Bala Triathlon 2021 Race Report
Peter Heron
After a three year gap (the race was last held in 2018), the Bala Triathlon finally returned! A long awaited event is re-added to the race callender. This year (2021), Bala was also included in the clubs race series, hence there was a big turnout of 22 club athletes competing. Plus almost as many family and friends travelled to support. Bala Triathlon is part of the Welsh Triathlon Series that also comprises of the Porthcawl Triathlon, and the Pembrokeshire Coast Triathlon. At Bala, athletes are split into 3 waves, there’s actually an additional wave of elite athletes heading-off at an earlier start time. Over 450 registered for the race which race is broadcast on S4C a couple of times throughout September.
Bala is a 2 hour drive from the most northerly part of Sefton, and only 1 hour from deepest Wirral so is easily accessible for all club members. That said, many chose to either camp, glamp, caravan, or stay at a local backpackers hostel to make a weekend of it. Note that the choice of pubs and eateries in the town aren’t great! There are a couple of decent places, e.g. White Lion Royal Hotel, Cyfnod Cafe & Bistro, that need to be booked in advance.
For those staying the night before, you are actively encouraged not to park at the kerbside in any of the local streets in and around Bala, as that causes issues with local residents. It’s possible to pre-book car parking at the local Coop.
Race morning
Car parking is available in a large nearby field (£5) less than a 10 minute walk from transition.
The weather was hot and sunny. The whole area, usually devoted to Bala Adventure & Watersports Centre, was transformed into a very large well managed transition area accommodating the 450 bikes.
Transition
A single transition, built on the site of Bala Adventure & Watersports Centre. Hugh area set aside with plenty of room. Partly grass, and partly flat cobblestone / paving.
Swim
The lake (Ltyn Tegid) was flat as a millpond and a warm 15°. The two turnaround large orange buoys were easy to sight-on. It was a deep water start without too much waiting around, with athletes split into 3 distinct waves, each entering the water roughly in 5 minute intervals. The mass start was really exciting. For me personally, I had a bit of a wobble and took a good 10 minutes to find some rhythm, and sort breathing out. All settled after that.
Bike
Gently undulating, closed roads, out and back route, with around 283m of elevation. Watch out for the short uphill exit from transition to the main road - be ready in a low gear (unlike me)! A minor point but kilometre markers every 5 or 10k or so, on route would have been useful
Run
Flat, closed roads, with only 66m of elevation. As it was an out and back route, that gave the opportunity to almost always be in sight of a fellow club member and an opportunity to cheer each other on.
Results
Race results HERE, and photos HERE
Club Results HERE, and image above...
Pros
Easily accessible for all club members and an amazing beautiful setting
A great family experience, especially if camping / glamping and making a weekend of it
Closed roads for Bike and Run
Good, clear pre-race instructions
Great, encouraging support at start, en-route and finish
Gently undulating roads with around 283m of elevation will suit most people, even those like me who don’t like hills!
Very well organised with live commentary that clearly came from someone with race experience
Televised race footage on S4C (don’t forget to smile!)
If you like your bling, you'll love the finishers medal which is heavy and embossed
Cons
Expensive at £107 (including card booking fee). But the race organizer has to budget for use of the local sailing club land, and paying Gwynedd for the closed roads. All a bit of a trade-off but on balance it’s worth the extra outlay. The race t-shirts at £20 a pop was just plain crazy and a missed advertising opportunity for the race organizer!
No pre-race start list. It’s always good to see which team-mates have entered.
Swim exit becomes shallow and rocky underfoot which adds time to the swim. Not a game changer but worth mentioning especially for those who might not be as steady on their feet as others! Matting could have been laid in the shallows to ease the discomfort.
Long wait to collect bikes from transition post race. Might have been caused by the shared narrow gap being used to enter and exit the transition area. To be fair, should add that a little later, they did organize ‘in’ one side and ‘out’ at the other side of transition which sped things up.
Car parking fee could have been free or built into the overall race cost given it [parking] appeared to be a grassy fallow field
Not part of the event but to add that Bala High Street in the evening isn’t the best place to visit unless an eatery is pre-booked.
The Acid Test. Would I go back again?
Yes absolutely! The race organizers pulled out all the stops. This has to remain in the club schedule.