The Slough Demos Part 1: A Triathlon History Tour
Note: I had a few technical problesm with this one. I've got a new portable recorder. And I'm not yet accustomed to setting the correct levels for different situations. I'll probably re-record it. Cheers. Ross.
This is the first in a series of episodes called The Slough Demos. Mainly about what it was like growing up in Slough in the 1980s as a teenage triathlon nerd. TSP2: The Speed And The Sweat was about the first triathlon I ever did. In May 1989 in Wokingham. And these episodes will kind of follow on from that. With some prequel stuff too.
So. Slough is a medium sized town slightly to the West of London.
Here’s some Wikipedia:
Slough is a town in Berkshire, England, in the Thames Valley 32 km west of central London at the intersection of the M4, M40 and M25 motorways. In 2021, the Borough of Slough had a population of 158,500. Note from me. In 1991. About when this episode is set, the population was 101,000.
Slough's population is one of the most ethnically diverse in the United Kingdom, attracting people from across the country and the world for labour since the 1920s, which has helped shape it into a major trading centre. In 2017, unemployment stood at 1.4%, one-third the UK average of 4.5%.
Slough has the highest concentration of UK Headquarters of global companies outside London. Slough Trading Estate is the largest industrial estate in single private ownership in Europe, with over 17,000 jobs in 400 businesses. Blackberry, McAfee, Burger King, DHL, Telefonica and Lego have head offices in the town.
Since 1932 Slough has also been the home of Mars Food UK Limited. Growing up, if the wind was blowing in the right direction, I could enjoy the strong smell of industrial chocolate at my home in Chalvey.
The history of the trading estate is also an interesting one. The website of the current owners, SEGRO, has some good info. And here’s a video on their YT channel. It seems to have been produced around 1950.
The most interesting part of the film for me is the part about recreational facilities provided for the trading estate workers. At the Slough Community Centre and The Centre Stadium.
My triathlon club, Berkshire Tri Squad, used to train in the 33m pool. And my football team would train on the field inside the velodrome. Here’s some more information from the Slough Museum website. The facilities were demolished in 1997 and a new complex was built on the site.
Yet outside of this prosperity. The town centre is now kinda grotty. IMO.
However. It was a great place to start triathlon in the late-80s. Slough is connected to London. So I could get to places like The Sweatshop, Sigma Sport or Geoffrey Butler Cycles. But the town also has easy access to the countryside for bike rides. Which I started doing when I was maybe 15.
There were also swimming pools. Like Montem in Slough and the Magnet in Maidenhead. Several strong local running clubs. And triathlon clubs in nearby Reading. Thames Valley Triathletes. Probably the UK's first triathlon club. Formed in 1983.
And a new club that started at the end of 1988. By some ex-TVT members. Berkshire Tri Squad. This is the one that I joined. Although initially based in Reading. The centre of club life would eventually move eastwards to the Slough, Windsor, Burnham and Maidenhead area.
There were also plenty of local events. The Wokingham Tri A Try. That would be my first ever triathlon participation. The Arborfield Triathlon. Based out of the Army Barracks. And The Windsor Triathlon. A monster of an event that was about to rise from the depths of the Thames in 1991.
Driving about an hour from Slough. We had The East Grinstead Triathlon. That also incorporated a junior event. The Kitchener Series in Biggleswade. And the Oxfordshire Triathlon in Bicester.
Also Berkshire Tri Squad were putting on monthly member-only triathlons on Wednesday nights. Out of a secret gravel pit location near Reading.
The inspiration for this episode came from a YouTube video on the Ginger Runner channel. Link in the show-notes. It’s with Ben Gibbard from the band Death Cab For Cutie. And he describes a 46 mile run he did through Seattle visiting famous local music landmarks. Here it is:
So here is a running tour of Slough that you can do to get an overview of the triathlon history that exists there. I was in Slough last week but didn’t get a chance to do the full loop. But I will definitely do it in July. And make a short YouTube video.
The early miles along the Bath Road are not pretty. But there’s some beautiful bits later. As we head through Eton and Windsor. The full tour is about 20 km. And you can stop for refreshments at the Cinnamon Cafe in Windsor. A very popular spot with cyclists. I might also put together a Slough Triathlon History cycling tour one day too.
