1993 Worlds in Manchester
Posting this reminds me that I need to finish the work I started about Ben Bright and the summer of 1992. Here’s Part One.
I tried to qualify for these worlds in the 20-24 age-group. It was a team of 6 back then. I didn’t make it. But I can’t remember how close I got. I was going to go and watch. But I raced locally on the same day instead.
The thinking back then. One year before draft-legal racing came to the World Cup Series. Was that if you put some hills in the first few kilometres it would break up the pack and create a fair race.
It kind of worked on this occasion. The podiums included all the big bikers. Ritchie, Smyers, Jones, Carter, Lessing and Smith.
Karen Smyers is definitely in my top-5 female triathletes of all time. When ranking athletes I consider winnability, longevity, history making and competitive range. That’s 4th (1989), 1st (1990), 9th (1991), 6th (1992) and 2nd (1993) for her in Worlds so far.
And as Triathlete (FR) states (below). Smith was Simply The Beast.
My main take-away from this race in the end was sartorial. I ended up dumping the Speedo for Hamish Carter’s cycling shorts-look. I still dress like that for any gun-to-taping today.
Take another look at the Carter photo. There’s the famous 220 / Human Race tabs-on-table wrist-band. Cut-off drops. And a bike that looks like it has been doing battle around Europe for a few months.
