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NoTriBri
Joined: 30 Apr 2004 Posts: 1420 Location: Glyn Ebwy. De Cymru
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Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2017 4:42 pm Post subject: Bala bites the dust. |
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Shocking news that it looks like there will be no triathlons at Bala next year. Numbers have been dropping and they are no longer viable.
Used to love racing there. The old Olympic course was a good test with a nasty hilly run, had some fantastic races on that course. Never raced the new course.
The middle distance race was epic. Still preferred the original loop for the bike course, but the out and back bike route was quite a tester. That run was just cruel. Raced it 10 times, sometimes got baked but also finished the hypothermia race.
Hopefully they will be resurrected at some future point.
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PCP
Joined: 13 Oct 2012 Posts: 1959 Location: Manchester
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Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2017 5:19 pm Post subject: |
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Really sad news. It was my first ever Middle and I planned on going back next year.
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JeffB
Joined: 04 May 2008 Posts: 1330 Location: Middlesbrough
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Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2017 5:29 pm Post subject: |
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Shame that, always hoped to do the middle distance one but it often clashed, maybe someone else will take them up at some point.
Race saturation must be peaking these days and the IM brand is taking a lot of numbers with their 4 70.3's (inc Dublin), even though they dropped Wimbleball.
Jeff
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hammerer
Joined: 19 Nov 2007 Posts: 16611 Location: Right Next Door To Hell
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Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2017 7:48 am Post subject: |
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Just shows that the sport has changed. The new kids and one and dones aren't interested in challenging events. It must have a brand and has either got to be a flat draftfest or something you can brag about on social media. The independents are slowly losing out and we'll be left with £250 half's full of the sort of people on the ironman journey group with their tattoos and complaints about the race goody bags. There was even complaints about the organisation of the New Forest Middle on there this year, and for me RNF are about the best organisation out there.
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stenard
Joined: 04 Sep 2013 Posts: 1948
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Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2017 1:19 pm Post subject: |
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hammerer wrote: | There was even complaints about the organisation of the New Forest Middle on there this year, and for me RNF are about the best organisation out there. | General organisation was good, but the shambles with the swim was a real let down. It sadly did make a bit of mockery of the race
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JeffB
Joined: 04 May 2008 Posts: 1330 Location: Middlesbrough
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Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2017 5:54 pm Post subject: |
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I've done mostly club or smaller race orginsers races this year, they can be a bit rough round the edges but I think personally prefer them, they tend to be a bit less serious.
They are starting to be a dying breed though.
Jeff
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newarktricky
Joined: 11 May 2007 Posts: 5372 Location: Newark-on-Trent, Notts
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Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2017 7:45 pm Post subject: Re: Bala bites the dust. |
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NoTriBri wrote: | but also finished the hypothermia race. |
2011? My only Bala Middle, winter bike jacket saved my race but only got feeling back in my toes at the turnaround point on the run!!
Epic race though
NT
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hammerer
Joined: 19 Nov 2007 Posts: 16611 Location: Right Next Door To Hell
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Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2017 7:45 am Post subject: |
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stenard wrote: | hammerer wrote: | There was even complaints about the organisation of the New Forest Middle on there this year, and for me RNF are about the best organisation out there. | General organisation was good, but the shambles with the swim was a real let down. It sadly did make a bit of mockery of the race |
yes Id heard the lead canoeist led some the wrong way. shame but I also hear Richard was distraught watching from the sidelines when it happened. I can forgive stuff like that as a one off, especially when its less than half the price of a branded event and some of those can be just as much of a shambles. Problem is many of the newcomers expect mdot prices and mdot organisation and its only going to make it a real rich persons sport, more so than now.
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Muriel
Joined: 27 May 2010 Posts: 446 Location: Eeeeeeeeeesher
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Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2017 8:41 am Post subject: |
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Bala standard was the 2nd triathlon I ever did (Llanelli the 1st). I was in that I love this sport phase before I became a bit of a bell end and took it too seriously (whilst still being $hit).
I'm back in the I love this sport phase now and do nothing but look for the smaller races for sprints and Oly's. The bang for your buck is quite unbelievable.
In fact the drive to Bala from South Wales made it worth entering. And camping out to a sky like that. Something you don't see unless you're in a pigging desert right.
A real shame.
Not quite the same, but I think the Bodiam castle tri fell by the wayside this year. Not because of numbers but because of the national trust. £45 to swim round the moat of a castle, a buggery of a bike course and a great off road (but flat) run too.
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JamieMcP
Joined: 01 Feb 2006 Posts: 4797 Location: Edinburgh
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Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2017 8:46 am Post subject: |
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A very sad turn of events for an absolute amazing race.
