London legacy alive as Bassetlaw Triathlon Club thrives

With triathlons suddenly in the public glare with the Olympics success of Brownlee brothers Alistair and Jonathan, the club was formed in 2012.

“We started the club following the success of the London Olympics and the desire by a few local sportsmen and women to grow a local legacy from those Games,” said a club spokesman.

“We are extremely grateful for the support of Bassetlaw Council who helped set up the club in 2012 as part of the Olympic Legacy.

“The club is now thriving and has gone from strength to strength since its inception.

“Membership has grown by 50 people in the last year, many of whom have completed their first triathlon with the clubs support and coaching. We also have many keen members who joined the club earlier in 2018 that will take part in their first triathlons this summer.

“I think the success of the Brownlee brothers over the last few years has helped open it up. It also helps that clubs and local authorities are starting to do triathlons at more accessible lengths.

“For our own triathlon we have a 400m swim, a 20km bike ride and a 5k run. Most reasonably active people can manage to swim 16 lengths – even if it’s breaststroke at a nice and steady pace.

“It’s not beyond people’s general ability to do that sort of distance.

“Once they have successfully done the ‘sprint’ ones, people will then set themselves another challenge and do a longer one.”

It’s not just triathlons on offer either.

“There are a whole raft of events, too,” he said. “In Clumber Park they had a duathlon which was bike/run/bike.

“People are getting into it through things they already do and then being encouraged to try a sport they might not have done before.

“I got into it myself this year when a friend of mine told me they did a beginner’s swimming course. I could swim, but badly, and so did six weeks improving my front crawl and ended up joining as a member.

“I found the people really friendly and the coaches supportive and helpful. It was a very friendly atmosphere.”

He added: “We are primarily based in Worksop, with many of our nearly 120 members living nearby or in the surrounding areas such as Retford, wider Bassetlaw District, South Yorkshire and North-East Derbyshire.

“Our base is Worksop Leisure Centre plus Clumber Park once the nights get lighter.

“Members range from complete beginners, including non-swimmers, to Team GB age group athletes – everyone is welcome and encouraged.

“Last year we had four members compete for the GB age group team at the European Sprint Distance Championships in Düsseldorf. And in 2018 two of our members will be racing for the GB age group team in Ibiza at the European Middle Distance Championships.

“Members are genuinely supportive of each other regardless of ability and they share tips and encourage each other. We have successfully organised five pool swim triathlons, which succeeded in the aim of bringing a new sporting event to the area. We encourage and support both novices and seasoned athletes to take part.”

The club’s showcase Bassetlaw Triathlon, the fifth so far, is this year to be staged on Sunday, 5th August and is now open for entries.

It is designed to promote the sport, the club and the Bassetlaw area in general.

The club’s growing coaching team, led by Steve Chambers, cater for all ability levels in the coached training sessions and there are often occasions when club members meet up for un-coached runs, or bike rides.

The club run coached sessions on Mondays - bike/run/core, with the location depending on the season:

In summer they meet at the Park Inn, Hardwick Village, Clumber Park, S80 3PD (6-15-8pm) for bike/run sessions.

Winter sees spin/run/core sessions at Worksop Leisure Centre. There is swimming on Tuesday and Thursday at the Leisure Centre (6-7am) and on Saturdays (8.25-9.55am at the same venue

For more information visit www.bassetlawtriclub.co.uk or their Facebook page or contact their club secretary [email protected].