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Race 5 of the 2XU Triathlon Series returned to familiar territory at Elwood, where Tri-Alliance once again capitalised on our home ground advantage amidst challenging conditions, showcasing resilience and determination in the face of rough waters and strong winds.
The swim leg proved to be a familiar challenge, with choppy waters at Elwood offering little respite for the athletes. However, this was par for the course for our TA squad, accustomed to battling the elements during our regular Thursday night sessions. As athletes transitioned to the bike leg, strong winds made things interesting, especially on the way down to St Kilda. But hey, every headwind has a silver lining (hello tailwind!), keeping the way back fast and furious.
The event's significance was heightened as it served as a qualifying point race for the Age Group ITU World Championship, attracting a competitive field for the Sprint distance. A total of 64 TA athletes took to the course, each vying for their shot at PB glory.
The TA tent exuded a festive atmosphere, with cookies, ice baths, BBQ, Lakeside massage expertise, bikes, and, most importantly, plenty of smiling faces. Coach Gaz himself couldn't help but remark on the exceptional atmosphere, noting the collective effort, camaraderie, and palpable sense of improvement within the squad.
Tri-Alliance's performance on the day was awesome, with 5 first-place finishes, 2 second-place finishes, and 2 third-place finishes, highlighting the squad's ability. Furthermore, a remarkable 24 athletes secured top-10 positions, showing the depth of talent and dedication within the team.
In the Fun distance race, out of 10 starters, we had:
• 2 athletes going sub 44mins for the overall finish time
• A further 2 athletes posting 44min times for the overall finish time
• Fastest swimmer come in 4mins01 for the 250m
• The next fastest were all together in 4mins05, -06 and -25secs
• 3 athletes broke the 21mins for the 10km ride
• 2 fastest riders were only 1 second apart
• Fastest runner broke 15mins for the 3kms
• 1 road runners broke the 15min mark for the 3km run
• 3 runners posted 15min times for the 3km run
Fastest overall, Erin Appleton 43:28
Fastest swim, Tam Tambyah in 4:01
Fastest bike, Tam Tambyah in 20:28
Fastest run, Eleesha Nesci-Dixon in 14:57
Out of 50 starters for the Sprint distance, we had:
• 1 athlete breaking the 1hr05min barrier for the overall finish time
• 2 athletes going sub 1hr07min for overall finish time
• 2 athletes going sub 1hr08min for overall finish time
• A total of 6 athletes finishing in 1hr10mins or better
• 2 athletes swam under 10mins for the 750m
• A further 5 athletes posted 10min swim times
• 1 athlete broke the 30min barrier for the 20km ride
• A further 1 athlete posted a 30min time
• A further 3 athletes went sub 35mins
• a formidable 19 cyclists achieved sub-40-minute times
• 1 road runner broke the 19min mark for the 5km run
• A further 5 broke the 20min mark for the 5km run
• A further 4 athletes were just outside this, posting 20min times
• Overall, 26 athletes boasted sub-25-minute run times
Fastest overall, Anto English in 1:04:11
Fastest swim, Ant Cuzzupe in 9:18
Fastest bike, Anto English 29:54
Fastest run, John Noel 18:46
In the overall results, the depth of talent was evident with 24 top-10 places:
1st – Tam, Erin, Eleesha, Ellie (TTT), Team Wallbangers (Ben, Gaz & Mario)
2nd – Jules, Andrea
3rd – Steph (TTT), Team Oscar’s Heroes (Sarah & Paul)
4th – Neda, Mike, Vera (TTT)
5th – Anto, Anton, Katherine (TTT), Narelle
6th – Erin, El
8th – George
9th – Dicko, Michael
10th – Johnny, Matt, Sarah
In the club series, Tri-Alliance added 52 points. Current standings:
1st Beckworth 322pts
2nd Tri-Alliance 262pts
3rd Melbourne Tri Club 207pts
4th Bayside Tri Club 205pts
5th Triathlon Adventure Geelong 200pts
So, as Race 5 wraps up, one thing's for sure – Tri-Alliance isn't just a team; we're a family. Through thick and thin, we stick together, pushing each other to new heights. Here's to one final race of the series and endless memories to come. Go TA!
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