Swanage Bay Swim Updated!

As the saying goes, you can lead a horse to water but you should never attempt the Swanage Bay swim in only a pair of knee length boardies. A prize if anyone can spot Roddy in the picture! A triumph of style over drag reduction and increased bouyancy! The juniors took the honours with Cosmo and Stephen both finishing 2nd (we think) in their respective races. In the adult 1000m race, Justin was the first TriPurbeck swimmer out of the water. Richie had a good swim fresh from his extravaganza in the Massive Centrale – report appears below. Dave, Mandy and Mark also swam well although we don’t have any times as yet. We think Charlie also swam in the 500m. Looks like we will have a big TriPurbeck turnout at the Swanage Tri next weekend….

Richie’s etape report:

Roul Rothman, Dave Higgins, James Horton and I did the Etape Du Tour Act 2 – Issoire to St Flour – 207 kms over 11 mountains.  Sounded pretty hard on paper however throw in torrential rain on the day and 4 degrees at the top of one of the mountains it made it all the more harder!
 
7000 registered – 4053 turned up on the day and started the other 3000 obviously woke up and thought sod this!  Within 20 miles with the rain and cold setting in we started to see riders turning round and head back and at the first feed station and sweep area riders were actually asking to go in the sweep wagon and be taken home.  We are tough “English and South African” cyclists who don’t like to ever give up!  Anyway of the 4053 who started only 1982 actually finished which in terms of percentage finishers makes it the lowest ever and probably one of the hardest Etapes ever.  Anyway James finished just outside the top 100 in 8 odd hours with Dave, Roul and I finishing in 10 odd hours and 8000 calories lighter.