The Triathlon Industry Association (TIA) is conducting its latest survey about UK athlete’s endurance sport participation in 2019. If you can spare some time on this, it would be really appreciated.
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You don’t need to have completed a triathlon to participate; and, all those who complete the survey will be entered into a series of prize draws. There are already loads of individual prizes in the mix, collectively worth more than £7200, with the prize pool growing day-by-day. The next prize draw takes place in a few days. So, the sooner you complete the survey the more chance you have of winning!
In addition, everyone who completes the latest survey will be given access to an exclusive list of discount codes from a number of TIA member companies. The codes will be shared (with all who opt-in to receive them) in late May 2020 – as a thank you for taking part.
The Triathlon Industry Association (TIA) is conducting its latest survey about UK athlete’s endurance sport participation in 2019. If you can spare some time on this, it would be really appreciated.
Advertisement
You don’t need to have completed a triathlon to participate; and, all those who complete the survey will be entered into a series of prize draws. There are already loads of individual prizes in the mix, collectively worth more than £7200, with the prize pool growing day-by-day. The next prize draw takes place in a few days. So, the sooner you complete the survey the more chance you have of winning!
In addition, everyone who completes the latest survey will be given access to an exclusive list of discount codes from a number of TIA member companies. The codes will be shared (with all who opt-in to receive them) in late May 2020 – as a thank you for taking part.
This announcement means that it will also be the first time in history, German and European title fights will take place during the same race in Roth, as a few weeks ago, Roth was also awarded the 2021 German Championships by the German Triathlon Union (DTU).
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This means German and European professionals and age group athletes can not only fight for victory in DATEV Challenge Roth, but also for the German or European crown over the 3.8 km swim, 180 km cycle and 42.2 km run.
“It is a huge sign of respect for the triathlon district of Roth that the governing bodies have approached us to host both championships here,” said Felix Walchshöfer, of Team Challenge. “The region will do everything possible to be a great host for the double championship.”
There is a special allocation of entry spots for the sold out event for the European Championships. 200 of the 3,400 places have been reserved for the ETU and will be given to the national associations. All athletes who have already registered for DATEV Challenge Roth 2021 from Germany and Europe and who hold a valid membership of their national associations can take part in the European Championships. Athletes should contact their national body for further information on eligibility.
Renato Bertrani, ETU president said, “It is with great pleasure and excitement we announce the 2021 Long Distance European Championships will take place on the iconic long distance course in Roth. Still in my mind are the memories, back in 2012, when for the first time we held our European LD Champs in collaboration with Challenge in Roth. In the extremely difficult period we are currently living in, such positive news is greatly welcomed.”
This is not the first time Roth has hosted the European Championships. In 1987, Detlef Kühnel and his team hosted the title fights over the middle distance. Challenge Roth was once again the venue for the European Championships in 2012 when Rachel Joyce (GBR) and Timo Bracht secured the wins.
This announcement means that it will also be the first time in history, German and European title fights will take place during the same race in Roth, as a few weeks ago, Roth was also awarded the 2021 German Championships by the German Triathlon Union (DTU).
This means German and European professionals and age group athletes can not only fight for victory in DATEV Challenge Roth, but also for the German or European crown over the 3.8 km swim, 180 km cycle and 42.2 km run.
“It is a huge sign of respect for the triathlon district of Roth that the governing bodies have approached us to host both championships here,” said Felix Walchshöfer, of Team Challenge. “The region will do everything possible to be a great host for the double championship.”
There is a special allocation of entry spots for the sold out event for the European Championships. 200 of the 3,400 places have been reserved for the ETU and will be given to the national associations. All athletes who have already registered for DATEV Challenge Roth 2021 from Germany and Europe and who hold a valid membership of their national associations can take part in the European Championships. Athletes should contact their national body for further information on eligibility.
Renato Bertrani, ETU president said, “It is with great pleasure and excitement we announce the 2021 Long Distance European Championships will take place on the iconic long distance course in Roth. Still in my mind are the memories, back in 2012, when for the first time we held our European LD Champs in collaboration with Challenge in Roth. In the extremely difficult period we are currently living in, such positive news is greatly welcomed.”
