Impressive results for Bassetlaw triathletes as new season gets into full swing

Adrian Hopkinson and Simon Reah took to the Outlaw Holkham event in Norfolk.

This popular event comprising of a 1.2 mile lake swim, then 56 miles cycling the rolling north Norfolk countryside finishes with a half marathon in the area around the glorious Holkham estate. Both club members turned in respectable times of 5 hours and 7 minutes and 5 hours 31 minutes respectively.

Other club members Darren Raines and Gaz Hughes entered the Ripon Standard distance event. Having been missing from the race calendar for a few years due to Covid and then poor take up, the event had a relatively small number of entrants.

The Ripon Triathlon Festival is for triathletes of all abilities – and it’s family-friendly with a junior triathlon as well as Sprint and Standard distance triathlons.

Based around the town's race course the event comprised of a one lap lake swim, then 25-mile cycle route out to Boroughbridge and back with a 6.4 miles run to finish.

Apart from one very heavy shower the weather proved to be suitable for a great day and both triathletes completed the course, despite having both done Ironman events recently.

Finally, club head coach Gav Toulson headed off to Swansea for the Ironman 70.3 event.

With over 2,000 entrants this was very popular, being a qualifier for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in New Zealand in December.

Competitors took on a one-loop 1.2-mile swim at the Prince of Wales Dock.

The one-loop 56-mile bike course went through Mumbles along the Gower’s coastal clifftops, taking in some 3,000 plus feet of climbing, before cycling back along Swansea Bay into the city.

There the competitors took on the coastal 13.1-mile two loop run course which takes them out past the new Swansea Arena, towards Mumbles before heading back towards the finish line at the Marina.

Gav, a seasoned triathlete at this distance finished in a time of 7 hours and 38 minutes.