I initially came up with a long list of 10 locations. That included personal triathlon history. And actual triathlon history. But then I took out most of the personal stuff. To present 6 sites that really impacted triathlon in the UK. One personal favourite. And one modern one that reflects how I’m triathloning today.
Our tour starts at Burnham Train Station. It’s on the Elisabeth Line. So if you want to run this tour you can link to it from London or Reading.
Opposite the station is Sandringham Court. This is where Rick Kiddle used to live. Rick was our local professional triathlete. And one of the best triathletes in the UK in the late-80s and early-90s.
Rick did his first triathlon in 1983 or 1984. Maybe at one of the London-area events. Such as Finsbury Park, The Princes Triathlon near Heathrow or the original London Triathlon at The Royal Victoria Dock.
In 1985 or 1986 Rick was also one of the first British triathletes to spend the winter training in San Diego.
The dream of young ambitious triathletes in the 80s. Was not only to compete in the Le Coq Sportif Grand Prix in the UK. Rick finished second in that competition in both 1987 and 1988. But eventually to test your short course skills on the USTS circuit in the States.
At the end of the 1987 season Rick wrote a report of his trip to the USTS Finals in Hilton Head. I’ll put that in the show-notes. And a link to the race video on YouTube. The report is really good. And the race looked super exotic for Slough dwellers. Choppy seas. A hot bike ride on wide American roads. And a run that included potions of sand and golf course.
Images: Tri-Athlete (UK) Nov-Dec 1987
The photo of Rick running that accompanies the article (above) was taken at the Grand Prix final in Milton Keynes, a few weeks before Hilton Head. He’s wearing a pair of Nike Spiridon gold. Definitely a shoe that I dreamt of having. But I never bought it. But that's a Story for another day.
Rick was also a member of some pretty iconic GB teams. I think he got his first GB cap at the DQ-fest in Venice in 1988. Then finished 27th at Avignon in 1989. An awesome result given the over-long swim, the importance of the day and previously unheard of depth of field. Earlier in the 1989 season Rick had also finished 18th at the Europeans in Portugal.
In 1990 there was an absolutely brilliant cover (below) of 220 magazine showing Rick and Simon Lessing running together. See it in the show-notes. The photo, by John Lillie, was taken at the European Short Course championships in Linz, Austria. There was a lot of drafting that day. And the race was won by Fons Hamblock. Rick had a solid run to finish 13th. Just 41 seconds behind Simon. Who finished 8th.
Image: 220 (UK) October 1990
Those Ron Hill vests from Linz are brilliant. With the iron-on GBR letters. Definitely a step up from the felt-tip technique used in Avignon. But still kinda chilled and artisanal. I’ve searched ebay for one. No luck yet.
Earlier in August Rick had finished 11th at the 1990 European Middle Distance Championships in Trier. And, although not his best distance, at the end of 1990 Rick did the Hawaii Ironman. The photo below was taken by 220’s John Lillie. Rick’s wearing a Leppin visor and a Tinley vest. Absolutely must-have pieces of kit back then.
Image: 220 (UK) November 1990
In 1989 Rick also won the British Long Course Championships that took place at Rother Valley Country Park near Sheffield. However, the first two athletes across the line. Glenn Cook and Robin Brew. Were disqualified for taking a wrong turn on the bike. Led that was by the lead vehicle incidentally. But kudos to Rick. He still had to take down bike-specialist Tim Stevens and uber-runner Chris Sly. To win the title.
That Rother Valley race has always been a head-scratcher to me. As it was only one week before Avignon. So the best British triathletes were going fullgas over the middle distance. Just a week out from the most important short course triathlon ever held. Did they not rate their chances?
Post-Avignon Rick was part of the Bedford Harriers team that swept the 1989 National Relays at Holme Pierrepont. I was there. And it was great to see Rick, Glenn Cook, Richard Hobson and Mark Marabini in full flight. But many people were asking the question. Was forming an elite composite team really in the spirit of club racing? More on that later.
Rick also did well in the big BBC televised races of the day. 4th at Southport in 1989. Then 6th at 1990 Portsmouth in 1990. And 9th at Portsmouth in 1991. See him finishing the Southport race from 20:15 in the video below. In fact, TSP9 is about that race.
Routing bike ride or runs past Rick Kiddle’s flat in Sandringham court was not really to stalk Rick. More to stalk his bike. As his Kestrel 4000 was often visible on his balcony. Where he kept it. In a time of high UK bike theft I’m not sure people would do this now.
