Bassetlaw Tri Club proudly hosted their annual Sprint Triathlon on 17th August, an event that has firmly established itself as a highlight on the regional race calendar since 2013! The event offers something for everyone — from first timers to experienced triathletes — with a 400m pool swim, a 24km cycle through the surrounding villages of Worksop, and a 5km road run finishing around Worksop Leisure Centre. In the lead-up to the race, the club ran a training day designed to give newcomers a taste of the triathlon experience and build confidence ahead of the big day. This year’s event had a fantastic turnout, with athletes from across the East Midlands and Yorkshire taking part. Clubs spotted on the day included Bassetlaw Tri Club themselves, Mansfield Tri Club, Chesterfield Tri Club, Wolds Breakfast Club, Manvers, Newark, and Louth — a true showcase of the vibrant triathlon community.
The event that had been months in the planning was started by Councillor Julie Leigh, leader of Bassetlaw District Council, who set the first wave of swimmers off at 8.10am on a perfect morning for the event. Some 126 keen triathletes of mixed experience took on the challenge of the sprint event with all but three finishing. Leading the pack home in the open category was Phillip Williams from Lincoln Triathlon club in a time of one hour and 5 minutes. For the women it was Charlotte Buck claiming a creditable finish time of one hour and 20 minutes. The event was also open to relay teams where each member took on one of the disciplines each. In the open event Chesterfield Triathlon Club prevailed with a team that included a wheelchair-based athlete who completed the swim, showing that the sport can be all inclusive. Talking at the event, head coach Lorraine Murphy from the Chesterfield Triathlon Club commented: “We like to support a local event that is open to anyone. We had 15 members from the club and had winners in six of the different categories.”
In a similar vein, Jo Hunt from the Wolds Breakfast Club, based at Louth, said: “It’s a great event and we had 14 members enter in what is a very local event for us.” Darren Raines, chair of the Bassetlaw Triathlon Club, added: “I must take this opportunity to thank Kat for all the time and dedication she’s pumped into making 2025 another successful year. The importance of our event allows us to remain sustainable as a club and gives us the chance to invest in our members, keep costs incurred by club members to a minimum and help us remain relevant in the local community. Kat has received glowing feedback from both competitors and British Triathlon Officials in attendance on the day. An outstanding achievement by both Kat and the team she put together. I would like to thank every single club member, their families and friends that gave up their time to volunteer and support the club, it really wouldn’t be possible to host without you.”
Darren also acknowledged the financial support that the Worksop Charter Trustees had provided to ensure the event went ahead as the costs for such an event continue to rise. The club already has thoughts in mind for the event next year and any local businesses, large or small, who may be interested in sponsoring the event would be encouraged to contact the club through their website: http://www.bassetlawtriclub.co.uk.