Five Barbados triathletes participate in East Coast Triathlon Festival

The four from Barbados, Fynn Armstrong (16), Isis Gaskin (16), Luke McIntyre (14), Cain Banfield (14) and Zindzele Renwick-Williams (12) fought to the end and stayed in the game displaying attitudes of toughness and resilience.

Five Barbados triathletes participate in East Coast Triathlon Festival
Five Barbados triathletes participate in East Coast Triathlon Festival

Barbados: The five triathletes who braved conditions and participated for the first time in the ‘East Coast Triathlon Festival in Richmond, Virginia, were challenged by swimming without the advantage of a wetsuit and in frigid sub-20 degree Celsius conditions for the first time.

The four from Barbados, Fynn Armstrong (16), Isis Gaskin (16), Luke McIntyre (14), Cain Banfield (14) and Zindzele Renwick-Williams (12) fought to the end and stayed in the game displaying attitudes of toughness and resilience.

Zindzele was one of only eleven 12-year-olds in the elite youth division (375m swim; 10km ride; 2.5km run) and as with the other boys in the youth division, he exited the lake in 47th place and maintained his position in the ride. His strong run enabled him to advance to fourth place amongst his 12-year-old peers.

Luke was well positioned to continue to shine in the elite youth division (375m swim; 10km ride; 2.5km run), until the weather stepped in and in the cold waters he developed breathing difficulties and chest constriction. He struggled in the swim, coming out of the water 18th instead of his expected top five position. In the absence of a bike pack, he struggled to maintain a fast bike pace, but succeeded in keeping his overall position in the race. Going into the run he was able to advance to a 14th place finish with the 6th fastest run of the race, perhaps not the result he had hoped for but still a creditable finish considering the challenging nature of the event.

Cain Banfield was expecting to be very competitive in the elite youth division (375m swim; 10km ride; 2.5km run but again the weather proved to be more of a factor than he anticipated. Cain had to work hard in the swim in sub 20C water, still achieving a great 5th place out of the water and out of transition in one of the lead bike packs. With the unexpectedly cold swim, and suffering from a bout sickness developed overnight, Cain was unable to maintain his expected ride performance and fell back to 9th place in the ride. Clearly running sub-par, he struggled to finish the course, eventually finishing at 30th of fifty-nine competitors.

It was also tough for Fynn Armstrong in the Juniors elite 16-19 age group sprint triathlon distance (750m swim, 20km bike ride and 5km run) and he struggled to find his pace in the swim and then the ride, settling for 62nd out of seventy competitors. Having completed his first swim in a wetsuit Fynn reports that although it kept him protected from the cold, the restrictive effect of the suit will require much more practice before he can effectively compete in those conditions.

Isis Gaskin competed in the Juniors elite 16-19 age group sprint triathlon distance (750m swim, 20km bike ride and 5km run). Swimming in a borrowed wetsuit, she acquitted herself well, bettering her bronze medal winning Carifta time in November last year by some 8 minutes in adverse conditions and coming 53rd out of sixty-three competitors. Isis, one of the younger competitors in this age group has another two years in these age group and expects to be better prepared the next time. 

A commendable effort by all and this would certain do them well as they look forward to more performances in varying conditions.