police world Edition 1 2013

Article

The Triathlon Group, one of Section UK’s Special Interest Groups (SIG), completed its first international adventure, at the Stockholm open triathlon - August, 2012. GOING THE EXTRA MILE F our members of the Group raced in this standard distance triathlon (1500m swim / 40k bike / 10k run). race numbers in their wave were a different colour to everyone else Ian Tyers, Mike Griffin, Graham Kay and James Johnson

and they had their names on them! The competition looked lean - their wetsuits fitted like gloves. Their bikes were quality pieces of kit and they had those ‘go-faster’, pointy, super- aerodynamic helmets... somehow the Group were competing in the Swedish National Championships! One of the Tri-WAGS grabbed the announcer’s microphone and bellowed encouragement and good wishes to the English racers from the IPA. The race turned out to be a triumph. Ian described what happened, “ I started well and exited the swim ahead of the others. The Spirit incurred a two minute penalty on the bike for drafting (tucking in behind the guy in front to shelter from the wind). This meant he was just pipped at the finish by Gadgetman who finished in 2hrs 15mins as top Brit. Fishman had a mechanical problem with his bike and lost ground. I eventually crossed the line in 2hrs 27mins. I had completed a wholly unnecessary 4th lap of the Old Town, rather than finish after 3 laps like everyone else.” When Ian was asked how he had been so stupid, in literally going an extra mile, he declined official comment! And so it was over – with each of the Group finishing as top Brit in their age group (they were the only Brits competing). Gadgetman finished 32nd overall. The Spirit was 44th; Jellyman 71st (would have been 40th) and Fishman came in 86th. Personal bests were set, much fun was had, and Tessa thoroughly recommended it as a spectator friendly sport! After recovering the Group donned their IPA UK Section Triathlon Team polo shirts and headed off to police HQ for a great time with Stockholm members. The junior members of the team were also treated to a tour of the HQ building and given a ride in a mobile police command centre vehicle. Thanks are due to both Devon branch and 7 Region for their support of this trip in providing funds which were used towards the race entry fees and team polo shirts. The Group has been set up with a vision to compete with colleagues abroad at least once a year and to host colleagues at an annual event in the UK to create an international community of triathlete cops.

Having researched the location of IPA houses in european cities which also host triathlons, Ian Tyers, from Devon branch, made contact with Swedish President May-Britt Rinaldo, and quicker than he could change from a wetsuit to a pair of cycling shorts, he had booked the 14 bed IPA house in Rissne, Stockholm for the group. Such is the camaraderie in the Group that they refer to each other with nicknames: - Ian ‘Jellyman’ Tyers, Mike ‘The Spirit’ Griffin, Graham ‘Fishman’ Kay and James ‘Gadgetman’ Johnson.” The four were supported by their long suffering partners (affectionately known as the Tri-WAGS), William and Ollie - junior members of the team plus the Group’s cheerleader in chief, Cornwall branch Chair, Tessa Adams. On arrival the house manager, Britt-Inger, welcomed and familiarised the Group with the locality. The next day dawned and it suddenly occurred to the Group that their ‘planning’ had meant that they had not considered how they would get to the race start line with their bikes by 7am - bikes being banned on the tube train! The thought of a 45 minute cycle at 6.15am prior to a 2 ½ hr race was not attractive. A SOS message was sent to Brit-Inger and before long the Group’s bikes were delivered to the office of an IPA member at the central Stockholm police HQ - some three minutes from the start line. Help from their new IPA friends had averted a real problem. The day before the open event, the world’s best - fresh from the olympics - fought it out in a ‘sprint’ distance world series event around the city centre. The locals cheered Swedish silver medallist, Lisa Norden, to victory in the female event and the Brits celebrated a fine victory for olympic bronze medallist, Jonathan Brownlee – who moved into lead position in the world series. Race day for the Group arrived, as alarms woke the athletes at 5.15am. The bikes were collected from colleagues at Stockholm police HQ and competitors prepared for the race. The last minute instructions were bellowed out in Swedish - the Group was none the wiser but was confident as they had read their English copy of the pre-race instructions. ‘The Spirit’ then noticed that the

Shaun Keen and Ian Tyers

Linda Dabbs  If you are interested in joining the Triathlon Group please get in touch with Ian Tyers at: triathlon@ipa-uk.org

Three members of the Triathlon Group, along with four guests also took part in the London triathlon on the weekend of 22 - 23 September, 2012. Over two days some 13,000 competitors, including celebrities, took part in a range of events all based at the Excel Centre in Docklands. Plymouth member, Shaun Keen, had opted for the 1.5k swim, 80k bike and 10k run. The worst aspects of this choice meant that, firstly, he would have to plunge into the coffee coloured, aviation- diesel-tasting depths of the Royal Victoria Dock at 6.30 am. Secondly, he would not be able to join the others for a pre-event meal the night before. Fortunately for him this decision meant he had the best of the weather for the race and was done and dusted in 3hrs 35 mins. Shaun’s excellent performance saw him finish 17th out of 132 competitors, and 3rd in his age group. Devon member, Ian Tyers, beat his previous personal best overall time of 2hrs 24 mins. He ended the day 2nd in his age group. Linda Dabbs, also from Devon branch, despite facing the worst of the day’s weather, raced to a time of 2hrs 40 mins and finished an impressive 9th in her age group.

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Police World Vol 58 No.1 2013