This is not the first time Roth has hosted the European Championships. In 1987, Detlef Kühnel and his team hosted the title fights over the middle distance. Challenge Roth was once again the venue for the European Championships in 2012 when Rachel Joyce (GBR) and Timo Bracht secured the wins.
Many portable treadmills are only useful for walking on, but this fold-up, more affordable unit from Domyos allows runners to reach 13km/h for low-intensity workouts. There’s a 10% incline and 10 pre-set programmes.
Buy from www.decathlon.co.uk
02 TIGER TAIL TIGER BALL
£28
The Tiger Ball is designed to eliminate knots in your back, legs, shoulders and more. The ball slides up and down the rope to help you find the exact position of the ache and should stay precisely where you want it to.
Buy from www.tigertail.co.uk
03 TACX BOOSTER
£219
The Booster is the most powerful ‘basic’ turbo out there, and offers a beginner-friendly intro to turbos as you don’t need to mess around with cassettes. Tacx’s Speed and Cadence Sensor (£45) will give you access to a host of training apps via ANT+ or Bluetooth Smart.
Buy from www.bikeinn.com
04 WATTBIKE ATOM
£1,599
Those who’ve used a Wattbike gym trainer will find the Atom functions far more like an actual bike. There are clickable gears, drop bars and tri-bar extensions, and a moveable seatpost, all built on a solid alu frame. The lack of screen means you’ll need a tablet or phone to use it with the Wattbike app or a third-party offering.
Buy from wattbike.com
05 TRX HOME 2
£169.95
This suspension-weight training system from TRX offers huge versatility. It can be set up on door frames and garden trees for triathlon fitness and strength gains over the whole body.
Buy from store.trxtraining.co.uk
06 COMPRESSPORT POSTURAL AERO
£85
For both indoor cycling and outdoors, the Postural Aero offers superior breathability and back support thanks to the compressive weaving. The fabric is ultra-light, thin and stretchy, and nothing stretches too far in the TT position.
Buy from www.runnerinn.com
07 TORQ MANGO
£29.25 (for 15)
Torq’s bar delivers 144cals from mainly carb sources (127cals), all topped off with a hint of protein (8cals) and fat (just 9cals). This combo of fast and slow-releasing carbs is ideal for high-intensity turbo sessions. Its texture is chewy and has just enough water to avoid that claggy feel.
Buy from www.tweekscycles.com
08 OPEN WATER, MIKAEL ROSÉN
£26
Translated into English, Swedish swim coach Mikael Rosén’s superb book takes in open-water swim history, technique and theory in a hardback that’ll be a must for swim geeks and those seeking aquatic gains.
Buy from www.amazon.com
09 ELITE SUITO
£649
Weighing in at 14.5kg, the Suito is relatively light for a direct-drive turbo and also has a useful carry handle. An 11-speed Shimano cassette out the box saves time and money, a front wheel block is included, and there’s a cadence sensor, accurate power measurements and inclines to 15%.
Buy from www.wiggle.co.uk
10 THERAGUN G3PRO
£549
The Theragun is named as ‘percussive therapy’, which combines frequency (2,400rpm), torque and amplitude (16mm) via its pulsing and repetitive arm to encourage increased blood flow and flush out lactic acid. The benefits? Muscle relief, tension reduction and pain alleviation.
Buy from kitbox.co
11 MUC-OFF CLEANING KIT
From £9.99
Muc-Off’s indoor training range includes Sweat Protect spray and Antibac Cleaner, plus a mat. It’s designed to keep your bike clean and free from corrosive sweat and dirt, while the Antibac is a handy way of keeping things clean.
These bib-shorts have been our training staple for the past couple of years, more so in this turbo-heavy 2020. Breathability is heightened by the mesh inserts, the pad is dense and the anatomical cut gives tri-bar comfort.
