European Middle Distance Aquabike Championships, Pamplona, 17 May 2025

This was my first outing as a British Triathlon Age Group athlete, having finally got to live the dream that began in 2022, to represent GB Age Group. Initially aiming to qualify for the 2024 world Championships standard distance Aquabike, through the St Neots qualifying event held in September 2023 (thought I’d registered intent with the British Triathlon Federation (BTF) but hadn’t) and in May 2024 (where I did register but missed out on a qualifying place). Not accepting defeat, I looked for alternatives, but with standard distance qualifying events limited in number, I decided to try for a middle distance place. No qualifying races for this distance, I just had to be good enough to be within 20% of the age group winner, or if the Aquabike field was small, the age group Triathlon winner (Swim, T1 and bike times).

I opted for the Cleveland Steelman in July 2024, my first middle distance event and I couldn’t have asked for more, I was my age group winner, quickest in the age group below and within 104% of the Triathlon age group winner’s time. I notified BTF of my times, then had to wait until November, when qualifying athletes were to be informed. The day came and an email from BTF landed in my inbox. Wow, what a feeling! It took a while for it to sink in, but when it did, my thoughts turned to how I was going to capitalise on this opportunity. First of all was an assessment of my self coaching with the help of off-shelf free and paid for programmes, the latter from Training Peaks. While they were good enough to get me where I currently was, I doubted they would be good enough to get me where I needed and wanted to be. Enter Catenary Coaching, who I was aware of through my daughter Sarah. Working with Tim since December 2023 I made good progress.

I travelled down from Durham to Manchester on the Tuesday to fly to Bilbao and transfer by coach to Pamplona on the Wednesday. On the Thursday, I had a pre-race bike check before registering for the race and getting my numbers, swim cap and various bags for the recovery of kit from the split transition area. On the Friday I took the bike to the run finish/registration where it was going to be shipped to the lake and racked in transition ready for the race the following day then had a long wait until the final team briefing and photographs at 19:30.

Finally, the day I had been waiting 10 months for, came. Race day. The coach journey to the lake revealed little of the bike course, other than the downhill from the lake, steep, numerous hairpin bends and adverse cambers and the warning from the race briefing the night before resonating in everyone’s minds. With a 13:50 start here was plenty of time to check and re-check the bike, helmet, nutrition, hydration, and that everything was in the right bag and the right bag had been dropped in the cage from which they would be collected and transported back to transition 2. There was even time for an acclimatisation swim in the lake.

A few more checks and we were herded into transition, standing by our bikes and ready to be escorted to the lakeside for a rolling start of the swim. The water was a comfortable 18 degrees. I was pleased to have acclimatised, the water temperature felt more comfortable as a result. The swim is not my strongest of the two disciplines, and although acclimatised, it still took a while to get into a rhythm, but I eventually got there, of sorts. A quick look at the watch on exiting confirmed a reasonable swim, not my best, but a big improvement on my only other event this year. Out of the lake and up the 200+ metre ramp to transition, which although new to me, went surprisingly well. Helmet, shades, shoes and gloves out of bag and on, wetsuit, hat and goggles into the empty bag, onto the peg, out of the tent and to the bike.

Conscious of the pre-race warnings while winding through the lakeside village, the first descent appeared. It didn’t look any different to the descents and bends found nearer home in the Peak District, Lakes or Durham Pennines, perhaps the only difference was the wonderful road surface. I started to pick off a few riders and as I approached the first bend I could clearly see the lines I was going to take and off I went, not so much throwing caution to the wind, but riding to my ability, taking the right line, sitting back into the saddle when breaking and then accelerating out of the bend. What a start to a race, I was loving it.

About 20km in, I saw a fellow competitor on the hard shoulder of the road ahead of me, bike upside down and mending a puncture. As I passed, I heard a loud hissing sound, thinking the worst, I stopped and checked both tyres, only to find both fully inflated. What I had heard was the sound of the unfortunate cyclist’s CO2 canister ejecting its contents. Panic over, I resumed and put in the effort needed to recover the ground lost.

I continued to pick off cyclists, had a bit of ‘tooing’ and ‘frowing’ with a couple of riders, taking the lead one minute, then conceding it the next. With almost 900 metres of elevation, the course was a little lumpy in places, but nothing worse than some of the long rides I’d done nearer home. Another downhill section complete with hairpins added a bit more spice to the ride which was generally on well paved roads and bar a couple of steep climbs, one to a hilltop village the other leading to the finish, would be classed as rolling.

With 10km to go and the finish almost in sight, it was time to turn up the pace. Up the last hill, through the corner of the park and there was the finish, over the line, and done. What a race! One I will remember for a long time.

I was placed 13th after the swim, finishing in 7th place in my age group, 5th Brit and 119th overall. Thanks to #CatenaryCoaching and support from friends and family. Bring on the next one.

Bryan Harding