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2009 Mooloolaba Triathlon

My new Focus Cayo Lightweight was shipped over to Oz last week and its lighter and faster than last years model which gave me a lot of confidence leading into the Mooloolaba triathlon.
I had a great couple of days before the race, decided to stay in a self catering apartment so I could cook my own food. That was something I will try to do before every race as I tend to suffer from stomach problems as I don’t know what really goes in my food behind the kitchen doors.

The sea was too rough to swim in so the swim course was changed to the lake next door which was a bit of a downer because the tide was low and we hit a bank early into the start of the swim. I came out roughly mid pack as I started on the wrong side and got mashed at the first can, I then found myself swimming though the field to the front but only got mid pack which was still good enough to get me in the main pack.

I just scraped on and was riding on the back when I went into a pothole and heard a big noise which in fact was my front tyre!! So I rimmed it to the transition area which was a lap away and tried to change my wheel. I didn’t have my own wheels in there but asked if I could take one, the official put his foot down and firmly said NO!

I called out to the crowd “Does anyone have a spare wheel I can borrow” then some young guy passes me his front wheel from his bike and I gave him my wheel. He thought it was a great swap since the wheel he had in his hand was a Lightweight Standard III costing over £1,000.

I continued on but the official told me to pull out and I would be DQ for outside assistance. I didn’t care as the race was already over and continued on to find my self pulled off the course ¾ round it anyway. Not a great start to racing but unfortunately that is how it goes sometimes.

I look towards my next races in the US at St Anthony’s and St Croix.

I’ll keep you informed.

Stu