Buy from huubdesign.com
13 TRI SERIES BOARD GAME
€40
Hit the wall with Disney+? Then this tri board game could be just the ticket for self-isolation boredom. Divided into two phases, you build fitness and wellbeing in the first phase then take those skills into triathlon race day.
Buy from afterracegames.com
14 FABRIC TRI RACE FLAT
£79.99
Fabric make some of the best, most affordable tri saddles around, and buying now will give you time to bed-in your position for race season. The Tri Race Flat has titanium rails and weighs 232g, and it’s grippy to keep you in position.
Buy from www.bikeinn.com
15 PUSH UP SWIVEL BARS
From £10
Push up swivel bars target your chest, shoulder and back muscles, with the rotation providing a greater range of motion and are easier on the wrists. Seen here are Opti from Argos, but Decathlon do home deliveries if Argos can’t deliver to your local Sainsbury’s.
Buy from www.argos.co.uk
16 TACX NEO 2T
£1,199
Tacx have nailed their smart turbodesign with the Neo 2T. There’s even more motor power (with the option to run it wirelessly), greater stability and a neighbour-friendly level of noise. Power accuracy is spot on, and you’ll really notice the superior quality of the ride feel.
Buy from tacx.com
17 ACTIVBODY ACTIV5
£119.95
The Activ5 is a Bluetooth-enabled device that comes loaded with a whole host of exercises, performed by you squeezing it in various different positions to provide resistance. Just download the app, pair with your phone and there’s over 100 different workouts at your disposal.
Buy from www.amazon.co.uk
18 HEALTHSPAN ELITE VEGAN
£24.99
This recovery powder from Healthspan Elite offers the textbook 20g of protein per serving for enhanced recovery. It also contains a blend of amino acids and multi-vitamins.
Buy from www.amazon.co.uk
19 UP FOAM ROLLER
£19.99
Soothing your turbo aches and pains is this budget pick from Ultimate Performance, a solid, lightweight (660g) and portable roller that’ll improve flexibility and core strength.
Buy from www.chainreactioncycles.com
20 ZWIFT SUBSCRIPTION
From £12.99 Zwift, Sufferfest… indoor triathletes have never had it so good in terms of fun and competition. A Zwift subscription starts at £12.99 per month, and for that you’ll get training plans, group rides, races and more on 80+ routes.
Many portable treadmills are only useful for walking on, but this fold-up, more affordable unit from Domyos allows runners to reach 13km/h for low-intensity workouts. There’s a 10% incline and 10 pre-set programmes.
Buy from www.decathlon.co.uk
02 TIGER TAIL TIGER BALL
£28
The Tiger Ball is designed to eliminate knots in your back, legs, shoulders and more. The ball slides up and down the rope to help you find the exact position of the ache and should stay precisely where you want it to.
Buy from www.tigertail.co.uk
03 TACX BOOSTER
£219
The Booster is the most powerful ‘basic’ turbo out there, and offers a beginner-friendly intro to turbos as you don’t need to mess around with cassettes. Tacx’s Speed and Cadence Sensor (£45) will give you access to a host of training apps via ANT+ or Bluetooth Smart.
Buy from www.bikeinn.com
04 WATTBIKE ATOM
£1,599
Those who’ve used a Wattbike gym trainer will find the Atom functions far more like an actual bike. There are clickable gears, drop bars and tri-bar extensions, and a moveable seatpost, all built on a solid alu frame. The lack of screen means you’ll need a tablet or phone to use it with the Wattbike app or a third-party offering.
Buy from wattbike.com
05 TRX HOME 2
£169.95
This suspension-weight training system from TRX offers huge versatility. It can be set up on door frames and garden trees for triathlon fitness and strength gains over the whole body.
Buy from store.trxtraining.co.uk
06 COMPRESSPORT POSTURAL AERO
£85
For both indoor cycling and outdoors, the Postural Aero offers superior breathability and back support thanks to the compressive weaving. The fabric is ultra-light, thin and stretchy, and nothing stretches too far in the TT position.
