Best yet Triathlon
THE Montgomery Canal Triathlon—Bikes, Boats 'n' Boots—was the biggest yet, with nearly 300 people taking part, writes Judith Richards, on behalf of the organising committee.
This was the third Montgomery Canal Triathlon, held on the 10th May, and we were surprised and delighted to find that there were twice as many people joining us this year. Those who cycled, canoed and walked from one end of the canal to the other were helped by a large number of local supporters at locks and road crossings and at the changeover from one section to the next.
Coped well
Our volunteer team coped very well with the extra numbers, and received many thanks and much appreciation from many taking part. We are very grateful to everyone who took part or helped and to the organisations which lent us canoes for the day.
With entrants coming this year from as far as Cornwall, Norfolk and Suffolk, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Kent and Lancashire, the Triathlon is a great event to show everything that the Montgomery Canal means to our area. Apart from a few showers, the weather was kind, and many who took part were glad that it was not too warm. The rain did make parts of the towpath in Shropshire a bit difficult and we hope that one day it can be brought up to the standard of the towpath across the border.
Among the changes to be seen along the canal this year the most significant is the finished canal below Redwith Bridge, where volunteers of the Shropshire Union Canal Society have spent the last few years relining a long-dry length which will soon be back in water. With the extra people taking part, the start at Newtown had to be put back to 8.30am where the Mayor of Newtown, Councillor Rina Clarke, started the cyclists. At Welshpool, where bicycles were exchanged for canoes, the proceedings were supervised by the Welshpool Town Mayor, Cllr John Meredith.
Notable achievements
Moses Tumukende, of Newtown, set himself the target of running all 35 miles and beating the triathletes. He succeeded in a time of 4 hours 48 minutes.
Jean Ashley, from Malpas, Cheshire, took half an hour off the previous quickest time to finish in 5 hours 15 minutes
Scarlett Carter's parents from Suffolk took the two year old with them to complete the whole course
David Greenwood, a blind veteran from Llandudno cycled from Newtown to Welshpool with a guide on a tandem, and they then went on to Llanymynech in a two man kayak.
A team calling themselves the Liverbirds, who entered on a tandem and used an inflatable canoe, raised over £800 for the Midland Air Ambulance.
Richard Parry
A number of entrants raised money by sponsorship including Richard Parry, Chief Executive of the Canal & River Trust, who has so far raised over £2,000 in sponsorship for the Trust. Taking part in the event, Mr Parry missed an important canal restoration conference in Birmingham, but he was able to send delegates a video message from the towpath. After he had finished the 35 miles journey, Mr Parry presented medallions to entrants: gold if all three sections had been completed, silver for two and bronze for one.
The Triathlon is organised by Friends of the Montgomery Canal and the Shrewsbury, District & North Wales branch of the Inland Waterways Association and supports the Maesbury Canal Festival to be held on the 6th and 7th of September 2014.