The 1993 Ironbridge Triathlon

In the early-90s the Ironbridge Triathlon was a big deal on the UK triathlon scene. It was organised by the 220 magazine crew. And I raced every year from 1992 to 1995.

1991 was an ironman distance event. It even had Kona slots. Every year after that was kind of middle distance (2500m/80km/20km).

Ironbridge in 1992 also introduced the afternoon start. Normal in France. But I’d never experienced it before in the UK. The last finisher was greeted by fireworks. And post-race beers could be had in the High Street. While a live band played.

Images: 220 (UK) September 1993

This article is from 1993. Bianca Van Woesik and Eimert Vanderbosch won. Greg Welch stopped at a pub on the run course to buy a sandwich.

The race was also part of the ITP Tour. A kind of an independant World Cup Series that intended to preserve historic draft-free events. Like St. Croix, Chicago and the World Cup on the Gold Coast. As draft-legal racing was the near-future goal of the ITU.

I finished in the mid-twenties in 1993. Before pushing into the top-ten in 1994 and then a podium spot in 1995.

More Ironbridge reports coming soon. But you get a pretty good idea of the course and atmosphere from the video below.