By James Hibbert
For obvious reasons, there was real fear across the Triathlon community that 2021 could be a cruel, cruel summer, but someone in the club (most likely Sharon) must have had a hotline to heaven, and cried HELP! We triathletes need more more more, we want to get moving on, its more than physical, I want you back. Sharon’s plea’s must have been heard, and with a careless whisper and casual cheers to the man upstairs, Banana Tri was on, if with more masks than spectators. For those of you who have persevered through the first paragraph, you can congratulate yourselves on reeling off 9 Bananarama hit singles …. Sorry, I can’t help it … Doh – 10 !!!
Bananarama, Wikipedia tells me, had a record number of chart entries – now I haven’t checked this ‘fact’ but the feeling amongst us at the event was that Westcroft had (for the day) a record number of entries too – we definitely looked and felt like the largest club at the event. I’ll try and check this fact, but it’s definitely saying something (11) about Westcroft that even in this cruel, cruel, summer (no more I promise) that we had such great levels of participation – all this without the promise of a single piece of cake – although the Hollands saved the day with their surprise presentation of Chocolate Brownie.
24 Westcroft members took part in the day, across a wide range of events.
First off for the day was Vebs with his Duathlon, setting the bar high, both with his 5km Personal Best on his first leg, and with his ever infectious smile (calm down Banana Tri staff – ever infectious in a good way) and enthusiasm for having fun whilst taking part.
Next up were the girls on their Sprint Triathlon – Jen, Sharon, Jo Hibbert, Anisa and Lorna – the first of team Westcroft to tackle the water, ahead of setting off around the lake on their bikes, before running up and down the length of the lake on their runs. All absolutely smashing the event and with Jo Hibbs and Jen taking 6th and 11th in their age group (respectively).
Joining the girls with a Sprint Tri was Graham, who battled through a bout of cramp to sprint home with a big smile on his face. Having battled through a particularly nasty bout of Covid earlier in the year, for me, (and I know a lot of the club will think the same) this was an effort to be commended up there with the very best of them.
Upping the stakes again, the WTC girls once again did us proud with Jo Harbinson, Ellie and Judith, taking part in the Jumbo (Olympic) Tri. Jo Harbinson taking 1st and Ellie 4th in their age group for the event and day, and Judith coming home beaming about smashing her expectations on the bike. Great, great efforts and some serious distances covered.
Next up was Malcolm, or at least we hoped it was. In a classic move that was then to set the tone for the rest of the day, there were musings in camp about whether he had arrived / started the event – his presence before the event in dispute. However, in true #Where’s Malc? fashion, he was spotted a couple of times in the water and then occasionally seen on the bike (making it particularly hard for us to spot him by wearing all black). However, it was out on the run where the WTC crew got the upper hand – there was no hiding now from the cheers and ever present Cow bell !!! His calf was blamed for his smooth and steady runs past the WTC cheers, bell rings, and critically cameras. I’m picturing (because I can’t unsee it now, an alternative and particularly grizzly opening sequence to Bay Watch). A cracking swim and bike ride led to an equally impressive finish time. Well done Malc.
Joining Malc in the Jumbo (Olympic) tri was Steve the Pirate, also sporting a non Westcroft Kit – but this time it was his GB kit. Again, in a characterful move and trying to overt attention, he wasn’t sporting his real surname of ‘The Pirate’ but an unassuming ‘Shaw‘ on his rump. Again, big distances taken on and dispatched in no time at all. All in a day’s work for ‘The Pirate’.
Malc and Steve were still on the course as the relay teams set off – Nigel, Chris and Shun – Erica, Angela and Annick – Tracy, Andy Long and Sam – Andy Caldwell, myself and Monika. Swim, bike, run in the orders above. With Nigel, Chris and Shun taking 7th overall. I’m unsure of the order they entered the water, but Erica and Andy Caldwell got out of the water, in what felt like just minutes after the event started and setting us riders off. A largely flat course saw pleasingly high average speeds for all, and the flat course offering no respite (which all cyclists would have found for the day). Then off went the runners taking the last 7.5km leg (and the glory) to and through the Iconic (?!?!?) finishing post.
Non-alcoholic beers, blow up banana’s, cow bells, and serious amounts of uneaten food were all packed up and carried the long walk back to the cars and we headed off home.
July3rd 2021 – summarised. A great day for the participants with some sterling results and achievements, filled with sunshine, laughter and interest, and a true testament to how great the Westcroft family really is. With spectators not allowed, the number of participants really made the day. To stretch the point, and take me to 12 – It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it … and Westcroft knows the way !!!
Here’s to more events exactly like this one.
