Category: Events

2012/13 Quadmire Series – Wadenhoe Race 4

Admin

Well they say a picture says a 1000 words, I guess that is true, either that or Steve decided to have his yearly bath!

It seems that the Met Office severe weather warning put off a lot of potential athletes for the last race of the series as we only had 9 enter the Duathlon and 1 brave soul [Tom Dawson] enter the Quad. However the weather was not too bad: wet and cold, but that is normal for Wadenhoe.
As we can see the quagmire was well and truly on form with plenty of mud and spatter for all. Unfortunately I was manning the warm Village Hall [what a bummer] and did not see the ins and outs of the race. I do know that by the time the mud spattered humans [well almost] returned for tea and cakes they seemed extremely grateful to be out of the elements.

Jez Cox won the Duathlon and in fact he won the overall series with Matthew Wootton the second overall man. Steve Giles [AKA the mud swimmer] took MV40 with Keith Read picking up the MV50 award. Unfortunately no ladies completed the required number of races this year. In the Quad Tom Dawson was the overall winner with Steve Saunders second overall.

Full Results Race 4

Final Series Results

I would like to thank all the marshalls and helpers who have made the series possible by braving the elements. A special mention to the members of Colworth Striders who helped and made it all possible.

It is with regret that we announce that this will be our last Wadenhoe Quadmire series. The competitor numbers and logistics no longer make it viable for us to continue with the series. However; it is not all bad news as we are going to run a 3 race series at Box End Water Ski Park [Kempston, Bedford]. We also intend to run a one-off race at Wadenhoe [probably in Feb 2014].
All race reports and details of our summer races can be found on our website: www.quadracracing.co.uk

I would like to thank you all for your continued support

Mark Pryor, Quadrac Racing

The BQA are very gratefull for all the effort and dedication of the ‘Wadenhoe Team’ over the past few years, they have organized an excellent race series, and without a doubt the BEST POST RACE REFRESHMENTS … EVER!!! Thank-you so much and we wish Quadrac Racing all the very best with the New Series at Box End … and knowing Mark, he will find a ‘Mud Bath’ somewhere on the new course!

2012/13 Quadmire Series – Wadenhoe Race 3

Admin

It was a cold & frosty start to Wadenhoe 3 and we waited with bated breath to see if we would be subjected to the snow that was forecast.

22 people in the RBR [Run Bike Run] and 7 in the Quad were not to be put off by the weather as they raced across the frosty fields to be the first to the style [the first obstacle].

Jez Cox decided to swop from the Duathlon [were he had dominated the first two races] to the Quad.  He took an early lead and was the first to arrive at the kayak transition a good 2 minutes ahead of second place Neil Cooney.

In the RBR it was Ian Turner who was the first mud spattered athlete to arrive in transition [after two run laps] followed by Matthew Wootton. It had not taken long for the frost to be worn away by the passing of pounding feet and the surface condition became muddy and slippery. By the appearance of the many strange things that returned to transition [monsters from the swamp] the quagmire was living up to its reputation, with particular sticky/ glutinous mud today.

The slippery conditions made for an interesting ride [understated] with many slips and slides [some not so controlled] and a lot of pushing bikes up the short steep hills. Over at the Quad, Jez had maintained his lead and was the first to head out on the bike leg. Stiff Father  & Son competition was afoot as Tom Watt & his son Zak both arrived into transition together to battle it out on the bike course.

In the Duathlon Ian Turner maintained his small lead throughout the race and crossed the line first in a time of 01:05:23 with Matthew Wootton taking second place in a time of 01:07:58. Justin Burrell was the first MV40 to finish, unfortunetly no Ladies were up for the challenge today.

Jez Cox was the first to finish the Quad with a vast lead over his nearest rival, Neil Cooney. In the Father & Son race  it was age and experience that triumphed over youthful energy as Tom beat Zak to the line [I am sure it will not be long before the roles are reversed, just as well Tom can paddle well]. Lisa Dunne, did very well to finish her first Quad.