I assume that Rick bought the Kestrel in the USA in the winter of 1987 and 1988. Maybe on that trip to Hilton Head. Because. Although at the Grand Prix season opener in Swindon he was on a carbon and aluminium frame covered in TNT Skypack stickers. Below By the Bedford round on 21st August he was using the Kestrel. As the October-November 1988 issue of Tri-Athlete (UK) shows a photo of it racked in transition. Also below.
Images:
Tri-Athlete (UK) July 1988
Tri-Athlete (UK) October-November 1988
Anyway he was our local pro triathlete to aspire to be like. And although I didn't know him or even speak to him before working for him. I think I told that story in TSP21. It was pretty exciting as an ambitious teenage triathlete to occasionally see Rick out training on my local roads.
Now we’ve got 3.5 km along the Bath Road and down Cippenham Lane to the Tuns Lane, Cippenham Lane and Church Street roundabout.
Honestly. This is not a super exciting stop on the tour. In 1990. An ugly glass and red aluminium structure appeared gradually about 2km from my house in Cippenham. It was constructed on a piece of wasteland on the northern borders of Chalvey. That we used to call The Pits. We’d use the place to ride our bikes. Enjoying the gravel and the jumps. Or just scramble up the steep canyon style walls on our hands and knees.
The building was The Copthorne Hotel Slough-Windsor. Although it's 100% only in Slough. I wondered at the time why Chalvey needed such a gigantic hotel. Or any hotel. But the Copthorne was of course right next to an M4 junction. And just 15km from Heathrow.
The connection to triathlon is that the Copthorne hosted the Windsor Triathlon registration. And maybe other stuff. Like the pasta party. Through the race's leisure centre years. That's from 1991 until 1994. Before the race moved into the centre of Windsor.
The Windsor Triathlon was a big deal for us as teenage tri-nerds. Because it brought a big race and top athletes to within 5km of our house. And of course. The 220 series, which Windsor was a part of, brought a new narrative and professionalism to the British triathlon calendar.
As I picked up my number every year I’d loiter at the small expo to spot some of my heroes. Cook, Smith or Hobson maybe.
From the Copthorne Hotel it's just 1 km of downhill running to our next location. 16 / 18 Chalvey Road East. The location of Dave Russell’s Shop.
This is where I used to pick up magazines, meet for rides and hang out to talk triathlon. As Dave had a lot of stories. His best one was definitely a detailed account of his time in Avignon wrenching for the GBR team at the 1989 World Short Course Championships in Avignon.
Of course, Glenn Cook was riding himself in 2nd on a Dave Russell in Bedford Harriers colours. Here’s the Avignon video. Glenn features HEAVILY. It’s definitely the best triathlon video on YT. IMO.
Below is an image of Glenn on his Dave Russell that day. And an ad that Dave ran in 220 to advertise his bikes post-Avignon. The photo was taken the week after Avignon. At the European Long Course Championships in Rodekro, Denmark. Cook DNFed. But his wife, Sarah Coope, won.
There’s also an ad from Tri-Athlete (UK) in 1987 that gives you an idea of Dave’s tri-bike and tri-accessory offerings in the mid-80s.
Images:
Triathlete (UK) August 1990
220 (UK) December 1989
Tri-Athlete (UK) Nov-Dec 1987
In June 1989 I ordered my first serious race bike from Dave. It had a fluo-green and white Reynolds 531 frame. A Shimano 105 groupset. And hand-built wheels. With Mavic MA2 rims. I paid £350. And picked it up in mid-August.
Just after getting back from a family holiday in Florida. Where I’d sourced a set of the new Profile For Speed Aero 2 clip-ons. These got bolted straight on. To give me the lowest CdA in Cippenham.
I used this set-up for 6 more races before the 1989 triathlon season ended. The National Junior Championships and Relays at Holme Pierrepont. The Arborfield Triathlon. And three BTS gravel pit events.
There’s a photo below of the bike with the Profiles. Although judging by the colour of leaves. And what I’m wearing. A BTS Club Champs sweatshirt. The photo was probably taken at the end of the 1990 season.
Now. Here’s some Dave Russell info from the website Classic Lightweights.
