220 Triathlon May 2021

Open-water swimming has seen a real boom over the last year and for us triathletes, that can only be good news. Popularity means more managed venues, more lifeguarded sessions and more access to coaching. It also means – after chatting to several manufacturers – more entry-level open-water wetsuits and kit, which is a benefit for those of you dipping your toe in triathlon for the first time and not wanting to spend megabucks. But where do you get started? What gear do you need and how do you cope with waves, weed and killer sharks? (Joke, unless you swim in far more glam locations than the 220 team!). Turn to p24 for our beginners’ guide and don’t miss next issue for the start of our 2021 wetsuit group tests. Enjoy…

GB’s Jodie Stimpson takes to the Homestead-Miami Speedway at Challenge Miami on 12 March. Following a 1.5km swim, 60.3km bike (17 laps of the racetrack) and a 16.9km run, the two-time Commonwealth gold medallist crossed the line in 3:01:04 to claim victory over Lucy Charles- Barclay (3:02:26). It was an emotional victory for Stimpson, whose father died in January last year. “This is for dad,” she said post-race. “He’s keeping me going and he’ll continue to keep me going.”…

From the company that brought us the Nova Swim comes their next wireless update – the Incus Nova Run. We rated the swim version 88%, impressed by the level and amount of detail the wearable analytics device picked up, plus its unobtrusiveness. The Run uses the same teardrop device which slots inside a tailored Incus run top or tri-suit at the upper spine. The Run forms phase one of Incus Cloud Run, which is the engine that processes running motion data and automatically transfers analysis to the user’s Incus Cloud app. This phase involves the use of in-built MARG motion sensors to measure running metrics including power, pace, cadence, take-off acceleration and landing deceleration, left/right balance, elevation and distance. Once the data’s analysed, you’re fed back information on how to…

The new disc TT bike with an anti-elitist attitude £4499.99 Originally a French brand, Vitus is known for playing a pioneering role in the creation of the first carbon monocoque bike frames. Recent years have seen a revamp to the self-proclaimed anti-elitist brand, whose core aim is to ‘build real bikes for real people’. Enter the new Auro disc eTap, designed to provide a smooth ride for time-trial and triathlon racing. And smooth stopping thanks to the S900 SRAM aero disc brakes. The main engine is the SRAM eTap 12-speed drivetrain for smooth and wireless electronic gearing, and there’s an ergonomic Zipp Vuka Alumina cockpit for slipstreamed speed. Vitus has also re-routed the bar cables to allow for easy disassembly during travel. Coming in at 9.5kg, the eTap claims that…

The bottom lip started to tremble before the finishing tape was reached, it was unlikely to be the only bottom lip wobbling. Those who’ve followed the career of Jodie Stimpson could share a little of that emotion in her victory; the outpouring of social media plaudits that followed served to emphasise the point. Without context, it might seem odd. Success at Challenge Miami, a new event at an odd distance, with empty grandstands and causing little stir beyond the multisport world, is no Hyde Park in front of a six-figure crowd and millions more on TV. However, with the paucity of racing due to Covid, and facing a formidable field in front of a pay-per-view audience, it wasn’t just an accomplished performance – in the context of the career of…

“I’ve now completed all 34 Ironman VR events. Endurance racing has changed. We’re in a world where we can race anybody” I’m an IOS instructor in New York, teaching underrepresented groups. We take them from no programming background to getting their first IOS job 10 months later. It’s rewarding to see how often disadvantaged individuals realise their potential. I grew up on the small Caribbean island of St Lucia, so there was a big change when I moved to the US in 1999. I met my wife here and have two kids – four and eight. My wife got me into tri in 2010. New York City Road Runners put on a sprint event. I had no idea what triathlon meant so had to look it up – then figure…