Buy from www.runnerinn.com
07 TORQ MANGO
£29.25 (for 15)
Torq’s bar delivers 144cals from mainly carb sources (127cals), all topped off with a hint of protein (8cals) and fat (just 9cals). This combo of fast and slow-releasing carbs is ideal for high-intensity turbo sessions. Its texture is chewy and has just enough water to avoid that claggy feel.
Buy from www.tweekscycles.com
08 OPEN WATER, MIKAEL ROSÉN
£26
Translated into English, Swedish swim coach Mikael Rosén’s superb book takes in open-water swim history, technique and theory in a hardback that’ll be a must for swim geeks and those seeking aquatic gains.
Buy from www.amazon.com
09 ELITE SUITO
£649
Weighing in at 14.5kg, the Suito is relatively light for a direct-drive turbo and also has a useful carry handle. An 11-speed Shimano cassette out the box saves time and money, a front wheel block is included, and there’s a cadence sensor, accurate power measurements and inclines to 15%.
Buy from www.wiggle.co.uk
10 THERAGUN G3PRO
£549
The Theragun is named as ‘percussive therapy’, which combines frequency (2,400rpm), torque and amplitude (16mm) via its pulsing and repetitive arm to encourage increased blood flow and flush out lactic acid. The benefits? Muscle relief, tension reduction and pain alleviation.
Buy from kitbox.co
11 MUC-OFF CLEANING KIT
From £9.99
Muc-Off’s indoor training range includes Sweat Protect spray and Antibac Cleaner, plus a mat. It’s designed to keep your bike clean and free from corrosive sweat and dirt, while the Antibac is a handy way of keeping things clean.
Buy from www.wiggle.co.uk
12 HUUB DESIGN CORE BIBS
£99.99
These bib-shorts have been our training staple for the past couple of years, more so in this turbo-heavy 2020. Breathability is heightened by the mesh inserts, the pad is dense and the anatomical cut gives tri-bar comfort.
Buy from huubdesign.com
13 TRI SERIES BOARD GAME
€40
Hit the wall with Disney+? Then this tri board game could be just the ticket for self-isolation boredom. Divided into two phases, you build fitness and wellbeing in the first phase then take those skills into triathlon race day.
Buy from afterracegames.com
14 FABRIC TRI RACE FLAT
£79.99
Fabric make some of the best, most affordable tri saddles around, and buying now will give you time to bed-in your position for race season. The Tri Race Flat has titanium rails and weighs 232g, and it’s grippy to keep you in position.
Buy from www.bikeinn.com
15 PUSH UP SWIVEL BARS
From £10
Push up swivel bars target your chest, shoulder and back muscles, with the rotation providing a greater range of motion and are easier on the wrists. Seen here are Opti from Argos, but Decathlon do home deliveries if Argos can’t deliver to your local Sainsbury’s.
Buy from www.argos.co.uk
16 TACX NEO 2T
£1,199
Tacx have nailed their smart turbodesign with the Neo 2T. There’s even more motor power (with the option to run it wirelessly), greater stability and a neighbour-friendly level of noise. Power accuracy is spot on, and you’ll really notice the superior quality of the ride feel.
Buy from tacx.com
17 ACTIVBODY ACTIV5
£119.95
The Activ5 is a Bluetooth-enabled device that comes loaded with a whole host of exercises, performed by you squeezing it in various different positions to provide resistance. Just download the app, pair with your phone and there’s over 100 different workouts at your disposal.
Buy from www.amazon.co.uk
18 HEALTHSPAN ELITE VEGAN
£24.99
This recovery powder from Healthspan Elite offers the textbook 20g of protein per serving for enhanced recovery. It also contains a blend of amino acids and multi-vitamins.
Buy from www.amazon.co.uk
19 UP FOAM ROLLER
£19.99
Soothing your turbo aches and pains is this budget pick from Ultimate Performance, a solid, lightweight (660g) and portable roller that’ll improve flexibility and core strength.
Buy from www.chainreactioncycles.com
20 ZWIFT SUBSCRIPTION
From £12.99 Zwift, Sufferfest… indoor triathletes have never had it so good in terms of fun and competition. A Zwift subscription starts at £12.99 per month, and for that you’ll get training plans, group rides, races and more on 80+ routes.