Dave Russell was born in Fulham, however his family moved to Slough when he was a youngster. He attended Slough Grammar School until 1950 and then went on to serve a five year apprenticeship with OMT, a local engineering company. Upon completion of his apprenticeship he went on to serve out his two year National Service in the Royal Air Force. He then worked for a few engineering companies but could not settle down.
During the fifties cycling was booming and bikes were the pre-eminent mode of transport, recreation, exercise and sport for many so it was natural for Dave to settle down and work with Ron Kitching. After several years with Ron, Dave moved on to Hobbs of Barbican. Some time later an opportunity opened up for him to rent premises in Slough close to the town centre. He now could open his own shop to repair, build and sell bikes.
His business expanded and it was not long before he had to find larger premises. He rented and then purchased a shop in Chalvey Road in Slough. This was his shop for many years. Eventually, upon reaching retirement age he decided to slow down and moved to smaller premises in Twyford, near Reading. It was from these premises that Dave finally retired.
Dave Russell bikes were built only to order. He was certified to use Reynolds 531, 653 and 753 and was particularly proud of the 753 certification because of the intensive testing required. Dave’s building career stretched over 30 years and amounted to over 3000 frames including tandems.
Sometime during the 1980s, Dave’s reputation got picked up by the local triathlon crowd. From Reading to West London. Who wanted to upgrade their bikes from off the peg to something custom. These athletes were taking them around the Grand Prix events. And introducing the bikes to more triathletes. From 1987 onwards Dave Russell frames with the Swan logo looked great with a set of the new Scott DH bars.
In 1989 Dave provided frames to the newly formed Bedford Harriers elite triathlon team. Bedford Harriers had existed since 1985. But in 1989, I think one of the club founders, Bill Steele, had just started organising triathlons full-time. Wanting to boost the fortunes of the Harriers and promote his business he signed up loads of the country's best athletes to race in the black and gold.
As mentioned above. These included. Glenn Cook, Rick Kiddle, Richard Hobson, Mark Marabini. As well as Cathy Bow, Jon Ashby, Mark Edmonds, Sally Ikin, Vicky Lescombe and Doris Trueman.
But an article that appeared in the November 1989 issue of British Triathlon Scene maybe gave away another of Bill’s motivations for forming the squad. That is to eventually rival French Clubs. Like Poissy. With semi-pro athletes. Travelling to big European races sporting matching bikes and kit. Below.
Although I’m pretty sure the bus thing never happened. The race series did go ahead. Although they called it the 1990 ETU Triathlon European Cup rather than a Grand Prix Circus. All the results are at triathlon.org. If you’re motivated enough to search on their new and completely unintuitive website.
Finally. There was an article on the process of getting a custom Dave Russell bike published in British Triathlon Scene at the end of 1989.
See it below.
From Chalvey Road East we’re going to jog only about a kilometre. To the top of Windsor Road. This is where Stows Cycles was located in the 1980s. Although the original shop building is not there anymore. Stows is still operating about 100m away on the High Street.
Stows Cycles was started on the Farnham Road in Slough in 1944 by Eric Stow. According to Stows excellent history page on their website. Link in the show-notes. Although the store sold many things, bikes were the bigger part of the shop along with prams, toys, electrical goods and services like recharging batteries. Eric Stow was also well-known for owning a PA system that was often mounted on his van. It was used at all kinds of events including the carnivals at Agars Plough in Eton College and for elections in the 1950s. Later it was used for commentating on the Milk Race.
In the late 1970s, Eric’s son Peter took over the running of the business and opened another shop on Windsor Road. In the mid-1980s the shop moved across the road into larger premises. Previously occupied by by Guilloud Sports.
This is the shop I used to visit on the way home from school to look at the two Raleigh bike models aimed at triathletes. The Triathlon and the Quadra. Below. Both bikes were out of my price range at the time. Over 300 pounds. In 1987 and 1988. When I’d just found out about triathlon. So I ended up buying a Peugeot from Halfords for about 100 pounds.
I’m not going to go into the history of those two bikes here. Because that’s going to be done on a separate podcast episode. But Stows was also where I bought my first cycling helmet. Maybe in 1988. Hard-shell helmets weren’t compulsory in triathlons in the UK until the 1989 season . And I didn’t know anybody else with a cycling helmet. But I just thought they looked cool. And I’d seen triathletes wearing them in magazines.