I think we must have sold a record number of soups and Bacon butties at the end as we were totally wiped out of food. The last Wadenhoe race is on Sunday 10th Feb, when the series positions will be decided.

Big thanks to all the Marshalls who braved the cold conditions.

Full Results Race 3

 

We hope to see you all at the last race. Mark Pryor Quadrac Racing

World Cup Races & Championships 2013

Admin

The WQF have been working hard during the past few months to put together a brilliant race schedule for the WQF Quadrathlon World Cup 2013. The coordination of the races is not that easy and really time consuming – but 2013 promises a lot of excitement and adventure in the various international Quadrathlon races.

IBIZA, ESP 4th  May – The World Cup is traditionally opened up by a Quadrathlon (middle distance) on the Spanish island of Ibiza,  although the information in the run-up to the event is often sparse, the organizer Pepe Ribas ensures the best care on location for every athlete. The  competition offers the possibility to be combined with a small training camp too.

BRIGG BOMBER  GB, 26th May – The next stop for the World Cup will be Brigg in England. Same as last year, the European Championships over the middle distance will take place in Brigg on the 26th of May. The organizers of the Lincsquad-community offer a great competition, which will certainly be one of the highlights of the season.

OBERPFALZER SEENLAND, GER  2nd June – Only one week later, another middle distance will take place at the Steinberger See in Germany. The Upper Palatinate region offers not only a picturesque landscape, but also a race at the highest stage. Located near to the Czech border, the competition site is easy to be reached by athletes coming from the neighbouring countries.

BALATON, HUN  8th June – After a long time in history, its good to have a World Cup race represented in Hungary. Near to the famous Lake Balaton, another middle distance will take place. The date will be Saturday, 8th of June. However, depending on the conditions on the lake (concerning the kayak-part), the organizer reserves the possibility to change race-day from Saturday to Sunday.

TYN nad VLTAVOU, CZ  22nd June  – The first sprint distance can be found on the agenda: in Tyn nad Vltavou in the Czech Republic. The traditional event receives a special honour this year with the organization of the World Championship over the sprint distance, which will certainly be a further highlight of the season.

SAMORIN, SLOVAKIA 3rd August – An exciting race is also expected on the 3rd of August, when the European Championships over the sprint distance will be held in the Slovakian Šamorín. Next to Bratislava, the young organization team has provided a fantastic event in the last two years and has much going for the European Championships, too.

POLSKAMAN WOLSZTYN, POL, 17th August -A world premiere is going to take place in Wolsztyn (Poland) next year, as the World Cup schedule lists the PolskaMan as a Quadrathlon middle distance on 17th of August. The WQF is very pleased about this race, because the organizer is very professional in the run-up to the event. The race will be interesting, especially for German and Czech athletes, because Wolsztyn is suited only 100 and 200 km respectively from the German and Czech border.

With regret the WQF has to accept the decision of the organizer Václav Marek: in 2013 there will be no Quadrathlon in Sedlcany (Czech Republic). Lack of sponsors and increasing regulatory burdens weight the organisation of a quadrathlon. Looking ahead to 2014, the WQF hopes that this is not a final decision. The World Championships will now take place in Ratscher.

 World Championships – RATSCHER, GER 31st August – The races in Ratscher have always been superbly organized, it’s such a wonderful venue! The WQF are looking forward to this big highlight in the World Quadrathlon callender.

VELENCE, HUN  7th September – The World Cup will make a second stop in Hungary, this time on a long distance – the first since 2010. Once again, it remains to be seen whether the race will take place on Saturday or Sunday (depending on the conditions on the lake). Furthermore, it is still unclear if this long distance can even be a World Championship – this detail is depending on the organizers’ will to pay prize money. The final decision will be made by the end of January.

AWESOME FOURSOME BUDE, GB 14th September – Finally promises to be a grand finale of the World Cup 2013. In Cornwall a demanding middle distance is waiting for the athletes: steep climbs and difficult trails need to be overcome. However, the beautiful countryside with a lovely sea sight makes up for all the hardships.

For all international championship races the organizers have committed themselves to paying prize money so that as many good athletes as possible will participate.