I've done the middle 3 times over the last 10 years, and each time the field has gotten smaller. I agree that it's the cooperate events taking over, which is a shame. I had half thought about doing it next year but alas it's not to be.
Hopefully it will come back at some point, but thanks to Wrexham tri for putting in on all theses years.
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Jan
Joined: 17 Aug 2007 Posts: 900 Location: Marlborough
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Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2017 10:22 am Post subject: |
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Yes a shame as it is a super event. I had also planned to do it next year. The best events are those organised by local clubs or smaller organisations. Deva is another brilliant one - lets hope that one doesn't disappear in the future.
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stenard
Joined: 04 Sep 2013 Posts: 1948
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Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2017 10:31 am Post subject: |
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hammerer wrote: | stenard wrote: | hammerer wrote: | There was even complaints about the organisation of the New Forest Middle on there this year, and for me RNF are about the best organisation out there. | General organisation was good, but the shambles with the swim was a real let down. It sadly did make a bit of mockery of the race |
yes Id heard the lead canoeist led some the wrong way. shame but I also hear Richard was distraught watching from the sidelines when it happened. I can forgive stuff like that as a one off, especially when its less than half the price of a branded event and some of those can be just as much of a shambles. Problem is many of the newcomers expect mdot prices and mdot organisation and its only going to make it a real rich persons sport, more so than now. |
Yeah, it was all a bit strange. We had loads down there doing relays and our guys were the lead swimmers, knew the course, and were trying to swim the right route, but were blocked from doing so. Even a speedboat zoomed over to them and made them swim short. That wouldnt have been so bad if everyone did it, but sadly it ended up with different pockets of swimmers all doing totally different routes. I think from the lake side, it looked as if there were about three or four different distances swam by different groups of swimmers.
As you say, the organisers and the BTF RO were both pretty stressed out about it, but had very little they could do at that point. Other than that though, the rest of the race was all really good.
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explorerJC
Joined: 20 Oct 2005 Posts: 15953 Location: Farthingstone
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Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2017 11:25 am Post subject: |
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stenard wrote: | hammerer wrote: | stenard wrote: | hammerer wrote: | There was even complaints about the organisation of the New Forest Middle on there this year, and for me RNF are about the best organisation out there. | General organisation was good, but the shambles with the swim was a real let down. It sadly did make a bit of mockery of the race |
yes Id heard the lead canoeist led some the wrong way. shame but I also hear Richard was distraught watching from the sidelines when it happened. I can forgive stuff like that as a one off, especially when its less than half the price of a branded event and some of those can be just as much of a shambles. Problem is many of the newcomers expect mdot prices and mdot organisation and its only going to make it a real rich persons sport, more so than now. |
Yeah, it was all a bit strange. We had loads down there doing relays and our guys were the lead swimmers, knew the course, and were trying to swim the right route, but were blocked from doing so. Even a speedboat zoomed over to them and made them swim short. That wouldnt have been so bad if everyone did it, but sadly it ended up with different pockets of swimmers all doing totally different routes. I think from the lake side, it looked as if there were about three or four different distances swam by different groups of swimmers.
As you say, the organisers and the BTF RO were both pretty stressed out about it, but had very little they could do at that point. Other than that though, the rest of the race was all really good. |
ouch!!! that's a shame...do they not have a swim director?
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Jorgan
Joined: 12 Nov 2007 Posts: 17960 Location: alles was ich bin, alles was ich war
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Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2017 1:39 pm Post subject: |
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hammerer wrote: | The independents are slowly losing out and we'll be left with £250 half's full of the sort of people on the ironman journey group with their tattoos and complaints about the race goody bags. |
That's rich; I get notifications every time you post on the IMJ group I haven't been on there for ages, because as you say, it's full of self aggrandising muppets going on about their tattoos, and massively over using words like epic & legend.
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hammerer
Joined: 19 Nov 2007 Posts: 16611 Location: Right Next Door To Hell
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Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2017 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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Jorgan wrote: | hammerer wrote: | The independents are slowly losing out and we'll be left with £250 half's full of the sort of people on the ironman journey group with their tattoos and complaints about the race goody bags. |
That's rich; I get notifications every time you post on the IMJ group I haven't been on there for ages, because as you say, it's full of self aggrandising muppets going on about their tattoos, and massively over using words like epic & legend. |
I feel its my duty to try and educate these people. Im failing though.
Sums up my old club as well now The club "half" champs might be IM Barca 70.3 next year. What a crock of shit. It used to be local races with guaranteed spots, not a £1500 trip to the arse end of Europe. Surprised the Sprint champs arent in a Teeeeeem GeeeeeeBeeeeee kit at "The Worlds".
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