-Alliance's commitment to the sport. The TA tent, a hub of activity, vibrated with energy, and once again, vibes and morale soared to new heights. The unwavering positivity radiated from every member, showcasing the amazing culture within Tri-Alliance.
TA’s impact on the venue spoke volumes, with the squad securing 3 first-place finishes, 2 second-place finishes, and 2 third-place finishes. The depth of talent was further evident with an impressive 18 top-10 finishes across the board.
The fastest overall time was George in 56:27, pipping Dicko by 9 seconds, who finished in 56:36. Couldn’t be happier for George who has been working tirelessly to improve in all facets and refine his technique and speed. Not to mention, working to get in front of Dicko. We know these two enjoy pushing each other to better themselves every day! Next in line was Johnny, in 58:42 followed by Anto in 1hr flat, Ant in 1hr01 and Matt in 1hr02. Sammy was fastest female in 1hr04 and we hear that Neda was having a blinder until she had a mechanical on the bike that lost her some time. In the Fun tri it was Erin first across the line in a speedy time of 33:32, closely followed by Tam in 33:42, then Eleesha in 34:10 and John in 34:46.
Let’s face it, no one really likes beach running, let alone at the start of your race, so kudos to everyone who simply got the job done. At the pointy end, Dicko and Johnny were only separated by 1 second, and we had 7 athletes go sub 5mins for the 1km beach run. A further 10 athletes went sub 6mins on the uneven terrain.
George was a speed demon on the bike with a 28:17, with Dicko hunting him in 29:29. Not far behind was Anto in 30:37 and Ant in 30:45. Johhny had a ripper in 31:44, and Paul and Mario both posted times in the 32mins. Shoutout to Anto for his 30:37, who practically rode a single-speed bike, having his gears locked out and only able to use the front chain ring (pre-race mechanical)!
The second run was where we saw some standout performances. Johnny once again nailed his run off the bike, posting a blistering 18:10. Giving their all, Dicko and George also had 18-minute runs, and Anto, Sammy and Mario were not far off with 19-minute efforts for the 5km.
In a testament to the squad's dedication, out of 39 Sprint starters we had: - 3 athletes breaking the 1-hour barrier for overall finish time
- 5 athletes going sub 1:05 for overall finish time
- 2 athletes achieved super-elite cycle times going sub 30 minutes
- A further 2 athletes achieved elite cycle times with 30 minute finishes
- a formidable 15 cyclists achieved sub-35 minute times
- an additional 8 athletes posted sub-38 minute cycling times
- a staggering 6 athletes shattered the sub-20 minute barrier in the run
- a further 10 athletes boasted sub-25 minute run times
In the overall results, the depth of talent was evident with 18 top-10 places: - 1st place – Sammy (sprint), Erin (fun), Eleesha (fun)
- 2nd place – Chris (sprint) Tam (fun)
- 3rd place – George (sprint), Clare (sprint)
- 5th place – Neda (sprint), Cindy (sprint)
- 6th place – Narelle (sprint)
- 7th place – Ant (sprint), John (fun)
- 8th place – Sarah (fun)
- 9th place – John (sprint), Anto (sprint), Mario (sprint)
- 10th place – Andrea (fun), Annie (fun)
Once again, thank you to everyone who supported us and supported the success of the event. There were many, many hands to help pop the tent up on the Saturday. So much so that Les was able to have some well-deserved downtime during the day (not that he took up the offer to jump in for a quick swim!).
We had so many helpers for the TriKids event, which was a blessing considering it went ahead without rack numbers and with a huge transition to navigate.
Benny was a whiz on the BBQ again, cooking for the masses even though it was his birthday!
Thank you to Narelle for the much-loved TA cookies that made an appearance, to Georgia for entertainment and being king of the kids, to Lachy for jumping in and helping with practically everything from tent duties to wetsuit expert, to Tam, Jimmy and Shaneo for helping immensely with the pack down, to Andy and Jo who are everywhere and across everything on event weekends.
I know there were many others, and running the risk of forgetting someone, thank you to Ant, Dicko, Eleesha, Rob, Chamara, Narelle, Tanya, Mario, Sarah, Jo Grey, Neda, and I’m sure there’s many more! |