During the WQF Congress in November, also a slight modification of the World Cup concerning the points in each race was decided. For international championship races and the last World Cup race of the season the points are enhanced by 20 points for each place. For example: instead of 100 points for the 1st place, the winner gets 120 points and the 30th receives 21 points instead of only 1 single point. This will help to design the championships even more attractive and the battle for the World Cup will remain a bit longer open to changes. Furthermore, it is ensured that in the last race of the season as many athletes as possible are standing at the starting line in order to have a condign celebration ceremony for the overall World Cup. The rule that a maximum of 4 races come in the final rating with up to two results from one country was confirmed.

Another point that has been changed were the age requirements for single entry in longer Quadrathlon distances. Although the WQF still recommends that longer distances are only attempted by adult athletes, younger athletes can take part in longer distances if they can show a written parental consent. The age categories for the Masters in 10-year steps was confirmed once again.

In the end, the WQF asks all athletes to register early for the competitions. By registering as soon as possible, you help the event hosts to organize a well-planned race – only then, a great competition can take place!

For more World Cup Information visit the website http://www.quadrathlon.com/index.htm

The WQF wishes all athletes an injury-free preparation and is looking forward to exciting competitions in 2013!

Regards

Stefan Teichert, WQF Executive Board

Brigg Bomber Quadrathlon 2013

Admin

The entries have been opened for the Brigg Bomber Quadrathlon 2013 organised by Lincsquad.

The date has been brought forward to the bank holiday weekend of Sunday 26th May, so that the event can become even bigger & better. This has meant that the North Lincs Challenge has been suspended for 2013, last year we saw very low entries for the challenge and although not an easy decision we have decided that we must put all our focus & attentions into building the Brigg Bomber Quadrathlon for the future.

The Brigg Bomber will once again be the British Quadrathlon Championships and BQA National Trophy Series race, as well as a WQF World Cup series race.

We are also pleased to also inform you that the Brigg Bomber has also been awarded the status of European Quadrathlon Championships 2013, thanks to our new sponsors Keyo Agricultural Services we are also able to confirm a total prize fund of 500 euro’s for the European Championships.

Although the race has increased its profile & status it is still very welcoming of newcomers to the sport of quadrathlon, either as solo, team or for the first time in 2013 as a corporate team.

The Corporate team can be made up of 2, 3 or 4 members of the same company, the winning corporate team will not only be awarded the corporate trophy but each winning team member will receive free entries to the Brigg Sprint Triathlon in September, now that’s an incentive !

If you have any queries regarding this event please email events@lincsquad.co.uk

So get training, get your entry in and see you in May.

2012 Quadmire Series – Wadenhoe Race 2

Admin

Wadenhoe Quadmire Race 2 Sunday 2nd December. The week leading up to this, the second in the four race series, saw torrential rain and significant flooding of the Nene valley, so much so that pictures of the extensive flooding around Aldwincle were featured on national TV bulletins.  We had to make a decision early as to whether to go ahead with the run/kayak/bike/run and decided in the interest of safety that we should run the R/B/R only.

By Thursday the rain had cleared and the sun came out.  The water levels began to recede and by race morning we had a very cold frosty morning.  The course was still very wet and the infamous ‘quagmire’ next to the river was ready to drag poor unsuspecting runners into the mire.

The start of the race saw Jez Cox and the Young Tom Stead vying again for the lead, but it was Jez who was the stronger and gradually built up a lead by T1.  Steve Giles and Glynn Preston  led the next grouping with Roz Giles, the only lady in the race, looking strong and maintaining good pace.

By lap 3 of the bike, Jez was building a 3 minute lead over Tom who was now looking decidedly tired. As each lap progressed, competitors became increasingly mud-spattered head to foot but actualy looked as though they were enjoying it!
By the last lap of the bike, Tom had had enough and retired (speaking to him afterwards he had been on a bit of epic bike training session the previous day and this had finally caught up with him).  In the words of Arnie “He’ll be back”.

