The New Dearne Valley Quadrathon!
Dearne Valley Quadrathon and Triathlon – Sunday 11th June 2017, Manvers Lake
British Quadrathlon, British Triathlon, and Team Manvers join forces together to bring Quadrathon and Triathlon back to the Dearne Valley. The aim is to deliver, a Quadrathon and a Triathlon where people from all walks of life can participate. All that we ask is that you enjoy your training towards it and feel a great sense of achievement afterwards.
The BQA are very happy to have this sprint race back in our calender, and we are so excited to announce that there will be a Junior sprint Quadrathlon … our very first ‘QuadKidz’ event! This is great news and we hope to see lots of youngsters ‘our budding Quadrathlete Stars’ of the future!
TeamManvers are offering training sessions through May 2017, both at bootcamp and the lake so please get in touch for details. Mark Benton 07704111414
Sprint Quadrathon – Swim, Bike, Paddle and Run Sprint Quad: 800m Swim, 15k Bike, 4k Paddle, 5k Run – Price £15.00
QuadKidz (ages 9 to 12): 100m Swim, 2k Bike, 400m paddle, 2k Run – Price £6.00
QuadKidz (ages 13 to 15) : 200m Swim, 4k Bike, 800m paddle, 2k – Price £6.00 QuadKidz (ages 16 to 18) : 800m Swim, 15k Bike, 4k Paddle, 5k Run – Price £6.00
(Triathlon Distances Sprint and Tri Stars are the same as above without the paddle)
Showers, changing rooms available, on site café. Commemorative medal to all finishers. Limited number of boats available to use/hire
Entry for the event is now open. Dearne-valley-triquad.html
Race information, and useful guidelines for the Quadrathlon
Lake Swim – 800m, QuadKidz 100m, or 200m.
Swim – There will be full safety cover in place for the event. Also volunteers on hand to assist you out of the water. You must wear a wetsuit for the swim. The wet suit doesn’t have to be expensive, most sports shops sell them for around £30 and you can even pick them up in certain supermarkets for as little as £15 from time to time. You don’t necessarily need a swim specific one, any boating/surfing one will suffice.
Swim to Bike (Transition 1)
Exiting the swim into the transition area where you will dry off and change into your cycling gear. You’ll then put on your helmet doing up the strap and grabbing your bike wheeling it out of transition past the mount line where you will begin the bike course.
Bike – 15k – 3 Laps, QuadKidz 2k, or 4k.
This is off road and using part of the Trans Penne Trail (TPT) . Please note that the TPT consists of unmade tracks and is therefore may not be suitable for road bikes. Helmets are compulsory.
Bike to Paddle Transition
Upon returning into transition you get off your bike prior to the dismount line, and return the bike back into transition, removing your helmet and once you have racked your bike, changing into your paddling gear, buoyancy aids are compulsory. In your boat and paddle 5, 1, or 2 large laps clockwise. There are a number of boats available to hire.
Paddle – 4k – 5 Laps, QuadKidz 1 laps, or 2 laps.
Collect your boat from the beach, launch from slipway, paddle anticlockwise.
Paddle to Run Transition 3
Leave your boat on the slip way and run back to transition, removing your buoyancy aid in transition, changing into your running gear.
Run – 5k, QuadKidz 2k
You’ll leave transition and run around the large lap of the lake, along the side of the river back around Manvers Lake before heading straight to the finish line – whatever you do, don’t forget to smile!
Timing is on a start to finish basis and split timings can not be produced by the events team. If you wish to keep split timings on the day please use your own timing device. Youth triathletes will be the first to enter the water at around 8.30am, once they have completed their various mini distances, the adults will start.
We will be grateful of any volunteers to help our day run smoothly, so please get in touch to put your name forward, could volunteers please arrive from 8am.
For more Information contact Mark Benton 07704111414
Please support this event, bring your friends, family and any youngsters who would love a challenge like this, its a great stepping stone into our sport of Quadrathlon!



The European Championship titles were both successfully defended by the Spaniard ‘Enrique’, who went on to take first place in the World Cup. An exciting duel for second and third place was anticipated between Leoš Roušavý (CZE) and Stefan Teichert (GER) but as the season progressed a third contender made his presence known. Ferenc Csima, a Hungarian, had a strong second half of the season, winning two of the last three races and took second place in the overall. Just behind him, Teichert secured the third podium position with a victory in the last race. Roušavý, who had many strong races, unfortunately went away empty handed this year. It was great to see how these three fought hard for every second and every point right up to the end of the last race; always with friendly respect for each other as – as is customary in quadrathlon.
Lisa Teichert has remained undefeated in quadrathlon this season and further extended her sequence of victories. She is now the most successful female quadrathlete of all time! (If you include the first three places at World Cups and European Championships, as well as the World Cup final score). Her record now beats Šárka Skalická-Zimová (CZE), who dominated the late 1990s and early 2000s.
The WQF wants to create an incentive for people to enter more competitions, so a change was introduced for this year, ‘A glass globe and/or a medal are only awarded to those athletes who have completed at least three races’. Additionally, the WQF is a small association, and has to manage its finances carefully.



Organizer ‘Simon’ was as cool as ever, giving us a good comprehensive race briefing, but leaving the swim course decision until the last moment just in case the wind changed with the turn of the tide. The swim was slightly shorter with the turn buoy within the breakwater to save us from the huge waves, but knowing the Cornish Surf Lifeguards were bobbing about out there too … we just knew we would be safe!
Going onto the bike there was plenty of tough competition, and some excellent bike splits … it was all down to who could handle the head wind and the 3 very steep climbs! Again ‘Gully Blue Fins’ had the fastest split 50.18. Last year’s BQA Trophy winner Nigel Unwin was having a strong bike leg 53.41 and went into the lead, but only just in front of Chris, Simon, Mike Rudd and Matt Rayment. Despite the strong head winds up the hills everyone flew back into Bude … great down hills and a tail wind certainly felt good for us all!
In the Ladies race Lucy Obolensky had the fastest swim 20.11, with Jacqueline Davies seconds behind 20.15. Jean Ashley was out in 3rd place. They remained in this order throughout the bike leg, Jacq and Jean both more experienced paddlers overtook Lucy, and Jacq remained in the lead, despite having a capsize at the turn buoy. Jean didn’t quite catch her on the kayak leg but had eaten into her lead just 30 seconds behind as they went onto the run. Jacq was running well but Jean had caught her up by the end of the canal and went on to enjoy the wild and windy run route to take the win! BQA members Mary White (amazing lady Vet 60) came in strong in 3rd place and Vicky Price having the bravest race of her life so far came just behind in 4th, we hope this is going to be her start of what’s going to be a ‘Quadrathlete in the Making’.




Jean’s daughter ‘Lucy Ashley’ was a member of the Chester Canoe Team (U22’s) they finished 4th/9 teams, Lucy was first out on the run, after Team member David Hatton won the kayak leg, they finished a very creditable 4th/9 in the Team Event.

I hope your looking forward to our final race this weekend Last but not least its our Awesome Foursome Quad NATIONAL Championships – 24th September This is one of our longest running established Quadrathlons, this race in Bude never ceases to amaze me, I have raced it in all weathers …. it is always a brilliant exciting and challenging race to end the season! Starting in the sea, there’s plenty of hills, a historic canal and amazing coastal views … it’s one of those addictive races that keeps drawing you back. The race is on a Saturday so plenty of time for sun, sand and surf too! Make sure your at our National Championships … National Trophy Prizes will be awarded to BQA Members … Get your entry in and I will see you in Bude!