Two huge events on the triathlon calendar this month with Holkham Outlaw and Ironman UK Bolton, but also a triathlon based around the stunning Lake Windermere for one solo competitor. | |
A solo KLTC competitor took on a beautiful triathlon with some challenging elevation. Maureen Wolfe after modifying her bike for hill climbing set her sights on the Windermere Sprint Tri hosted by Wild Deer events. Tackling the Sprint distance 750m, 20km, and 5km, the event was based at the beautiful Cockshott Point where the transition area overlooks Lake Windermere. Wolfe swam in the calm waters of the lake before cycling to Ambleside and back. The run took her around the paths, trails, and shoreline of the Lake with some outstanding views. A wooden medal, event top, snacks, and a beer met Wolfe as she grabbed first place in her A/G with 02:01:46. |
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Closer to home and possibly the biggest local event for triathlon clubs, OSB hosted the Outlaw Holkham half weekend. A full weekend of running events for adults and juniors, and also the half ironman/middle distance triathlon, the so-called 70.3 (1.2 miles swim, 56 miles bike, 13.1 miles run). Jenna Gotts, Dave Neale, Richard and Nicola Kennedy, Karen Wood, Ian Kidman, Ian Webster, Karlos White, and David Hammond, represented KLTC. Starting with a single looped swim course in the private lake on Holkham Estate set against the backdrop of the impressive Holkham Hall, followed by a short run to transition once out of the water. A one-lap undulating bike course containing a few short climbs, including the first straight out of the first transition to get the heart pumping before the longest part of a triathlon, the cycle ride. Looping through royal Sandringham at the furthest point of the single loop before heading back to the run course. A challenging mix of Norfolk hills and trail where full crowd support including the KLTC volunteer feed station carried heavy legs to the Outlaw Half finishing line red carpet in front of the 18th century Holkham Hall. The first finisher for KLTC was Kidman in 05:17:08 8th A/G, R.Kennedy 06:03:03, White 06:07:59, Neale 06:07:07 3rd A/G, N.Kennedy 06:14:07, Gotts 06:33:40, Webster 06:46:05, Wood 07:04:17, Hammond 07:22:04.
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Emma Thomspon and Arthur Sargeant competed in the full Ironman UK Bolton. An Ironman triathlon consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a full marathon run of 26.2 miles. The so-called 140.6 is on the list of the toughest sporting events known to man and the holy grail for triathletes. Bolton hosted this 13th edition of Ironman UK with several Greater Manchester boroughs hosting parts of the enormous course the athletes will have to tackle. A record field of 2,300 athletes assembled in Bolton for the event, with triathletes aged between 18 and 74 coming from 51 countries to compete. In addition to the chance of being crowned Ironman UK champion, 45 of the top finishing athletes across the various age categories will secure places in the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, in early October. Sergeant and Thompson after months of training through all weather, began with a two-loop 2.4 mile (3.8 km) swim course in Pennington Flash Country Park, consisting of a triangle layout and heading out before turning right twice and making their way back to the start and transition. The three-loop 112-mile (180.2 km) bike course runs in an anti-clockwise direction, traveling from Pennington Flash to Bolton for the first few miles, before taking on the three-loop bike course. The bike course has gained a fearsome reputation for its difficulty among competitors while acting as a magnet for spectators who get to see the athletes pushing themselves to their limits. Continuing through the northern countryside elevation before finishing in Bolton town at Queen’s Park, where the second transition zone was located. The final task, a full marathon course took them around Bolton town centre before ascending through the Queen’s Park to Chorley New Road on a four-loop course, back to Bolton town centre where the red carpet led up to the finish line in Victoria Square. After competing for 15:55:12s (yes that's hours) Thompson was first home with Sargeant completing in 16:19:07s.
Sargeant quoted, "It was a really tough bike course with elevation, rain, wind, and super fast down hills on really bad road surfaces, which basically vibrated and bounced you all over the place. We both said the third cycle loop was horrendous and we started our runs on shot legs, but we got it done" Sargeant also mentioned to me how proud they both were wearing our club colours and thanked everybody for all the support they have received.
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