Browse Sections

• Local football
• Local cricket

Iron men head for European challenge

10/ 7/2008

TEN Triathletes, from a club based in Middleton, will compete in Europe’s oldest and largest Iron Distance Triathlon this coming Sunday.

With more than 4,000 competitors from 42 countries, and anticipated crowds of over 150,000, this really is a world-class event.

The field includes many top professional athletes, one of them being the current men’s world champion Chris McCormack.

This event covers the traditional Iron Distance which involves a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile cycle and a 26.2 mile marathon run.

These are held concurrently, and expected times for the Rochdale athletes will be anything between 10 and 14 hours.

Rochdale Triathlon Club members compete in Europe over this distance each year, but this year by far sees the largest squad of taking up the challenge.

The Roth contest, in particular, holds a special meaning for the club, as it was at this event that the club made it’s first foray into Iron Distance racing some 10 years ago.

Long distance pioneer, and one of the club’s most successful athletes at all distances, the late Graham ‘Scouse’ Richards, enticed the first group of athletes across the channel back then, and to this day he remains an inspiration to the many that he touched with his love and enthusiasm for the sport.

This year also marks the fifth anniversary of the last time the club competed at Roth and sees four competitors return there.

Anthony Lowe, David Smith (injured), Chris Duoba and Pat Rice were part of a group of six that last travelled.

Mark Hannon and Graham Richards made up the group. Mark Hannon has also sadly passed away since then.

All of the current Rochdale athletes are now fully prepared following 20 weeks of hard training. They began the journey to Germany yesterday.

The team has a good mix of experience and long distance ‘virgins’ and will be supported by a large contingent of followers.

The full list of Rochdale starters is: Andrew Pilling, Anthony Lowe, Scott Rennie, Kieron Jackson, Nick Allen, Chris Duoba, Pat Rice, Martin Kay, Graham McCulloch,Graham Hahn.