World Championship in sprint and relay triathlon, Montreal June 24-26, 2022

On Saturday June 25 I did the individual sprint race in F60-64 and next day mixed team sprint relay 60-69. It was fun and intense, but I did not feel much pressure, as I knew I would have nothing to do with the podium. 

Pre-race

On Thursday before the races, it rained a little while we had a USA team photo and parade of nations. Elite races scheduled for Friday had their swim cancelled due to water contamination from the rains and their competition reverted to a duathlon (run-bike-run). By Saturday and age group races, water quality got restored and we did a normal triathlon.

On Friday, it was bike check in and I looked over transition areas and course. We had not been allowed to swim or bike the course, only the run was available. This was because swim was in a harbor and obviously, it is not a place that normally allows swimming. Bike course was on busy roads, at times against the normal flow, so that was also a no-no. Instead, they provided videos, which I reviewed several times, but it proved to not be adequate preparation. The run course was mostly flat, I biked along parts of it and decided there were no difficulties.

Transitions were superlong, starting with going from river level, up a ramp and 40 stairs to the second level of a parking garage. For T2, we had to run up a ramp in the same parking garage and around in a huge circle, I guess to keep the flow of competitors in one direction. 

Overall, it was a very good competition venue with a long finish with a light uphill between the parking garage and a large building where event expo and associated activities were housed. The audience could stand along the finish and/or go up to the second level and have a great view of swim and parts of the bike and run courses. Competition days were hot, and inside the building merchandise, air conditioning and bathrooms were available. 

Race day (individual)

Team hotel was a few miles away, but I used the metro to get to the venue in good time. My age group had a start time of 9.10 am. Thirty seconds before start we were allowed to get into the water. When the signal went and I pushed away from the floating dock, I got water in my swimming glasses which hindered my sighting. I tried to follow other competitors but when I after a while lifted my head and took a peek, I had drifted quite a bit to the left, the water had a current. So, it was not my best swim, my smartwatch gave me 944 yards when a perfect straight line would have been 820 yards. A little bit too much off.

I got out of the water and up the ramp and stairs ok and wetsuit came off fast. I ran fast with the bike down the ramp at the other side and got out on the bike course. Early on, there was a sharp left turn and an uphill I was not prepared for; I was in the wrong gear. I had no one to draft with but took aim on a group ahead of me, I pushed as hard as I could, but I could not reach them, and I got too tired.

Eventually another group with younger athletes caught up with me and I drafted with them for maybe half a mile, not very long. Then again, a sharp left turn and a surprise uphill, I was in a big gear and lost the group. The bike course was two laps, and I am sure the second lap went a lot slower than the first, but I had my gears right. Unfortunately, I really did not get anyone to draft with.

I left T2 with two other runners, but I soon dropped both and I passed at least one other runner. I was tired, so it was not my fastest run, but it did not matter, I was very alone with no one ahead of me that I realistically could catch, and I was not threatened from behind. I finished at 28th place, a decent result. The bike leg proved to be my best for the day, and as expected, swim was my worst performance.

Mixed team sprint relay

Two men and two women all doing a mini triathlon of 250m swim, 5km bike and a 1-mile run. We had the same transitions as in the individual race, so that became a leg of itself!  I was allocated to Team USA VI (there were 9 USA teams) and we agreed I would take leg 2. 

My swim was straighter, but I still lost a little distance to the competitors I went out with. Then I took it right back in the transition. I skipped bike shoes and went straight for the running shoes to save time changing shoes and to run better in the long transitions.

On the bike, I drafted behind a Canadian, but she tried to do a left turn where there was none, and she dragged me into the mistake of slowing down. After that I passed her, but someone else passed me and I could not follow. Again, I was not threatened on the run and knowing this was the last event for me, I took out all I had the last few hundred meters. 

My eyesight is not the best and my team mate on leg 3 had the good idea to put an orange band around his wrist. It was so helpful to see him amongst all the competitors and the exchange went smoothly. In the end Team USA VI finished in 7th place out of 19 teams, somewhat better than expected. One team got DQ for going the wrong side of a swim buoy, sad for them.

Overall

The Montreal World Championships were really enjoyable, and I hope to qualify again.