Alan Clark’s ETU experience:

‘Not an  ideal start to a good week racing in Turkey, as those lovely French air traffic controllers chucked their toys out of their pram to bring chaos to anyone wishing to travel through their airspace. We were delayed 3 hrs and then a 1 1/2 hour queue outside the hotel and I got to my bed at 3.30 am.

The following day we built bikes, swam rekkie, bike rekkie, race briefed, racked bikes and sat in our hotel removing heads from our backsides. Before I knew it,  I was hanging on a rope on the start pontoon .The race went well for me, 8th in the swim in balmy warm sea water and I made up 1 place on the bike and the 2 places on the run to finish 5th in agegroup and 3rd Brit. Worst bit was Thursday all day on feet for 1 day prep, best bit was running up the blue carpeted finish chute while you felt everyone there was cheering come on GB. ‘

Viceroy Colin Hinsley tells us:

‘The day started well with an early call from a Czechoslovakian honey from the apartment next door, I was rather hoping my luck was in but sadly she’d just got confused around room numbers.  Somewhat distracted I failed to fall asleep again.  Back to Triathlon…..  I had my normal steady start on the swim (so as to avoid the panic attacks) and I soon started to rev up.  The sea was crystal clear and warm.  I exited the water feeling very fresh and thought, in the moment, I’d had a swift dolphin like swim.  Onto the bike after a customary rapid transition I sped away, on the out and back bumpy road.  Wasn’t sure how to pace the bike (as only my 2nd Olympic distance race) so kept it steady for the 4 loops.  Then another rapid transition (my best discipline) and I found the run pretty good despite the blistering heat and savage hill – I over took a few people and likewise got taken by a few.  Absolutely delighted with my result at the end of the race.  But the the euphoria was short lived……….  I saw my swim time 28min+ for 1500m – clearly I’d fallen asleep and must have been dreaming that I was slipping through the water like a dolphin – clearly distracted by my early morning call.   Note to self:   More sessions at the lake required – the colder the better.’