Solid swim for a tough course. No westuit, run in, serious chop and JELLYFISH. Got stung hard at the turnaroud. I was very happy with my performance, steady pace well under all-out effort. Best OWS effort of season

Well T1 starts with a 50m run off the beach then a 300m run up a VERY STEEP road to the transition area. Some people bought shoes down to the beach, I did not want 3 transitions so I sucked it up. Past 3-4 people up the hill.

Upside - T1 sure is easy with no wetsuit

I was on a borrowed bike (better than average steel road bike in excellent mechanical condition) that I did not turn one pedal stroke of until I was coming out of T1. Worked fine - THANKS to Tzach Goren the owner of Time Trial (The only Triathlon store in Israel)

3 laps with a couple of small hills plus some wind, but a fast course. DRAFTING RACE! I hammered the first lap with a couple of guys trying to stick on my wheel (I dropped them), then two guys caught up to me and the three of us hammered the next 2 loops. Not really a paceline, but a pack. Picked up 2 other guys. Passed and dropped everyone else. The race leader was off the front and we never saw him, then 4 of us came into T2 together in 2-5th place

Decent transition, out of T2 in 5th place

I was hurting from the bike effort and the serious heat and humidity. Poured water over my head at every aid station. Watched 5 people pass me without the ability to catch up. None of them were in my age group (35-39) so I convinced myself it was okay. Then I was aged up to 40-44. I was 1st in that group out of T2 and 3rd at the finish. Oh well!

Get my head together and do not let so many people pass me.

Heat, racing on vacation, borrowed bike


Great event! Two adult races, 2 junior races. Well organized. Excellent course. Good awards ceremony. Nice tophies (in Hebrew). Cool idea - they also give awards for fastest swim, bike and run segments.