Jez pushed on and finished in 1hour and 4 minutes with Steve Giles (1st MV40) finishing just over 4 minutes later.  Glynn Preston finished a strong 3rd, just a minute behind Steve.  Dave Rayment and Martin Hamilton finished in 4th  (1hr 14m) and 5th  (1hr 14m 43s) Respectively with Keith Reid first MV50 in 1hr 18.48.  Roz Giles, 1st lady finished tenth overall in 1hr 21.45.

With the race over, most of the competitors headed straight for the village hall for the spicy sausage soup, hot coffee, cakes and bacon rolls.  What (weather) will the next race bring?  1 foot of snow?
See you all on 13th Jan (and bring your mates!!)

Full Results Race 2

Richard Piron

2013 Artemis Great Kindrochit Quadrathlon

Admin

The Artemis Great Kindrochit Quadrathlon will be in its 13th year in 2013 (hopefully not unlucky for us as it also takes place on the 13th of the month!)  It’s a quadrathlon with a bit of a twist, including a fish & chip stop along the way, slicing a watermelon in half with a sword to stop the clock and the most spectacular fireworks display to finish the evening off!  There’s certainly a competitive side to some of the participants but for many, the main aim is to get through the day in one piece.

We’re keen to spread the net and get word out to as many quadrathletes as possible at our event, join us for one of Scotland’s toughest one-day events and an unforgettable weekend in the spectacular Scottish Highlands.  The Quad is an exhilarating test of stamina, strength and fitness, combining swimming, walking/running, kayaking and cycling.  The challenge will take teams in, over and around Loch Tay, including the summits of the Ben Lawers range.  For those who wish to join in the fun of the weekend but don’t fancy all four disciplines there is an exciting new relay team option.  Celebrate your achievement on the banks of Loch Tay with a real Scottish knees up, complete with feast, ceilidh and fireworks.  Why not make a weekend of it and bring family and friends along to support you in your quest to complete the 2013 Quad.

Swim – 0.8 mile
Run/Walk – 15 miles (including 7 munros)
Kayak – 7 miles
Cycle – 34 miles

For more information visit Artemis Great Kindrochit. Quadrathlon
Or contact – Fiona Kirkwood, Event Manager
WildFox Events, Kindrochit, Ardtalnaig, By Aberfeldy, Perthshire, PH15 2HX

T: 01567 820 409
M: 07742 052 154

2012 Quadmire Series – Wadenhoe Race 1

Admin

It was certainly a challenging start to the 2012 Quadmire Series with temperatures hovering around zero and lashings of the wet stuff, it was not for the faint-hearted. This was probably reflected in our low turnout for both events, only the toughest survived.
At 10:30am the inclement weather-reduced field set off on what was to be a gruelling test of stamina and mind over hyperthermia. From the start a breakaway group of three people made their presence known by taking an early lead in the first two-lap run stage. Leading them out young Tom Stead was hotly pursued by Jez Cox and Troy Garrity. All three arriving in T1 within 5 seconds of each other but all equally covered in mud and filth. Despite the constant torrential rain, at least whilst running most people managed to stay relatively warm.
Over in the quad, only four people were brave enough to enter this longer event on this day. Their first run being two and a half slippery laps before they reached the kayak start point. Ben Wynn was the first to arrive at the kayaks after a run split of 16:10 closely followed by Steve Saunders 30 seconds later. Both set off into the quickly rising and fast flowing current on the River Nene (which had drastically increased in volume since the race and the rain had started). A few minutes later Sonja (our only lady Quad entry) arrived and set out followed by Glynn Mayley. It was to be a challenging two-mile paddle for all against strong flows and blustery conditions, however the biggest challenge was to be the wet and cold with everyone returning from the paddle shaking but not stirred.
Returning to the Duathlon the entrants were slipping and sliding their way around the course. The fields had been in pristine, virgin condition before the start of the race as it was the first race of the Season; however it didn’t take long for the racing line to become a slippery mayhem of chaos with plenty of thrills and spills. This is more like the Wadenhoe Series that we are used to, unlike last
years’ unseasonably dry conditions. The majority of people had to push their bikes at some stage up the steep but short slippery slopes; it certainly wasn’t going to be a record-breaking course today. Young Tom still managed to maintain his lead by posting a bike split one minute faster than his nearest rival (Jez Cox). Everyone was doing their best to stay on their bike and in control but the ground conditions and prevailing weather was doing their best to hinder all efforts.
After the cold gruelling bike stage most people were glad to be able to leave their bikes behind and start to warm up on the final two laps of the run. By now the Quadmire section down by the river was well and truly on form with mud-sucking puddles up to knees and almost becoming man-eaters. However, all prevailed and fought their way through with young Tom crossing the line first in a time of 1:08:06 followed less than a minute later by Jez Cox and Matthew Wootton coming in a commendable third. Unfortunately, there were no ladies brave enough to take on the challenge today.
Back to the Quad and all the Quad athletes were certainly glad to be back on dry land and running up to T2 to find their bikes, however, they were probably were not looking forward to more wet and cold conditions. Ben and Steve both battled through to complete the bike section. Unfortunately Sonja had a mechanical and was unable to complete the course. Ben was the first to finish the Quad in a very respectable time (considering the appalling conditions) of 2:08:23.
After finishing, most athletes took no time to change into some warm dry clothes before heading home or down to the Village Hall for some well-earned warm refreshments.
I would like to say a big thanks to all the marshals who braved the appalling conditions for a lot of hours during the race. Their efforts made the race possible. We look forward to seeing everyone at our second race on 2.12.12 and hopefully the weather conditions will be kinder and entry levels will be up.

