SPORTS

Stroke & Stride series kicks off Wednesday

Local triathlete Dave Walker exits the water.

Dave Walker on his way to the transition area.

Race organiser Helga Sergel works on her exit
technique at Sunset House.

Tuesday,  August 9, 2005

The annual Amstel Light Stroke & Stride series kicks off on Wednesday evening with a 400-metre swim and 1.5-mile run. The series comprises three races, which are scheduled to take place on 10, 17 and 27 August.

Registration for the event will take place at Sunset House on South Church Street from 5:30 pm to 5:45 pm on Wednesday, with the race starting at 6:00 pm. The series can be contested as an individual or as part of a team. There are also prizes on offer for the top rookies in the event, in order to provide an incentive for newcomers to enter.

The standard entry fee covers all three races in the series, although competitors can also enter each race separately.

The entry fee for individuals is CI$15 for CITA members, and CI$18 for non-members. The team entry fee is CI$30 for CITA members, and CI$36 for non-members.

Individuals wishing to enter for only one or two races can do so at CI$7 per race for CITA members, or CI$9 for non-members.

As the series progresses, the race distances are scheduled to increase, with the second race on 17 August boasting a 600-metre swim and a 1.75-mile run. The final race in the series, scheduled for Saturday 27 August, will feature an 800-metre swim and a 2-mile run.

The event aims to be accessible, yet challenging, by keeping the distances relatively short, and also by removing one of the biggest obstacles prospective multisport athletes face, which is bicycle ownership. The slowly increasing race distances throughout the series will help build competitor confidence, up to a point where they should be comfortable competing in a sprint distance triathlon.

The competition for the top step on the podium promises to be very tough.

Emily Davies, Lizzie Haines, and Ciara Sweeney have all won races in the women’s division in previous years. In the male division, TJ Olivier and Dave Walker also have top finishes to their names in previous editions of the event.

With questions over Davies’ fitness level, the smart money is on Haines to take at least one win. If she is on Cayman for the entire series, she should be considered a definite contender for a series win as well. As one of the fastest adult female swimmers on the islands, Helga Sergel could also be considered a threat. However, with a Half-Ironman Triathlon in the USA next weekend, right between the first two races of the series, her focus is not on the series title. She should however still feature in at least the first and final races of the series. It will therefore likely be up to Sweeney and top local triathlete Alison O’Hare to challenge Haines for the series title.

In the male division, Dave Walker seems to be in excellent shape, following an excellent performance in the Milton Keynes Triathlon in the UK recently. TJ Olivier is also expected to put in a strong challenge for the top step of the podium, as he is the defending champion from last year. Walker has however expressed his desire to topple Olivier from the top of the podium, so competition is bound to be fast and furious. Another serious challenge could come from Mark O’Hare. The organisers of the event, Brendan Touhey and Helga Sergel, hope that the event will create an opportunity for beginners to make a first outing into multisport.

“We want to encourage everyone to participate. If you can’t swim, find someone who can, and enter as a team. The aim is to make the event accessible to everyone.”

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