Event: Riverport Duathlon
When: Sunday October 19, 2008
The Bridgewater Triathlon Club is pleased to host the 3rd Annual Riverport Duathlon.
In addition to our ‘classic’ 4k run / 28K bike / 4K run, we will have a ‘Do-a-DU’ distance of 1K run / 14K bike / 1K run
A great race, fantastic prizes (thanks to our sponsors!), chip timing and a fabulous meal at the end!
Whether this is the last race of your season of the start of your venture into multisport, please join us in Riverport on the 19th.
All the details with links to maps, registration etc, are at : http://www.bridgewatertriclub.com/riverport-duathlon/
PLEASE NOTE – ONLINE REGISTRATION IS CLOSED – see the options at the link above
CLASSIC RACE PREVIEW IN ‘RESPONSES’
3RD RIVERPORT DUATHLON – SUNDAY OCTOBER 19, 2008
used with permission from the Triathlon Nova Scotia TurnAround Volume 3 Issue 16
http://www.trins.ca
The Bridgewater Triathlon Club is hosting the second Riverport Duathlon, on Sunday October 19th. New this year is the Do-A-Du (hereafter DAD) and the original du being renamed the Classic.
The Classic follows the by now, well classic, 4K run, 28K bike and a 4K run. The DAD, for the young (12+) and young at heart is 1/14/1.
As last year, the Race HQ is at the Riverport Elementary School. This is the same race HQ as used by the Bicycle Nova Scotia’s Riverport Bicycle race and the Osprey 5K Run in the Spring. TZ is paved, although you’ll find it on a bit of a hill. It also has plumbing and bathrooms but because it’s an elementary school the toilets are only a foot off the floor!
Race kit pick-up is here on race morning between 08:00 and 08:45 in anticipation of an 09:00 start; the DADs off 30 minutes later.
You can pre-register at Atlantic Chip.
The first run is 4 km and to the left (north) and follows the route of the Osprey 5K Road Race along the 332 and Feltzen South Road. “This is a basically flat course” says Race Director Steve Saunders. But note there is a bit of a slope up to transition. The DAD follows the same run but turns much earlier, for a total distance run of 1 km instead. The bikes leave the transition to the right (south).
The bike route is the same one followed by BNS’ Riverport Road Race. This course is very rural and there are very few intersections and you nearly always turn right. Tom Rogers called it flat with one hill but we might have to call him on that one, there’s definitely some rolling action going on there in the middle. Basically this course delivers something for everyone. Hang a right when leaving TZ and ride towards Riverport before turning right over the bridge and keeping left to stay on the main road.
This beginning section is most definitely flat. Just get into the egg-tuck and you’ll be flying along. Then there’s a right turn that changes the whole feel of the event, a brute of a climb, the aptly named Grimm Road, that forces you up out of the saddle and down into the 39, causing an x uncomfortable change in rhythm. It’s followed by some rolling hills; some power climbs and some you have to change down for.
Then there’s a technical, chicane, section that’s so short it will be over before you even notice it has begun! All that remains is the final drag back into Riverport. There are some definite drags and false flats here, which can be exacerbated by any headwind.
The last two years had a head-wind all the way around. Sounds counterintuitive, but trust us, it was, and we weren’t the only one who noticed it. The locals just smiled and shrugged! No matter what, this is nowhere near as bad as the Shubie Doobie bike course.
The DAD turn earlier on Indian Path Road, which parallels Grimm, with the DADs coming out onto 332 about 6 km from TZ for a total of 14 km. The road surface on Indian Path Rd. isn’t up to the Gilles Villenueve standards we at the TA have recently become accustomed to, but BTC says you can still race a road-bike down there.
The second run is south out of TZ, again on the 332 but the opposite direction from the first run. By switching the direction of the run, the race organization avoids any overlap with the bicycles. It isn’t as flat as the first run, we remember running up to the turnaround and then having to run up to the finish line at the school. At least its only 4 km. Again, the DADs turn earlier, for a 1 km run.
The start-sheet is yet to fill up, so we’ll forgo the customary pre-trash-talk and urge you instead to sign up at Atlantic Chip (you should know the drill by now). There are course maps here. So if you’re a duathlete looking for one last race for the season or a newbie looking for a great race on a nice course, come and join the fun on October.