Bassetlaw duo overcome grim conditions at Brigg Triathlon

Awarded Yorkshire's BEST small event of 2022 by Triathlon England, the Brigg event offers a classic start to the year to test that early season form, tweak transitions and test the new bike position or race gear in the heat of battle.

It is a familiar course to many with ample spectating areas for the much needed and welcomed support.

However, this year the weather provided what can only be described as grim conditions for this event.

It featured a 400m swim in the pool at Ancholme Leisure Centre, then a short distance to the secure transition area and on to an excellent road surface for the fast and flat 18km bike course.

A 5km traffic free run in the quiet country around Brigg then usually makes this an excellent first-time race or a PB course for the developing triathlete.

Sadly, the heavy rain turned the all-terrain run course into a mudfest and so the route was reduced.

None of the difficulties deterred two Bassetlaw Triathlon Club members, Gaz Hughes and Oli Walker, fresh from his London Marathon endeavours just a week before, from tackling the race.

Hughes said “I can only describe it as absolutely grim conditions.

"The driest part of the day was the swim. I didn’t win my age group, I was 16 seconds off. But it was a well-run event and would have been really good if the weather had played ball.”

Walker added: “It was my first event of the season and it was wet, very very wet.

"I was drier in the pool than I was on the cycle and run route.

“It was good though, it got to a point where I was so wet and cold I though I might as well laugh about it, so I was in good spirits.

“I ended up coming 27th, which is a personal best for me, and was nearly down to an hour for the sprint.”

Anyone interested in triathlons should look at https://www.bassetlawtriclub.co.uk or the club’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BassetlawTriClub.