Belgian brand Bioracer are new to these pages but are celebrated for their aero expertise in the world of cycling, having long scored success on the track and in the peloton. That cycling influence looms large over the Speedwear Concept tri-suit on test here and it feels like a hybrid between a time-trial and triathlon suit, featuring lengthy pinstripe arm sleeves, smooth seams and the brand’s own Speedsilk fabric, yet lacking any form of pocket for carrying race fuel.
Once on, it’s that Speedsilk fabric that draws the attention. Created from a hot-press treatment, it’s utilised on the front torso, the side panels and the legs and is said to be aerodynamically swifter than regular Lycra. The aero appeal is continued with the pinstripe fabric woven into the arms and back in an effort to create the turbulent ‘golf ball’ aero effect to reduce drag. The race-day comfort continues with a long zipper guard, secure leg grippers and a spongy chamois
that has endurance appeal.
We analysed the Speedwear Concept at the Boardman Performance Centre’s wind tunnel in Evesham under the watch of Boardman’s head of science and technical development, Jamie Pringle, and it posted very impressive results at the 0° yaw angle (simply, the direction of wind on the bike) especially, figures that put it ahead of many £200+ tri-suits we’ve tunnel tested. For £25 extra, Bioracer also sell ‘Aero Tube’ calf guards for those searching out every possible watt reduction and a wealth of custom kit options.
It’s the lack of pockets that’ll divide opinion, however, and is something we saw in last issue’s Ironman tri-suits test in the form of the Orca RS1 Dream Kona. So is it worth the fuel-carrying penalty for the aero gains and enhanced, non-wetsuit swim hydrodynamics?
In our separate wind-tunnel tests at the Silverstone Sports Engineering Hub conducted by Stephen Roche (thebiketailor.co.uk), adding two energy gels to each of the Huub DS tri-suit’s back pockets in the tri-bar position while riding at 45km/h added 31:08secs at 0° yaw angle or 46.42secs at 5° yaw to a 180km Ironman bike leg, which is certainly something to be considered by the elite and top, top-end age-group long-course whizz kids out there.
For many (definitely this back/midpack triathlete), however, we’d rather have the option of using pockets on the run and in training, even if we don’t utilise them on the bike leg when racing. So, personally, we’d prefer to use the Speed Concept for short-course racing only, but there’s much to admire here for the multisport speedsters out there and anyone racing non-wetsuit swims.
Verdict:lacking pockets, but a speedy, smooth and swim-friendly suit 85%
Belgian brand Bioracer are new to these pages but are celebrated for their aero expertise in the world of cycling, having long scored success on the track and in the peloton. That cycling influence looms large over the Speedwear Concept tri-suit on test here and it feels like a hybrid between a time-trial and triathlon suit, featuring lengthy pinstripe arm sleeves, smooth seams and the brand’s own Speedsilk fabric, yet lacking any form of pocket for carrying race fuel.
Advertisement
Once on, it’s that Speedsilk fabric that draws the attention. Created from a hot-press treatment, it’s utilised on the front torso, the side panels and the legs and is said to be aerodynamically swifter than regular Lycra. The aero appeal is continued with the pinstripe fabric woven into the arms and back in an effort to create the turbulent ‘golf ball’ aero effect to reduce drag. The race-day comfort continues with a long zipper guard, secure leg grippers and a spongy chamois
that has endurance appeal.
We analysed the Speedwear Concept at the Boardman Performance Centre’s wind tunnel in Evesham under the watch of Boardman’s head of science and technical development, Jamie Pringle, and it posted very impressive results at the 0° yaw angle (simply, the direction of wind on the bike) especially, figures that put it ahead of many £200+ tri-suits we’ve tunnel tested. For £25 extra, Bioracer also sell ‘Aero Tube’ calf guards for those searching out every possible watt reduction and a wealth of custom kit options.
