The last event on the BUCS calendar before the summer break, the BUCS triathlon championships will be a fitting end to what has been a fantastic year of university sport. Combining swimming, running and cycling, triathlon tests well rounded athletes from across the world.
When and Where?
The BUCS Triathlon championships will take place in Norwich on 25 June. The swim will take place first on the Great Broad, followed by the run and the swim taking place on the perimeter of the Great Broad. The picturesque route, especially during the cycle on the South Norfolk Route, will be a real treat for the athletes at the championships.
How does it work?
The BUCS Triathlon Championships is the length of a standard triathlon. The first event is a 1500m lake swim, followed by a 40km bike and the 10km run. The athlete that finishes the elements first will take home the gold medal.
Triathlon is partially such an entertaining sport in that athletes have to master all three disciplines as best as they can. Any weaknesses will be exposed during the course of the race. Additionally, the strengths of the athletes in different disciplines results in the constant shifting of placement in the overall standings, making for a very dynamic leaderboard. The dominant athlete after the swim will not necessarily win the BUCS triathlon championships.
Each institution is able to request an unlimited number of entries, but where necessary BUCS can restrict the number of competitors. This will mean that the BUCS triathlon championships should be a busy and lively event throughout, with students coming from across the country to compete.
There are three categories for the BUCS triathlon championships. The men’s and women’s championships hold equal BUCS points, with 12 being taken home by the winning athlete. There is also an Overall team category, where the winning team will take home 20 BUCS points. The fastest three competitors per institution will have their times combined, with the lowest total winning the event.
Overall, the BUCS triathlon championships promise to be a great event to cap off a stellar year of BUCS sport. Testing well-rounded athletes to their limits, it will be a fantastic event to watch and follow, with some great competition from the best university athletes in the country.