Harry Wins Bala Triathlon

First of all the picture here are Copyright Evan L Dobson not to be reproduced without express permission of the photographer!!

Bala was great fun, it’s a long drive from Tavistock to North Wales but worth the trip. My season was really over after Betton so I was just heading along for a bit of fun and to spread the Driven To Tri word. So I was very happy to win. Alot of age groupers were battling really hard for the last world slots for next season, well done to everyone who raced in some pretty tough conditions. Particularly Herbalife and Driven To Tri Athlete Patrick Collins who battled through his toughest open water swim yet to have the fastest run split in his age group.

Julie wins XTerra UK

This years XTerra was on a brand new course in Neath, Wales, and what an event! Talk about challenging! Well the bike and the run anyway! The swim took place in crystal clear 15 degree water, and Julie exited in 3rd behind age group athlete Gary Dressel (who interestingly attended our Driven to Tri camp!), and US pro Seth Wealing. The swim turned out to be just a little short with Julie entering transition in just under 15 mins! After that it was all the easy stuff done with.

The Challenging bike course consisted of both punishing steep climbs...including the aptly named "impossible climb", endless gradual climbs on fire roads, and tricky single track descents. Thanks to Julies super fast BMC she was well up to the task though and having only hit the dirt once, came into T2 with a healthy 8 minute lead on Michelle Lombardi and Ester Erdeyli (european xterra series champ).

The run was also relentless and after running a mere 1km on the flat it was pretty much either straight up and straight down. The organizers even found the time to include the legendary "impossible climb" on the run course again. As if once wasn't enough! Anyway Julie comfortably held on to her lead, even though she did lose a couple of minutes to Ester. Ester really can run, and is becoming renowned for being one of the fastest runners on the Xterra scene. And Michelle stormed home in 3rd.

All in all it was a fantastic day, and a great event. The organization was definitely top notch, and despite there being endless trails out on the terrain only one lady was reported to get lost. And she just couldn't believe that the first climb was going on as long as it did, so thought she had to have gone wrong, so turned round and went back! So thanks to Gareth Thomas and all his team for all the hard work in making the event a one truly worthy of the Xterra name. Anybody interested in doing something a little different should really consider giving Xterra a try!

Julie now has a few weeks off racing before the last big races of the year in October and November. Just 3 more to go! Dallas - the last in the LTF series, Maui, Hawaii - Xterra World Champs, and Clearwater, FL - 70.3 World Champs.

Julie 2nd in the prestigious Los Angeles Triathlon

Once again Julie keeps her podium streak alive for the year, coming in 2nd in the LA triathlon this morning. This race was the 4th in the series of LifeTime Fitness races held this year. This result will help secure Julie in 2nd in the series, but leaves her with the small task of having to win the last race in Dallas to get enough points to earn the bonus! If that doesn't make sense to you then you are not the only one! For more info go to www.ltftriathlonseries.com.

Anyway back on to the race. The conditions at Venice Beach were pretty much perfect for the start of the race. Temperatures were cool, sun was just rising, and the wind and surf were pretty calm. Julie was first through the surf and lead out the swim for most of the way along with Emma Snowsill. This is becoming a bit of a habit after having swam side by side at both NY and Chicago. There was a 3rd girl with them, but waiting on confirmation as to who it was.

Out on to the bike Julie and Emma put the hammer down putting minutes into the rest of the field. Despite her best efforts Julie never got rid of Emma this time and they came into T2 with Emma right behind her. We think that Emma had a great bike today, rather than Julie a poor one, as in all the other races this year Julie has managed to put some daylight between them. Julie also had quite a big knock earlier in the week, when she came off her bike doing some Time Trialling. And so her confidence was a little down, as this was the first time she had really been able to get back on the bike since the accident.

Out on the run, it was always going to be a tall order to stay with Emma, as she is undoubtedly one of, if not the fastest runner in the sport. But Julie kept focused and put in a strong run today, and held on comfortably for 2nd with Miranda Carfrae in 3rd.

Snugg Wetsuit Give Away

Driven to Tri are giving one lucky person the chance to win a top of the range custom fitted Snugg Wetsuit. Snugg's Custom Made Slipstream 2007, which retails at £320, is a unique wetsuit that caters for each triathletes individual swim needs by providing a choice of 3 variable flotation styles. The suit will be tailored to your exact requirements and hand-made at Snugg's factory in Cornwall, ensuring the highest quality.


For your chance to win, click here and fill out your contact details. Entries will be accepted from 9th September 2007 to Midnight 20th October 2007. The winner will be chosen randomly and results posted on our website www.driventotri.com.

To be eligible to win, you must live in the United Kingdom or Ireland. Only one entry per person will be accepted. By entering the draw you are agreeing to the use of your contact details by Driven to Tri and Snugg wetsuits only as part of future promotions, your details will not be passed onto any third party.

For further details on Driven to Tri Triathlon Coaching visit www.driventotri.com
For more details on Snugg visit www.snuggwetsuits.co.uk