Istanbul Asia and European Triathlon Championships 30-31st Aug Where East Meets West

7 September 2025 - By Anita Grainger

Last weekend Anita was in Istanbul representing Team GB Age Group in the Asia and Europe Triathlon Age Group Championships in the Standard Distance Triathlon. This is this first time the European and Asian Championships have been combined which was apt for the race setting across 2 continents. What an experience!

As Anita entered transition at 5.20am the call to prayer was sounding from the local mosque adding to the race atmosphere that was building in the hustle and bustle of triathletes getting ready , checking kit , checking kit again before heading off to the buses taking competitors to the start.

The standard (Olympic) distance is usually 1.5km swim, 40km bike and 10km run. However, due to the current in the Bosphorus strait the swim was set as a 2.2km point to point. Anita, being a stronger swimmer, loved this. The race started with a jump off the ferry pontoon at Kanlica Ferry Port on the Asian side into the wide Bosphorus strait, usually open as a shipping lane between the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara. Ships had been paused for the race. The course headed under the Faith Sultan Mehmet bridge then along to Küçüksu ferry port for the exit ponton. The water was really clear with lots of jellyfish who got bopped out of the way 🤣. Anita was in the final wave and enjoyed catching and overtaking other swimmers , there was plenty of room in the wide expanse of water.

After a run from the river into T1 ( Transition) Anita headed out on the bike which was straight into a climb up and onto the Faith Sulthan Mehmet Bridge over to the European side, what a fabulous view from the bridge. The course was undulating and straight into the wind on the way back over the bridge and up to the second turn point. Anita had a slow bike leg for her losing 10 places and found it mentally hard which is not normally the case. After the fast descent back into T2 (transition) avoiding 2 stray dogs sleeping in the road on one of the speed bumps Anita headed out onto the run.

The run was 3 laps on the side of the Bosphorus and back under the bridge before the turn point. Anita’s head had dropped after the bike but she got it done finishing 23^rd overall.

 

What an absolute privilege to be able to swim in the Bosphorus and cycle over the Faith Sultan Mehmet bridge on a race that spanned two continents between Asia and Europe. A nice way to wrap up the Triathlon season and a rest before winter base starts & cross country 😊

Times below

Swim 2.2km	00:44:35
T1	00:04:42
Bike (40km)	01:33:58
T1	00:03:05
Run (10km)	01:00:37
Total	03:26:56

 

The biggest challenge of the trip was driving in Turkey having hired a van to get to and from the airport and to and from the hotel and race venue, this was particularly difficult on the day before the race and on race day with road closures!