European Champs - Race Report

Sunday was the European Age Group Triathlon Championships in Autun, France...
...and I was very proud to be wearing my Great Britain kit!

174 Brits made up the team, up to 15 in each age group category.

The course was a tough one - wetsuits banned from the swim (I swim much better in a wetsuit, eek!) as the water was 26C, too hot for wetsuits!
It was an unusual start as about 160 people were lined up 1 deep along a pontoon, holding on with one hand ready for the start gun (thankfully it wasn't a diving start - can't dive!). Unlike normal triathlons when I'm faster in the swim than some people, I was quickly reminded that this was the European Champs when most of the competitors vanished into the distance quick smart.
I managed 27mins or so for the swim, slower than with a suit on but more importantly didn't drown despite the lack of a wetsuit.

A good T1 thanks to the fact that there was plenty of room and my lone bike was easy to find! (there were some other bikes around, honest).

Onto the ahem 40Km bike (later told it was in fact 47Km), comprising 2 laps with a 7km climb at the start of each lap and a twisty and then steep downhill back to the start/finish where I hit 45mph without much pedalling!
It kindly rained lightly on the first lap and stayed a little overcast to shelter us Brits from the 33C of the previous day. The second lap was noticably tougher than the first and I was having a ding dong battle with about 4 others until I left them on the final downhill.

A good T2 and I was onto the well spectated 4 lap run around the lake which had one sharp hill every lap - but was very well supported which helped no end! (thanks Vic and Simon Osborne's wife!) Sponges and water stations were numerous as it was hot for the first 3 laps until praise the lord it started to rain and I started to run faster as a result. Then it tipped down! Not so good for those still on the course!

A fellow Brit informed me after the race that the run was infact 11.1Km - he had a Garmin GPS system. Felt much longer than that!

Really enjoyed the experience, I was there to take part and not to get a medal - not often I'll get to race in GB kit! Highly recommended.

I came in 99th/156 of the senior men wave (20 to 40yr olds) and about 30th/50 in my age group (so almost a medal, not!)

1.5km/47km/11.1km
GBR 00081 GUNTHORPE DAVID 00:27:18 (116th), 01:25:38 (81st), 00:47:01 (100th), 02:39:57 (99th overall senior men)

FRA 00053 BANTI HERVE 00:19:54 (8th), 01:15:38 (2nd), 00:40:12 (13th), 02:15:44 (winner)
GBR 00084 LEES EUAN 00:21:42 (45th), 01:20:30 (17th), 00:40:20 (14th), 02:22:32 (first british finisher)