It’s the lack of pockets that’ll divide opinion, however, and is something we saw in last issue’s Ironman tri-suits test in the form of the Orca RS1 Dream Kona. So is it worth the fuel-carrying penalty for the aero gains and enhanced, non-wetsuit swim hydrodynamics?
In our separate wind-tunnel tests at the Silverstone Sports Engineering Hub conducted by Stephen Roche (thebiketailor.co.uk), adding two energy gels to each of the Huub DS tri-suit’s back pockets in the tri-bar position while riding at 45km/h added 31:08secs at 0° yaw angle or 46.42secs at 5° yaw to a 180km Ironman bike leg, which is certainly something to be considered by the elite and top, top-end age-group long-course whizz kids out there.
For many (definitely this back/midpack triathlete), however, we’d rather have the option of using pockets on the run and in training, even if we don’t utilise them on the bike leg when racing. So, personally, we’d prefer to use the Speed Concept for short-course racing only, but there’s much to admire here for the multisport speedsters out there and anyone racing non-wetsuit swims.
Verdict:lacking pockets, but a speedy, smooth and swim-friendly suit 85%
For athletes for whom a conventional Ironman just isn’t enough, a group of the world’s toughest long-distance events have joined forces to create the new Extreme Triathlon Series.
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Launched today (1st June 2020), the Extreme Triathlon Series (XTS) consists of five truly tough events in Europe and South Africa, including the Austria Extreme, the Czech Republic’s Winterman, Stonebrixiaman in Italy, Pirene in the Spanish Pyrenees (pictured), and South Africa’s Knysna Extreme.
“Each event is unique in itself, with varying terrain, scenery, distances, challenges and characteristics but with one common feature across them all – they are all focused on the athletes’ experience, with a family atmosphere,” say the XTS organisers.
When an athlete completes all five races within the three-year period, they’ll become an XTS athlete. Athletes who complete the challenge will also get an XTS shirt, bag and a free ticket to one of the participating Extreme triathlons in the series. Their name will also be listed on the Extreme Triathlon Series Wall of Fame.
The series joins the Xtri World Tour (Norseman, Celtman and more) on the extreme iron calendar, with the XTS organisers saying they’re open for more events to become part of their series.
For athletes for whom a conventional Ironman just isn’t enough, a group of the world’s toughest long-distance events have joined forces to create the new Extreme Triathlon Series.
Advertisement
Launched today (1st June 2020), the Extreme Triathlon Series (XTS) consists of five truly tough events in Europe and South Africa, including the Austria Extreme, the Czech Republic’s Winterman, Stonebrixiaman in Italy, Pirene in the Spanish Pyrenees (pictured), and South Africa’s Knysna Extreme.
“Each event is unique in itself, with varying terrain, scenery, distances, challenges and characteristics but with one common feature across them all – they are all focused on the athletes’ experience, with a family atmosphere,” say the XTS organisers.
When an athlete completes all five races within the three-year period, they’ll become an XTS athlete. Athletes who complete the challenge will also get an XTS shirt, bag and a free ticket to one of the participating Extreme triathlons in the series. Their name will also be listed on the Extreme Triathlon Series Wall of Fame.
The series joins the Xtri World Tour (Norseman, Celtman and more) on the extreme iron calendar, with the XTS organisers saying they’re open for more events to become part of their series.
The current races and next dates are below, with the total elevation gain of the bike and run legs listed.
Winterman (Czech Republic, 11 October 2020) – 3.8KM Swim | 180KM Cycle | 43KM Run – 4,700m gain
Knysna Extreme (South Africa, 21 November 2020) – 5KM Swim | 174KM Cycle | 50KM Run – 3,800m gain
Pirene (Spain, 26 May 2021) – 3.8KM Swim | 177KM Cycle | 40KM Run – 6,500m gain
Austria Extreme (Austria, 26 June 2021) – 3.8KM Swim | 186KM Cycle | 44KM Run – 5,800m total elevation gain
Stonebrixiaman (Italy, 3 July 2021) – 3.8KM Swim | 180KM Cycle | 42KM Run – 7,050m gain
For more information, head to the XTS’ website and social media pages.