Wicklow Tri/B2R Harbourman 2018 NC Oly

Kurt.Godel

Haven't seen the results yet so can't give plaudits to the winners- but just wanted to note the incredible marshals at this race today. Vocal at each junction, full of encouragement, and friendly smiling faces from each and every marshal which can't have been easy in that heat. Probably the hottest Tri in Ireland, the run in particular was a war of attrition as so many I spoke to afterwards told of blowing up in the heat. Its a tricky run course to pace!

Loads of support and onlookers for the swim and run, Wicklow town really get behind this race. Best race of the year in my book!

Provisional Results

Winners:
1st Con Doherty
2nd Kieran Jackson
3rd Eoin Lyons

1st Carolyn Hayes
2nd Ellen Murphy
3rd Amy O’Keeffe

RacoonQueen

First time doing this race and very impressed with the setup. Tough, tough day on the run for me...we did talk afterward about how if you did a race on the continent you'd pack salt tabs. Doubt many had them with them today!

Great race and I always make an effort to thanks all the marshalls as I go (on the bike anyway) and great work from the organisation, marshalls and guards to keep the open roads safe for us to race on. Thanks to the patience of the locals too.
Races like the famous Windsor Triathlon with the horse incident this year (£100 to enter!) could learn a lot from how Wicklow Tri and Base2Race organised this race.

Thanks to all at Wicklow Tri and Base2Race. Have always wanted to do this since it started and glad I finally got out there (I did cut it fine!). Will be back, without a doubt. That run course needs to be defeated!

TheBazman

One of the best organised race out there. Run was so tough in the heat....those bloody steps! Was the swim long? Doesn't bother me as it was the same for everyone, just curious. The shortest I saw anyone have was just over 1750m.

stampydmonkey

TheBazman wrote: »

One of the best organised race out there. Run was so tough in the heat....those bloody steps! Was the swim long? Doesn't bother me as it was the same for everyone, just curious. The shortest I saw anyone have was just over 1750m.

Yeah 1725 for me. Really well organised race. Cant fault a single thing. Marshals were amazing and full of craic!!

Kurt.Godel

TheBazman wrote: »

One of the best organised race out there. Run was so tough in the heat....those bloody steps! Was the swim long? Doesn't bother me as it was the same for everyone, just curious. The shortest I saw anyone have was just over 1750m.

Yeah a lot were talking about swim length afterwards... I had a relatively disappointing swim, but did notice others swimming wide between the blue bouys, again swimming back along the shore, and then from the yellow bouy to the harbour mouth (plenty swimming straight close to the wall here). Flow would account for some extra distance.

RacoonQueen

I swam to the buoys (and I can swim in a straight line) so stayed tight to the left and still measured it at close to 1800 - hard to tell for sure though as I didn't stop watch properly but pressed lap when I got out and it was 1791.
I was just about happy with my time when I got out with for 1500m, was swimming alone for most of it given everyone was way out to the right...at 1700/1800m I'd be delighted Would liked to have seen what I have swam with a group now though

Swim was a bit of sardine action queueing up for the start with the heat but the rolling start was great. Would be great to see that in more races here. Typically a lot of people overestimated their ability but there was plenty of space to overtake and its always a confidence boost to overtake.

Was hard for some people to get up to the seeding they wanted to start at so might be something for them to review for next year if they've the same numbers and rolling start..see if there is a better way to do it as a few good swimmers were starting well back and probably missing out on getting to swim with groups they normally swim with.

RacoonQueen

TheBazman wrote: »

One of the best organised race out there. Run was so tough in the heat....those bloody steps!

I walked up the steps the second time...and through all water stops. The second time up the steps was just cruel.

Kurt.Godel wrote: »

Yeah a lot were talking about swim length afterwards... I had a relatively disappointing swim, but did notice others swimming wide between the blue bouys, again swimming back along the shore, and then from the yellow bouy to the harbour mouth (plenty swimming straight close to the wall here). Flow would account for some extra distance.

I heard Eamon Tilly telling someone (one of his athletes I assume) to swim by the wall before the start. I don't understand how this is deemed quicker given you'd be throwing in extra distance? In a narrow river swimming away from the centre, fair enough, but these folks were a good bit off to my right?

mossym

Kurt.Godel wrote: »

Best race of the year in my book!

kurt, i'm noticing a trend here, your best race of the year is whatever race you did last

RacoonQueen

You can download an excel from here if you want to do your AG etc comparisons, significantly easier than using the pdf

I'm off to nitpick my race now.

Izoard

Super race - any idea why they had it starting at 1pm? Aside from exposing the competitors to the worst of the heat, it looked like it made the traffic management that much harder with the volume of traffic in the afternoon and some irate drivers being held up.

dapower

I'd imagine a few reasons for 1pm start:
- tide times (although low tide was after 2pm)
- Garda traffic would only close roads probably after Mass and perhaps for other reasons

Kurt.Godel

dapower wrote: »

I'd imagine a few reasons for 1pm start:
- tide times (although low tide was after 2pm)
- Garda traffic would only close roads probably after Mass and perhaps for other reasons

Yeah keeping roads open to facilitate churches is prescribed somewhere in the laws of Ireland! Wicklow Harbour is pretty much immune to tidal changes though as its a deep slope for entry. Wicklow Sea Swimming club were hosting races all morning before the Tri, this may have also impacted on a 1pm start.

RacoonQueen

Izoard wrote: »

Super race - any idea why they had it starting at 1pm? Aside from exposing the competitors to the worst of the heat, it looked like it made the traffic management that much harder with the volume of traffic in the afternoon and some irate drivers being held up.

*leaves to check and make sure she beat Izoard*

Izoard

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Izoard wrote: »

Super race - any idea why they had it starting at 1pm? Aside from exposing the competitors to the worst of the heat, it looked like it made the traffic management that much harder with the volume of traffic in the afternoon and some irate drivers being held up.

*leaves to check and make sure she beat Izoard*

I think you have loftier ambitions, these days..:-). Was actually going OK until the run - that was brutal.

Milk_Tray

Reason for 1pm swim was because wicklow swim club had a race earlier

Swim was 1800m in the end which was annoying but same for everyone, bike was 42k too! Glad the jelly fish were low down too :pac:

I hated every second on the run and blew up myself! Never ran as slow! Was nearly pulling up to DNF but kept going just about!

68 lost souls

I was inches from jumping off the pier on the run to cool down. Few kids jumping off really pushed that idea home. Fantastic day