Naas Duathlon - Garda stopping competitors?

PWEI

Just wondering is it normal for Gardai to stop competitors in the Naas Duathlon series? I took part in my first Naas duathlon race yesterday but it all went pear shaped during the cycle. I was going well after doing the first run in about 12:45. On the bike I was behind a pack of about six cyclists when we came to a junction. The Garda had the traffic stopped and let the pack through but then stepped out in the middle of the road and told me to stop. When I asked him it what for he said "to let the traffic through."
I replied "you gotta be joking me,I'm losing valuable time here and you let the other guys through" He replied "no get off the bike". So I unclipped from the pedals but went past the Garda while doing it. Then about ten cyclists went flying past through the junction. He turned around to me then and said "right what's you race number,I'm reporting you". To say I'm a bit upset and disappointed is an understatement. I finished the race in a decent time but the Garda must have got me disqualified as my name didn't appear in the results. I didn't even get my times.
Has this every happened anybody before? I thought once race organisers got a permit for a race that even when the roads were still open the competitors would get priority. I've never seen this in any Triathlons or the few other Duathlons that I have done in past. I definitely won't be going near the Naas Duathlon series again though after this.

mloc123

Were you on the right side of the road?

S. Goodspeed

Sounds like you just came across a Garda on a power trip. They are not that common unfortunately. I'd say you should email the organisers to let them know your side of the story but they'll just say you were told at race briefing to obey race marshalls and gardai at all times (regardless of how unreasonable they are being).

Happens in all sports (see millenium stadium on Saturday )

ger664

Sucks that it happened but general rule thumb is Yes Gaurd no gaurd 3 bags full gaurd, trying to reason with them never works.

PWEI

I was on the correct side of the road. I emailed the organisers but they haven't got back to me. I was telling my nephew as he is an elite runner who competes on nearly a weekly basis. He couldn't believe it and said I should demand a refund from the organisers.

thirstywork2

Like previous poster said the Garda seemed like he was on a power trip.
I have heard of runners getting dq before and also Gardai directing runners the wrong way in a bhaa 5k race before.

Gringo78

PWEI wrote: »

On the bike I was behind a pack of about six cyclists when we came to a junction. The Garda had the traffic stopped and let the pack through but then stepped out in the middle of the road and told me to stop

PWEI wrote: »

Then about ten cyclists went flying past through the junction. He turned around to me then and said "right what's you race number,I'm reporting you".

Sounds like there was a lot of drafting going on with all these 'packs' of cyclists.

mloc123

Gringo78 wrote: »

Sounds like there was a lot of drafting going on with all these 'packs' of cyclists.

It was a race in Ireland afterall

They had draft marshalls out on motorbikes, funniest thing I saw was the marshall unable to pass a group at one stage because they were the width of the road.

Bambaata

I didnt see anyone drafting ahead of me so i was hapy enough, there was a club out cycling though which ended up in the middle of the race. I met/passed them just after i turned around