Northumberland Festival of Sport Standard Distance Aquabike, 31 May 2026

My first event of the year, one I’d been looking forward to. Training had been going well and I felt prepared and ready for the test. I had previously competed at standard distance Aquabike, but the last one in May 2024 was before I stepped up to middle distance.

Arriving at race HQ in good time, I got to the registration desk only to find there was no envelope for my race number. Officials searched all the tables but the envelope with my number was nowhere to be seen. A new number was allocated and helmet, bike, race numbers and the right colour swim hat sourced. Not the ideal race preparation. 

I made my way to transition, racked the bike, donned the wet suit and headed off to the start. Reports of 12-13°C water temperature were unfounded and entering the water for acclimatisation the water felt great. Out of the water I made my way to the start, to wait for my wave to be called. The moment came, back in the water, I checked the watch I’d previously set, only to find the setting had timed out, I tried resetting as I made my way back to the start not the best idea, as countdown had started. Fortunately I decided to forget the watch and turn round just as the hooter signalled the start. Finding myself at the front was the best not the place to be! 

The ‘washing machine’ went through its cycle and somehow I was thrown out in one piece. The swim went reasonably well, I quickly got into a rhythm and covered the two laps in a time I was pleased with considering I’ve been nursing rotator cuff injuries to both shoulders since December last year.

Out of the lake and into transition went well, straight to my bike, only to find a co-competitor had spread her swim things all over my kit. With helmet on I dived in, recovered my shoes and put them on, but the faffing about I had to do cost a good few seconds.

I had a clean mount on to the bike and immediately started to claw back a few places. My legs felt unnaturally heavy and it took me a while to get into a comfortable rhythm, but once there, I started to pick off the riders in front. It was a good ride, on a course I was familiar with as  I’d ridden sections of it previously. I maintained a good pace through both laps of the bike course, starting in 14th position coming out of T1, finishing in 6th place overall, fifth male and 1st in my age group. A pleasing performance.

Bryan Harding