Weekend Round Up 16th 17th July
Whilst race organisers have stated there are more races than competitors to go around, just in the last seven weeks Tuffs have been on the start line for forty different races, quite apart from a host of different parkrun locations at home and abroad. This still leaves more race action from the weekend as follows:-
THE WIND FARM CHALLENGE
Our own Nikki Gatland was the first person to swim to and from the Rampion windfarm in 2020 and under her event company, Salty Events, Nikki organised a challenge to be shipped out to the Windfarm and swim back. Who would be up for it; none other than Andy Tester who reported in:-
“Its Saturday morning, myself and 3 other swimmers met Nikki Gatland and her crew (Andrew & Diego Paddle boarders, Chris Captain/Pilot) at Shoreham Yacht club. The Sky’s were blue, the weather was sunny, air is still, and as we boarded the Buccaneer for our 50 minute trip to the Rampion windfarm the seas were flat.”
“Perfect!!! Perfect for the 8 nautical mile swim (as the crow flies) back from the Windfarm to Shoreham, Ferry Road. We arrived at the turbines on time. Looking up they are massive, and looking back we have a very clear view of the Sussex coast. The coastline looks a long way away. Wetsuits, hats, goggles, tow floats and lube on, Nikki gives us the ok to enter the sea and we jump off the back of the boat into the deep clear cool waters (13c) of the English Channel. We are given a count down and the klaxon sounds and we begin our swim heading north back to shore. The first kilometre speeds by with a 12minute K down to the current and after this they slow to about 14 to 15 minute K’s. Sighting is made easy by Nikki shouting and radioing from the boat to us and our paddle boarders throughout the swim giving us points to aim for landmarks on the land, Adur Valley, Truleigh Hill, Shoreham power station etc. As the miles ticked past the field of 4 spreads out with our pilot boat moving between the swimmers for feeds and hydration. Views of the coast were great at points and feeling like I was swimming past Brighton. During the swim I saw very little wildlife, only one Seagull at the windfarm but at about 3km from land I spotted my first Jellyfish float past about 6 feet in front of my face. I’m not a big fan of Jellies but this was stunning and beautiful as it drifted past on the current. I continued, from then on seeing Jellies below and around but luckily didn’t swim into any.”
“Suddenly the support boat pulled up and Andrew who had hopped aboard after paddle boarding shouted out to myself and Diego who was now my sighting paddleboarder “1 mile to go, your smashing it”. I looked at my watch. The time showed 3hours and 5minutes. I was aiming for a 3:30. I could do this and this was my signal to go for it. I put the kick in and hammer down. I think this is the slowest mile I’ve ever swum. The current had kicked in and I ploughed on hitting land 32 minutes later completing the swim in 3hours 37 minutes. WOW what an amazing swim, what a fantastic way to spend Saturday and all for a good cause (MIND & local projects). A big thank you to Nikki aka SaltyBanana, Salty Events & my 3 fellow swimmers.
Andy
BRITISH AQUATHLON CHAMPIONSHIPS
Another week, and another where we had club members at a British Triathlon Championship; this one the British Aquathlon Championship on the Saturday. Organised by Artic Tri it was a full day of racing with triathlon and para-tri at Dorney Lake in Berkshire. Strong work from Juliette Reader & Mark Walford who attended – the event was open to BTF members only. This event reminds us of the latest wetsuits rules from British Triathlon. The cut off to dispense with wetsuits remains at 22 degrees, but did you know, Athletes over 60 are permitted to still wear a wetsuit up to 24.6 degrees. With global warming Tuffs may have to get used to the 22 degrees cut off more in future. Mark was off first at 8am with Juliette off 10 minutes later, both around the course of 750m swim (1 lap) and a 5k (2 lap) run. Juliette did well including a strong 20 minute 5k. Mark has kindly reported in as follows:-
“A few months ago I won entry to British Aquathlon championships, it wasn’t an event I targeted but thought it was a good chance to test myself against the best in my age group. Set at Eton Dorney it was a stunning location. Pre race everything was good until the confirmation that water temperature was too hot for wetsuits. So trisuit it was! Swim started and I tried to push hard but could feel people pulling away from me, after 300m the swim became less manic and just did what I could to get out as quick as I could”.
“Getting to transition I could see one person in my age group getting trainers on and one place with shoes but everyone else was gone. Onto the run and the guy I saw in transition I knew was rapid, so my mindset was not to let him get away. 5km went surprisingly quickly, mainly coz the course was quite a lot short. But happy with my run. Nice to see fellow competitors after the race, stay to see some of the para triathletes before heading home. Nice event and would recommend the location to anyone”
Mark
GOODWOOD TIME TRIAL
Whilst taking place this Tuesday, this report fits nicely into this Round Up with Mike Barrett reporting in on ” The inaugural Team Tuff Time Trial event at Goodwood Circuit:-
“I thought! Now that seems like another crazy thing to do, so! I naturally went to Spond and sounded the animal noise for calling Tuffs to crazy events and my calls were soon answered. Myself, Andy, Ollie and Dom teamed up to race around Goodwood at breakneck speed in time trial formation; we had two practice sessions and two lots of beer opportunities around the A259; practicing our change over, professionally flicking elbows at appropriate times, (well, at least we looked like we knew what we were doing). Our plan was to hold 30 seconds at the front before a flick and peel to the left, it worked a treat”.
