Meudon SUPER SPRINT

Sebastien Guerin – 29m07 – 50/120 Nick Lamb – 29m24 – 53/120 Jamie Corcoran – 30m31 – 61/120 Caitlin Andrews – 31m42 – 72/120 Kristina Cotoia – 32m45 – 80/120 The Triathlon season 2012 got off to a cracking start with this heart pounding competition, which nearly didn’t happen at all due to the dubious team decision to cycle the 10km from Paris to the event – everything was fine until the last 250m, a huge hill up to the registration which felt like a vertical climb, and left the team exhausted before they even registered !! Having registered and posed for photos, on the advise of a friendly local they went out to discover the run and realised that the hill they just cycled up was in fact the same hill they would be running up – several times !! As this was a very new experience for everyone, there were a few nerves as they stood by the poolside having the race briefing, which was, happily, brief. Then into the water and starting with one hand on the back wall, blasting off for 300m swim, which is surprisingly quick although Jamie made it look long and difficult, encouragingly Kristina was not the last to finish even though she breast stroked the whole way. The confusion came on getting out of the water, everyone had presumed that the mandatory 10 seconds drying off time, could be used for doing more useful things like putting on shoes or belts. But in fact no, drying off time was to be used only for drying off – in hindsight this seems like a fairly clear and reasonable requirement, however most of the ExpaTRIés were so keen to get on that this simple rule caused significant friction for those first 10 seconds. Nick was out of the water first and having ‘dried off’ jumped onto the bike and started pumping the legs – this was going to be brutal, and with Seb only a few seconds behind had to give it all, Caitlin was out third and looking strong too. As the cycle was nearing the end the guy with the microphone was checking the distances Nick was only 200m in front of Seb, and everyone knew it. Add to this the fact that nick was on the farthest side of the pool, which meant he had to run past everyone to get out and it was looking close – he took the opportunity to slap everyones back-sides as he passed first to go out on the run – although most of them enjoyed this encouragement, Jamie liked it too much and has now set his seasons goal to return the favour ! Seb was out onto the run just seconds behind nick and after the first hill overtook him, as it looked like Nick had nothing left, Caitlin still in third set off for her run, but was quickly chased down by Jamie who, (much in ‘betts style’) had taken it easy on the swim and was now desperately trying to make up for it on the run – charging up and down the hills like a madman, he passed her after their first lap – and was now chasing down a tired looking nick. As the run was in circles around the park, everyone could see and cheer each other on, which was great, on the final hill nick found some strength somewhere and caught Seb and overtook him, only to be re-overtaken 2 minutes later as the final hill got the better of him. A narrow win in the end for Seb, Nick second and a red faced charging Jamie third, who frankly didn’t want to stop and nearly asked if he could go again – Caitlin 4th looking great for her first ever triathlon, and Kristina even though handicapped with the swim finished ahead of many others to notch up another triathlon finish.