Race Results Race 1
Mark Pryor Quadrac Racing

2012 Fabian4 Conwy Mountain Triathlon

Admin

Congratulations to all that braved the weather and took part in the Fabian4 Mountain Triathlon. It was a new race in our Quadrathlon Calendar for 2012, and run by group of athletes in the Conwy Valley who have formed themselves into a club.

I have had a note from Mark Pryor (BQA Chairman) saying what a fantastic and well organised race it was, a very hard race in fairly harsh weather, but it made it more enjoyable. It was well planned and organised by a team of professional volunteers that new their stuff. Well done to Ellie Sailsbury and her Team, for putting on an excellent race.

Congratulations to Winner Ian Smith 3.22.16, followed by Steve King in 2nd 3.26.35 and Michael Mason in 3rd 3.27.31.

Well done to the Ladies 1st Rebecca Cook 4.34.53, 2nd Alex Durran 4.41.48, 3rd Caroline Willson 5.30.22

First team ‘Wedgies’ Stephen Jones, Marc Reeves, and Amanda Wilde 3.28.14 in 4th overall place.

The race involved an open estuary 13k kayak leg (with tide), followed by a c.12 -16k fell run & finishing with a c.15k MTB leg. The Kayak leg start is at Morfa Conwy, & the event centre & Run/MTB transition are at Nant Conwy Rugby Club (which has excellent facilities), near Trefriw.

This is great News for Quadrathlon and its great to have this new race affiliated to the BQA, in this very picturesque Conwy Valley, North Wales. We look forward to having it in our callender next season.

See Mark Pryor’s ‘true to life race encounter’ – previous post!

