Race report for the Tweed Enduro 24 Feb 2024
Written by Deb🌟
Round 4 of the North Coast Interclub League was like a wild rollercoaster ride today. After a week of scorching heat, we weren’t sure what to expect. But boy, were there some surprises and shocks!
Let’s start with the good stuff: after watching the sun rise out of the ocean (which was pretty special) we didn’t have to swim much; just a few float-and-turn arm movements or for some, crocodile crawling. Yes, it was that fast! Record swims today. The cycling part started off well too with a nice tailwind pushing us towards Wooyung. But then, we had to turn around and face the wind head-on. And that’s when things went downhill… or should I say uphill, as we had to run in the heat and humidity. The initial excitement of racing quickly turned into “Why am I doing this?” moments. But hey, we made it to the finish line, and the promise of a massage was like a light at the end of the tunnel.
Speaking of massages, the Byron Breakers, practically took over all the massage tables. Actually we did take them over. It was like a stampede of sore muscles!
Our team’s performance was like a rollercoaster itself—ups and downs, twists and turns, but always thrilling. Jaime, decided to up the ante by entering the open category. He's technically retired now and claims he wanted more fun and competition but we all know it's because his Mum and Aunty was there! He snagged 2nd place and was 4th overall among the guys. No.1 breaker!
John Rueth, a newbie with the Breakers, also made his mark by landing on the podium in 3rd place. And Nick Engerer, showed his potential by securing his first podium finish. We've never seen him so happy especially now that he’s beating Huw at bowling and triathlons! Why are all the young ones so determined to beat Huw 🤔
Gracie, our unstoppable female breaker, was the first to cross the finish line, leaving Huw in her dust. She even snagged 2nd place overall among the ladies.
Our beloved Italian and swimming maestro, Filippo, lost his swim advantage today, coming in as the 4th breaker home. Even the best have off days!
Huw, our resilient breaker, has come to terms with being the bridesmaid after some injury setbacks. But hey, 2nd place is nothing to sneeze at—especially considering the competition and the targets on his back 🎯
Unassuming Will Glasson, who often slides into the races announced, continues to climb the ranks, snagging 4th place in his competitive age group. He's claiming it’s all thanks to his new, super-amazing bike but we all know he's been secret training in Tenterfield.
Robyn, our determined hunter, is hot on the trail of Deb and is sure to catch her soon, sharing the podium with her once again!
Mark Stephan’s return to the warm, humid climate of Byron after a stint in cooler Victoria was a bit of a shock to his system. He can't get used to not wearing a wetsuit! But hey, he still managed to crack the top 10.
Determined to race on his gravel bike, Mick Donnelly’s triumphant return from injury landed him in 7th place, proving that nothing can keep a good breaker down.
Sandra Killen was determined not to miss out on the action, so she hopped off her flight from New Zealand and secured an impressive 2nd place.
Nerida Clarke, our ever-determined breaker, always threatens to quit if she finishes last. But with a solid 72nd place out of 120, it looks like she’s not going anywhere anytime soon. Oh I best mention that Nerida got first place but I'm sure you'd guessed that!
As the sprinters pack up and head off to their next adventure, it’s time for the Enduro-ist's to shine! The hard core.
David Mildren, with a remarkable time of 4 hours and 43 minutes, managed to secure 3rd place in the 45 to 49 age group, and that’s after stopping to fix not one, but two flat tyres abd help with a flipped over motorcycle. Talk about determination!
Byron Haywood, Splash n Dash specialist making his debut in his first Breaker race and long course, had a fantastic showing, finishing 15 seconds in front of Will and securing 7th place in the 30-34 age group. Go Byron 🤔 that's confusing!
Will Bennet, who may have underestimated his own abilities claiming he’d likely finish in 300th place, managed to clinch 3rd place. But hey, we all knew he had it in him!
Simon, after his wheelie mishap at Hervey Bay, has been deliberating for weeks which wheels to use for today. But guess what? He made the right decision to use his old ones (as glue-ons are the thing of the past apparently) and he took 5th place! Way to roll, Simon!
Claire, who arrived with her personal coach in tow, was definitely feeling the pressure. But she was determined not to disappoint, and boy, did she deliver! She took home a medal with a fantastic 2nd place finish in her age group.
So, that’s a wrap from us at the Tweed Enduro. All in all, it was a day filled with sweat, laughs, and a few “ouch” moments. But that’s what makes it all worth it, right?
A HUGE thanks as always to our supporters Beck, John, Joana and Peter. Your cheering is inspiring.
And lastly THANK YOU to our official photographer Charlie Azz who couldn't race today but took the time out to shoot for us. His pics are coming soon.
In summary we had
3 x 1sts
4 x 2nds
5 x 3rds
2 x 4ths
1 x 5th
2 x 7ths
1 x 9th
That's 18 in the top ten 💪 Check it out.
Sprint Distance: 750m swim - 20km cycle - 5km run
Jaime C 1:04:22 2nd Open Div
John R 1:09:01 3rd 40-44
Filippo O 1:10:29 4th 30-34
Nick E 1:12:02 3rd 35-39
Gracie R 1:13:51 1st 25-29
Huw J 1:14:01 2nd 60-64
Will G 1:15:10 4th 40-44
Deb F 1:20:26 1st 60-64
Robyn D 1:22:30 3rd 60-64
Mark S 1:23:54 9th 50-54
Mick D 1:25:54 7th 55-59
Sandra K 1:26:28 2nd 65-69
Nerida C 1:42 1st 70-74
Long course: 1100m swim - 90km cycle - 21.1km run
David M 4:43:58 3rd 45-49
Byron H 4:55:05 7th 30-34
Will B 4:55:20 3rd 50-54
Simon M 5:04:04 5th 50-54
Claire O 6:01:49 2nd 60-64
