Where does Transition start? Transitions are really a fluid part of a triathlon, not just fixed points between mount and dismount lines.

Yes of course there are other moments during their respective races where time is lost and gained, the final run or jog into a finish perhaps, but when you see in those races how fast those who have been exposed to high level draft legal racing were in those same races the time available to be gained was substantial.

While transition times in Non Drafting events can be simply taken as printed in the result sheet there is also the preparation phase to be considered in Elite Draft Legal racing. Any aspiring young athletes could do worse than spend some time watching the available content on Europe Triathlon and thinking about how they would race in particular situations.

The Sprint Championship races in Balikesir this year were superb events to follow, particularly the swim, no turns leaving no excuses, and excellent drone footage in the clear water showing exactly where everyone was throughout. The coverage across the weekend of racing gave us so many coaching points and learning opportunities.

In the Elite Women’s semi final number 2, (47 minutes), Elizabeth Carr and Saoirse O’Brien were in action and we can see in the images that the top 6 ranked athletes were all lined up on the near side of the pontoon and they stayed in line for the 1st 200m of the swim. It is only in the last 30 seconds that Tereza Zimovjanova moves slightly ahead. Carr appears to have an opportunity to move onto her feet but stays in line in open water and exits the swim 4 seconds behind. Was that the difference in making the front group? Perhaps, although 3 more athletes with slower swims, all within 5 seconds of Carr, made it.  So a combination of situational awareness maybe, very few international races, and speed through and out of transition. 

Robin Dreijling, who swam the same time as O’Brien and 5 seconds behind Carr can be seen well clear on the far right on the carpet heading to the mount line and on her way to 3rd in the heat and ultimately 9th in the Final.

I have been a big fan of how aggressive Erin McConnell has been on the bike all year and she was at the front again in her heat. For 8 minutes of the 10 minute bike leg she was on the front and looked comfortable there but obviously putting out more effort than those sitting behind. It is only in the last kilometer that she finds herself behind a rider with the group swamping her left and right and she comes onto the carpet 18th of the group of 20. Did it stop her making the A final, probably not as Barbera De Koning, the final qualifier, ran 5.07 to O’Connell’s 5.24, but leaving transition 1st would certainly have made it interesting.

McConnell made no mistakes in her B final. While the group was a bit smaller she didn't seem to do as much on the front and was perfectly positioned for the drop down into the transition complex coming off the bike in second. She also ran 6 seconds faster, obviously with more athletes around her impacting that. She also led into transition in her last race, the World Cup in Miyazaki. I would certainly focus again on the fact of how aggressive she was and how well positioned rather than the fall, and I will certainly take some responsibility for the fall as her crossed leg technique could have been addressed as a junior. The technique is always a risk especially at higher speeds. 

Russell White in his B final (43 minutes) shows what he has learned from years racing in World Cups and World Series events. After a good T1 he can be seen doing a little work as the group forms in the first Kilometer but then can only be seen sheltered in the group until the last 500m. He does not do anything extraordinary, just positions himself well, follows the right wheel and comes into the final turn 5th. With two 90 degree turns while running he makes up a further 3 places taking the right lines before racking his bike. It will not make any highlight reels but for coaches and young athletes there is a lot to learn.  

The Men’s final was definitely a missed opportunity for James Edgar. He had by his standards a poor swim but most of the field came together on the bike. We can see 3 distinct opportunities to get off the back of the group and move up in the closing 2km where riders are sweeping around the group or the pace has come off the front and the group condenses. Again important coaching points for those watching. Once we get into the final 500m there is no route through from where Edgar is positioned and his chances are essentially gone stepping off the bike. He has a great run taking him up to 4th but will have lost more time moving around athletes not only starting from behind. While the cost of a poor T1 Is usually quite obvious with athletes missing bike groups it can be less apparent with T2 but this was certainly similar to Hayden Wilde in Paris and even more impactful over short distance events. 

So transitions are really a fluid part of a triathlon, not just fixed points between mount and dismount lines. Every part of the swim and bike contribute to how well transitions go and ultimately how the race will go. And going back to our 1st example how a series might end.

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