Full results below

http://www.map17events.org.uk/

Name Club 1 – Kayak 2 – Run 3 – MTB Overall
Ian Smith Monmouth tri 00:50:53 (3rd) 01:25:13 (5th) 01:04:41 (4th) 03:22:16 (1st)
Steve King Hereford Kayak Club 00:50:23 (2nd) 01:31:55 (12th) 01:02:55 (3rd) 03:26:35 (2nd)
Michael Mason Durham City 00:46:47 (1st) 01:27:34 (9th) 01:11:15 (15th) 03:27:31 (3rd)
Wedgies StephenJones MarcReeves AmandaWilde Unattached 01:00:01 (4th) 01:20:35 (2nd) 01:06:42 (9th) 03:28:14 (4th)
ChairmansCh DanCollister DafyddRoberts SianRoberts Unattached 01:11:16 (18th) 01:22:02 (3rd) 01:05:10 (5th) 03:39:21 (5th)
Tues PascaleEichenmuller AshleyWager BrianRobbins Eryri Harriers 01:02:31 (5th) 01:26:44 (8th) 01:17:54 (24th) 03:47:48 (6th)
James Tedham Unattached 01:03:45 (7th) 01:29:53 (10th) 01:14:22 (18th) 03:49:00 (7th)
Pinch DavidPinches JennyWilliamson MichaelPinches Eryri Harriers 01:12:35 (19th) 01:34:10 (19th) 01:02:01 (1st) 03:49:21 (8th)
Ben Beachell Eryri Harriers 01:07:32 (9th) 01:32:42 (14th) 01:08:13 (11th) 03:49:44 (9th)
Clive Hartfall Unatached 01:08:36 (12th) 01:36:11 (22nd) 01:02:42 (2nd) 03:49:57 (10th)
Team Broatch KathBroatch DaveBroatch BarneyBroatch Unattached 01:13:12 (20th) 01:33:44 (17th) 01:06:29 (7th) 03:53:58 (11th)
Owain Arwel Elias Unattached 01:09:23 (13th) 01:31:04 (11th) 01:12:51 (17th) 03:54:31 (12th)
Team 51 KamalaSen AdrianWilliams ChrisGash Dyffryn Conwy Paddlers 01:23:25 (30th) 01:16:06 (1st) 01:17:00 (23rd) 03:57:47 (13th)
Sean McKeag NYP Tri 01:09:45 (14th) 01:35:18 (21st) 01:11:14 (14th) 03:58:56 (14th)
Prospects SimonOwen LouiseEmeryJones PhilipOwen Dyffryn Conwy Paddlers 01:16:21 (25th) 01:34:35 (20th) 01:09:42 (13th) 04:01:27 (15th)
Peter M W Jones Unattached 01:07:36 (10th) 01:34:03 (18th) 01:19:29 (27th) 04:03:31 (16th)
Phil Holden Shrewsbury Mountaineering Club 01:14:10 (21st) 01:33:32 (16th) 01:14:26 (19th) 04:04:22 (17th)
Mark Pryor Quadrac Racing 01:08:31 (11th) 01:41:27 (26th) 01:15:13 (21st) 04:07:07 (18th)
Paul O’Sullivan Unattached 01:03:27 (6th) 01:41:19 (25th) 01:18:52 (26th) 04:07:19 (19th)
The Sweets MeganGriffiths DaveOpenshaw NickLowe Unattached 01:29:58 (33rd) 01:33:26 (15th) 01:06:38 (8th) 04:10:58 (20th)
S-A ChristopherWright LouLawrence RayWood Unattached 01:04:42 (8th) 01:47:26 (30th) 01:22:17 (31st) 04:15:11 (21st)
Jonathan Edwards White Peak 01:17:32 (27th) 01:52:49 (32nd) 01:05:51 (6th) 04:17:51 (22nd)
Martin Land Unattached 01:11:09 (17th) 01:52:19 (31st) 01:14:53 (20th) 04:20:23 (23rd)
Robert Glaze Unattached 01:14:41 (23rd) 01:37:36 (23rd) 01:25:27 (34th) 04:22:13 (24th)
Craig Jones Eryri Harriers 01:36:25 (35th) 01:26:08 (6th) 01:18:00 (25th) 04:23:09 (25th)
Nant  PRP PennyWingfield RobDuncalfe DewiJones Dyffryn Conwy Paddlers 01:22:52 (29th) 01:44:33 (28th) 01:15:17 (22nd) 04:23:50 (26th)
Paul Belcher Atlantic College 01:10:18 (16th) 01:43:28 (27th) 01:29:03 (35th) 04:24:34 (27th)
Togaag.. AndySummerton SteveJones ClaireDallimore Dyffryn Conwy Paddlers 01:50:45 (38th) 01:26:15 (7th) 01:07:46 (10th) 04:25:23 (28th)
Formidables AnthonyHolden PamelaMorris LisaDraper Unattached 01:16:49 (26th) 01:32:04 (13th) 01:36:46 (38th) 04:26:36 (29th)
Team Whitt JamesWhittaker JudithJones SionHarlow Dyffryn Conwy Paddlers 01:14:17 (22nd) 02:03:09 (35th) 01:09:01 (12th) 04:27:18 (30th)
Gareth Smith Unattached 01:19:17 (28th) 01:45:50 (29th) 01:21:59 (30th) 04:28:41 (31st)
Warrick Ben Unattached 01:10:04 (15th) 01:38:35 (24th) 01:40:27 (40th) 04:31:29 (32nd)
Rebecca Cook Unattached 01:15:27 (24th) 01:53:23 (33rd) 01:24:04 (32nd) 04:34:53 (33rd)
Paul Jones Eryri Harriers 02:02:59 (39th) 01:25:10 (4th) 01:11:36 (16th) 04:41:40 (34th)
Nefyn Williams Dyffryn Conwy Paddlers 01:27:34 (32nd) 01:59:59 (34th) 01:29:28 (36th) 05:01:31 (35th)
Mike Jamison Unattached 01:39:35 (36th) 02:05:06 (36th) 01:30:51 (37th) 05:18:39 (36th)
Caroline Wilson Unattached 01:35:51 (34th) 02:11:12 (37th) 01:38:04 (39th) 05:30:22 (37th)
Rod Martindale Dallam 01:45:51 (37th)
Alex Durran Unattached 01:26:23 (31st) 01:24:49 (33rd)
Canix#1 SarahHarwood ClaireWilliams JamesHarwood Canix 01:19:54 (28th)
Canix#2 JohnKennedy DawnCrookRichards DaveCrook Canix 01:20:05 (29th)

