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Blenheim Bike Course
Plumbud
Posts: 9
in General Chat
I'm doing Blenheim next weekend for the first time and haven't had a chance to get down there and have a look at the bike or run course.
Can anyone give me info on what they are like and what to expect?
Can anyone give me info on what they are like and what to expect?
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It's pretty uppy-downy with one or two tightish turns but by the third lap you'll be familiar with it. Just keep your wits about you, particularly on the first lap while accelerating downhill!
Overall, it's bloody awesome. The atmosphere, organisation and setting are just brilliant. It's tough for a sprint though (Stu Hayes won last year and said its pretty much the toughest he's done).
Swim - standard really. Just be aware that you'll be in a wave of about 200 people, so positioning is key. If you are after anything below 15 minutes, you'll probably need to take a chance and head to the front.
T1 - 400m uphill run to your bike - which is pretty hard in your wetsuit bottoms. Good support though, which helps.
Bike - 3 laps of a pretty hilly course. But as someone has already said, each hill is followed by a pretty sharp decent - so it pays to gun it up towards the end and then 'rest' on the way down.
T2 - Standard, although you have to run up a pretty steep bridge right the start, so beware of going off too fast.
Run -2 laps and again, not flat. After the bridge you're straight into a fairly steep downhill section, that is actually quite tough on tired legs. The big uphill section is about half way round, but there is a drinks station just before it and you can see the palace - awesome view.
It's certainly not a PB course. But I haven't come back year after year for no reason...
Other bonuses include a pretty strong pro field if you fancy watching some first class races. Last year Stu Hayes won with Stannard in 2nd (Frazer Cartmel also raced). The year before i think Olly Freeman won. This year I hear Tim Don is thinking about giving it a whirl...
Hope that helps.
Can't believe its only a week away - very excited![:)]