Pontevedra World Triathlon Championship Finals
27 September 2023 - By Anita Grainger
As the Triathlon season comes to a close Anita Grainger headed off to Pontevedra, Spain to compete in the World Standard Distance Aquabike for Team GB Age Group. Pontevedra World Championship Finals started with an opening ceremony and parade of nations through the streets to an enthusiast crowd and an opening ceremony on Thurs 20th Sep with the racing opening on Friday. Racing commenced with the Age Group Super Sprint, Saturday saw the U23 men, Para triathletes and Men’s Elite races with Alex Yee aiming for the podium. The Standard Triathlon and Aquabike Age Group races were held on Sunday Morning, followed by the U23 ladies and rounded off with the Elite ladies in the afternoon where Beth Potter was crowned world champion (what a race to watch!) Prior races in the world series included Hamburg super sprint where our own Angela Wray competed at the Age Group Sprint World Championships and relay. In 2024 the Age Group World Championships for Sprint and Standard Triathlon and Standard Aquabike are all being held together in Malaga in October as part of the world finals for the Elites…. Large foam party?!
After registration and racking in the prior days Anita set off on the swim in the river in the fourth wave of the Aquabike race. The swim was an out and back along the clear slightly salty waters of the river before exiting up some nice wide steps and the 300m transition run over to the stadium and heading out for the 2 lap hilly bike course. Anita had a good swim without many bundles which is unusual and was caught by the lead male from the wave behind as she was on the way back, no dramas there and Anita tried to draft off the feet of the few front men who went past her. The bike course (40km)was 2 laps and seemed to go up for the first 10k before the turn round point and back down, Anita had great fun on the descent! The race officially finished on the bike dismount line with Anita finishing 18th, she’s kicking herself a bit as 10-18th were pretty close and wished she’d pushed a bit harder ( don’t we all hey!) After the official time stop Anita racked her bike and headed down the finish shut with 2 other GB ladies making the most of the atmosphere amusing the announcer who called out ‘ here come the Brits! 😊 what a great end to the season and time for a well-earned rest! Times below
Swim(1500m) 27.37
T1 4.25
Bike (40km) 1.30.53
Total 2.02.55
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