The race involved an open estuary 13k kayak leg (with tide), followed by a c.12 -16k fell run & finishing with a c.15k MTB leg. The Kayak leg start is at Morfa Conwy, & the event centre & Run/MTB transition are at Nant Conwy Rugby Club (which has excellent facilities), near Trefriw. This is great News for Quadrathlon and its great to have a new race in this very picturesque Conwy Valley, North Wales. We look forward to having it in our callender next season.

 

2012 Fabian4 Dyffryn Conway Triathlon – Mark Pryor’s Report

Admin

It would be nice to say that at the break of dawn the sun was glistening on the still waters of the Conway River for the start of the Fabian 4 Mountain Triathlon, but it would be a lie!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In fact the heavens had opened all night and the wind was howling at gale force from a southerly direction making for wind against tide conditions on the Conway, not ideal to say the least.

Luckily, the highly experienced team at Fabian 4 were switched on and had changed the paddle route from the proposed start at the Conway Bridge to an out and back course starting from Dolgarrog Bridge, it was still going to be a daunting paddle. However, this meant that we were paddling out against a fast flowing incoming tide and back against wind gusting at 50mph. The wind against tide was quite interesting and the Conway was no place for a novice or anyone in a K1, apart from a few experts that took it in their stride [I am glad I was in a sea kayak]. It was the hardest 8km paddle I have done for along time.

I was certainly glad to land and get out of my wet layers for the start of the hilly [a little understatement] 13km X/C [fell] run.  Let’s not forget that we still have
horizontal rain being pushed in by a relentless gale. After 1km we were heading
out of the Conway Valley and started up the steep slopes of the hill side, did I mention that it was about 1 in 3 and went on for ever. I must say that after a few hundred meters my calves started to scream, so walking was in order [which was in fact faster then those running up]. Once on the top the gradient relaxed but we were fully exposed to the enraged elements. We must say a special thanks to all the marshals standing out on top of the mountain side, hero’s! It was hard to tell if I was running on flooded paths or swollen streams. In some ways the descent down the steep slippery slopes was worse [certainly more dangerous] then the gruelling ascent. By the time I got back to transition [the Conway Rugby Club]  my legs were totally shot and I still had 19km of strenuous & hilly mountain biking to complete on forest fire breaks and single track.