“With our pseudo team name of Tuff Fitty Quick-Step, we were ready, then 2 days before the event Ollie bailed with a sore knee, another animal call which was answered by Mark Walford who, before he got his answer to, “How long is it?” We had already handed him the keys to our time trial machine”.
“In full Tuff kit we’re on the start line being counted down; unable to practice with Mark as we’d ran out of time chatting with our one and only supporter, Bob Thomas! Bob amazingly saw my post early in the day about coming to watch, here he was and shouting from the side. Boy Bob can shout, it was super helpful and encouraging hearing him. A massive thank you to Bob from the four of us and for the tips at the start.
“The race was fast and windy (as expected at Goodwood), the first few laps were strong but soon we were breaking formation on the short climb out of the start, with a cross wind and lack of experience our pace at the front was damaging us. A few words between us and we backed off the pace at that corner. Andy was tracking our average lap speed; we had earlier set a goal to do it in under the hour this would mean hitting an average speed of 38kph. Each lap Andy would shout 38.4 or 38.1 and it gave us the power drive we needed to keep firing”. (Click on the Flickr album below for more pics)
“As captain, I gave myself the responsibility of counting laps, and like all good triathletes when faced with lap counting, I’d lost count after lap 2 so it was down to simple maths to work out the last lap. It came around relatively quickly and we crossed the line in under the hour, we clocked 58 minutes 58 seconds”.
“With a few teams overtaking us, “coming by on your left” they’d shout. We gleefully shout (whispered) back “bet you can’t bloody swim though!!!”. We were all very happy, buzzing with the event, we achieved our goal of doing it in under the hour. We came 23rd out of 28 which was a little disappointing but it has given us the determination to come back for more and better that time”
Mike.
SALTY SEA DOG SPRINT TRIATHLON
The Tuff action this week seems to be concentrated on a Saturday with the Salty Dog Tri on the Boscombe seafront at Bournemouth. There was a Tuff presence in the Sprint race, a 750m (two lap sea swim) followed by a 23.4k bike, a climb out onto the over cliff coast road for two laps – with a 10 mph speed limit on the prom! Then to complete a two lap promenade run along the seafront.
There was a great performance from Gareth Coombes who came 12th overall and 2nd in his age group with particularly strong bike and run splits. It is also fantastic to give credit to Olivia Morey who raced and is our most recent club member this month having become a regular at track night. Olivia finished as tenth female overall, second in her age group with her best split the bike with the third fastest female time.
Ordinarily the Round Up’s are restricted to members but we can make an exception as Jessica Coombes & Callum Kalbfell also raced. Jess and Callum have also become regulars at track night and together with Gareth and Olivia are targeting Hever Tri in September; well done to all four.
BRIGHTON PIER TO PIER RACE
Brighton Swimming Club’s event is billed as one of the oldest continuing swimming races in England. With two events; this year they have introduced a non competitive swim at 10am before the first past the post race between the piers at 11:030am. For the Race there were 94 finishers and pleasing to report Leah Simms & Karly Martin attended in amongst 211 finishers – Leah advised:-
“Karly Martin and I were at Brighton Pier to Pier swim experience event this Saturday. We couldn’t have asked for better conditions weather or water wise. Calm Seas = great swimming. Highly recommended event, which has helped our open water confidence.
Leah
PARKRUN ROUND UP
Starting with another different parkrun Sheila Bailey was on her travels again, this time at Uckfield parkrun – location of Uckfield Rugby Club with the route on trail throughout. Sheila Bailey completed her 39th parkrun.
Closer to home, Worthing parkrun saw a Tuff duo in the form of Les Pearce and Edward Lay just first seconds apart as first Tuff home – 25:21 and 25:26 respectively with Les finishing PR number 162 and Ed closing in on the ton with 96. Elaine Rousseau was also in action for her 133rd PR
Across at Bognor parkrun there was a storming run from Simon Thistlethwaite crossing 7th overall in 19:53. Those who have run here will know it comprises four laps; 3 long and 1 short, but Simon took a wrong turn, but still recorded sub 20! Nathan Bilham was also on the course completing his 80th run in 23:10.
Littlehampton parkrun saw another strong run from Steve Fryer clocking up his 48th parkrun in 20:55. Richard Budd finished his 181st in 23:33. Jenny Oliver finished her 33rd
Chichester parkrun saw Emily Moore return and once again was first female overall in 20:43
Maidenhead parkrun had Tuff attendance in the form of Trevor Harvey in action completing his 48th parrkrun.
More Tuff tourists across at Southsea parkrun. Colin Simpson and Sue Simpson ran here which is an out and back route along Southsea Esplanade under the canopy under South Parade Pier to the Royal Marine barracks and back. They finished their 188th and 151st runs respectively.
Another Tuff keen to get his parkrun fix in when he is away is Alistair Evans who showed up at The Pastures Park Run. Surely gaining the prize for the furthest away parkrun this week – Alistair’s run was at Alnwick in Northumberland, a course around a pasture with views of Alnwick Castle. Al completed his 92nd run.
Brooklands parkrun is around a course close to the Brooklands Circuit in a community park close to Mercedes Benz world. Mark Dinsdale raced here – Congratulations to Mark on completing his first parkrun.
Well done all; that’s 15 Tuff parkrunners across 9 different locations this week. 🙂
