Expatriés Triathlon Club has been long renowned as a group of pioneers.
The basis of the team is English speakers who have ventured into the unknown (Paris) to live, work, make friends, and maybe stay forever.
It is this spirit of adventure that led to the conception of Expatriés’ Paris Super Sprint, the only Triathlon event to be held inside the city of Paris this season so far, and the team’s very first taste of event organisation.
Headed by the fearless Presidente, Nick Lamb, the inaugural Paris Super Sprint took place on April 13th at the team’s regular pool, Henri de Montherlant, in the 16th arrondissement.
True to the Expatriés spirit of adventure, many were first time participants looking for an adventure of their own.
The Super Sprint distance (swim 300m, bike 7km, run 2.5km) is ideal for tri-experts to kick off the season and also for the tri-curious to test their mettle in a new discipline.
After picking up their dossard, competitors made their way to the changing rooms to prepare for the test of endurance ahead. A million worries surface during those final minutes of preparation: Would those hours training in the pool with Christel pay off? Where on Earth does the dossard go? What if I fall off the Wattbike?
Once in the briefing, any self-doubt is brushed aside to get on with the matter in hand – swim, bike and run.
Each wave lined up in the pool to await the GO. Notoriously the toughest leg, 300m in the pool may not sound much, but handled badly can seriously affect overall performance. Happily everyone got through it admirably, proving that preparation is the key – team lessons paying off for all new team members who tackled the swim head-on.
The tricky swim to bike transition involving a hop out of the pool (or an awkward drag and roll action for some) was followed by a quick towel dry and jump on the bike for the 7km bike. Every participant was provided their own dedicated timer who really came into their own for encouragement and support during the bike. Feedback from competitors was excellent, these guys did a great job!
After being drenched in chlorine in the pool, competitors were now drenched with sweat after pedaling 7km hell for leather on the hot poolside. And then onto the final leg – but would their legs hold out for the 2.5km run?
Competitors of all levels wobble off the bike as they find their feet but there is no time to waste on newborn deer impressions – give it your all and get to the finish line! The stone steps which greeted competitors just off the bike were a killer for burning muscles. But once out of the way, it was plain sailing to the end.
Thanks to the fantastic number of people signed up, 10 waves were held with a men’s final taking place at the end of the day.
Congratulations of course to the winners of each category, but most of all a huge well done to everyone who completed their first triathlon that day.
By accepting and getting through this challenge, they are all fully-fledged Expatriés with the spirit of adventure, fun and achievement that this team is built on.
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