After a quick energy gel and a dry layer it was out on the bike, guess what, it was still raining and the wind had reached new heights. After 1500m of flat road the course swung uphill in to the mountain forest again, with a long steep strenuous hill that left me gasping for breath and my already tired legs were ready to explode. On the plus side the dense woodland provided some welcome relief from the wind & rain. The bike route was a mixture of forest access road and
single track [some shared with the infamous Marin MTB trail]. Even though the
forest was a maze of different tracks and trails it was extremely well signed
and almost impossible to get lost, thanks Fabian 4, I had nightmares of riding
around the woods all day.

The bike leg seemed to pass quite quickly, maybe because I was in an exhausted daydream by this stage. The final steep descent to the finish line involved peddling through two swollen streams, just in case anyone had managed to stay dry. It was with a big sigh of relief and a large grin that I crossed the finish line. It was the hardest race that I had completed in a long time, but also the most enjoyable. The bad inclement weather could not etract from a fantastic race in a fabulous location. In fact in some perverse way the weather will make it more memorable, long after the aching muscles have recovered. This race makes Bude [up to now probably the hardest quad race] like a Sunday stroll in the park.

I must say a big thank-you to the team from Fabian 4 for not
being phased by the crap weather and putting on an excellent and exciting race.
The marshals and helpers braved the elements to allow the solo and team
competitors to safely complete the course.

Mark Pryor BQA Chairman

 

The Other Quadrathlon World Championship…The Sprint 2012

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Report by Tom Stead our Junior World Sprint Quadrathlon Champion.

On the 1st of September I competed in the Sprint Quadrathlon World Champs which were held at Bergsee Raschter, Germany.

Last year the Olympic and Sprint Distance were
held at the same venue on the same day, therefore athletes had to choose one or
the other, which results in just a handful of people doing the Sprint. This year
was different, in the Sprint there were some 80 competitors, from 8 countries –
from as far as New Zealand, Slovakia, Czech Republic, GB and a large contingent
from Germany. This meant that most of the top dogs were there and a larger
number of juniors.

Raschter is a fantastic location. There is a campsite
at the venue, which meant that we took the opportunity of camping there a few
days earlier, giving me the opportunity to check out the lake, the run and cycle
route (which I believe has changed since last year). Compared to most triathlons
in the UK this Quadrathlon started late in the day… this meant  there was
quite a lot waiting around, with 3 hours to go, I just wanted to get
started…!!

The time came and I got myself in the water along with the
other competitors. We were in the water for a while, then off like a shot,
fighting for positions before the first turn buoy. Stefan led the swim. I
finished strongly and was out the water with a PB in 10th place, the leader one
minute ahead. I knew I had a lot to do on the bike. Just moments before the race
I found out that the roads were going to be closed, WOW… this was going to be
great, I could attack the corners as fast as I dared…!!! The bike route is on
new tarmac, very hilly and very fast! I went out hard and managed to catch the
chase groups, and a little later on, I took the lead… I found myself following
a German TV man being driven backwards on a motor bike! That was a first.
A small group of five of us went into transition within a few seconds of each
other. Checking the stats later I was pleased to see I had the fastest bike
split of the race!

Next  my ‘weakest’ event, the kayak, although not as
weak as it was.  I have been training hard, I managed to come back in 5th
place.  As I got out of the kayak my legs seemed to have frozen and were numb,
weirdest feeling ever… This was the main reason for my slow 3rd transition,
the run didn’t go smoothly, I had to stretch out my calves a few times and my
right calf was killing me every time I took a step…!! I made a mental note to
myself to contact Tony at the Sports Injury Clinic on my return!

It was Czech vs. German for 1st place, with Leos Rousavý finally taking the win…I eventually finished 8th overall (and 1st Youth) just behind fellow Englishman Peter Moysey (from New Zealand, yep confused me too).  Really pleased with my performance overall.

This was a fantastic long weekend and my thanks go to the organisers, it was a great event, it was also great to meet so many of the other athletes from across the world wide quad community, I hope to return next year.

While planning your race dairy, do think about this race, it’s
worth the journey.

Tom

A few more images here on my blog
tomstead.blogspot

Race results here
Ratscher World Sprints