The helmet was a Vetta Corsa. There’s an ad below. And a photo of Mark Marabini wearing one at the 1988 Warburton’s Big Bread Triathlon in Southport. You see he hasn’t hasn’t fastened the chin-strap. As I said. In 1988 transition and helmet rules were kinda loose. He also using some MB bars too. Listen to TSP3 for the back-story on those curly contraptions.
The Vetta Corsa might not have been lightweight. Or aero. But it was safe. As it was made from military grade, bullet-proof kevlar. And I wore it proudly through the 1989 and 1990 triathlon seasons.
From Stows we run about 2 km down the Windsor Road to the Eton College playing fields. Where the Windsor triathlon run course came for the first and only time in 1995. As John Lunt's team had tendered for and were awarded the right to host the British Olympic Distance Championships. Which was still non-drafting back then.
Windsor was of course already an established triathlon. Started in 1991. But the nationals meant it would get bigger. Maybe too big for the leisure centre garden to accommodate transition. Maybe construction had also already started on the 25m pool extension. Therefore the event moved into town. With the start, finish and transition based in or near to Alexandra Gardens.
The arrival of TV coverage also meant panoramic shots of the castle, B-roll of boys in tailcoats going about their business. And epic close-ups of athletes climbing the high street would be required.
Spencer Smith and Loretta Sollars were the champions that day. There’s a link to a race report in the show-notes. Personally I had a very bad race. Even walking at points. I should have probably got a top 5. After easily winning the British Universities championship a month earlier. But I was exhausted from the studying and teaching practice required to finish my PGCE course.
I’d bounce back though and have a super 2nd half of the season. Including a couple of races that would change my life. Not in a triathlon fame way. Just that I decided that I wanted to go and live and race in France.
Now we can jog through Eton. Up the hill past the castle and into the Old Train Station. To stop at Cinnamon Cafe. Which is a very, very popular location for local cyclists. The venue opened in 2001. And I love it for the great service, selection and prices.
Now jog a kilometre to Windsor Leisure Centre. The leisure pool with slides and waves etc was opened by the Queen in 1987. In 1997 an extension that included a 25m training pool was inaugurated by the Duke of Edinburgh.
It was of course the venue for the Windsor Triathlon from 1991 until 1994. I’ve done loads of work on this race already. Check out TSP16 for that. You also hear about the time in 2022 that Luke and I re-covered the old course. We absolutely have to do that again. And you’re all invited.
The photo below is me finishing the 1991 Windsor Triathlon in the garden of the Windsor Leisure Centre.
The old swim start and exit are just behind the pool. The start was the imaginary line made between the south bank of the Thames and Baths Island. And the centre’s back garden was used for the transition area and finish line.
Now we’re going to cross the river on the Windsor Relief Road bridge. Like the triathlon did. And complete two thirds of the 1991 run course.
As soon as you're on the north bank. Looking at the water. Turn left and run towards Eton. Reaching the grassy Brocas path announces that you’re approaching what was the 1st turn-around point. A modern, green rubbish bin is pretty much in the right spot to do a u-turn. And run all the way to Dorney common. Where the second turn-around was on the Windsor run course. It’s on a near invisible bridge across a tiny stream. This would have been about the 7km mark. But on our tour today we’ve already ran 14km.
At this point. You’ve got Dorney Lake on your left. Head through some houses and try to get in. If you can’t, follow the path on the north side. And get a peek inside. There’s no triathlon history here. As the facility was only opened in 2006. But the complex held the 2012 Olympic rowing and flat water canoeing events.
But we’re here to link the triathlon past to the triathlon present. Because Dorney Lake is a regular triathlon venue now. I do an event here every July when I visit the UK. It's the Full Steam Ahead one. In 2024 we had 7 members of the family racing in various events.
In fact. It’s on circuits like these that I really enjoy doing my triathlons now. Where I don't have to worry about cars or potholes. Especially when I’m in the UK. But we have the Oberschleißheim Regattastrecke in Munich too. Here’s a video I made about it.
Overall I think I just prefer triathlons out of urban areas. Although the buzz of a city event can be cool too sometimes. Maybe my current favourite local event is Deggendorf. Just a gravel pit, field, inflatable arch and loads of eager volunteers. Totally old school.
From the Dorney Lake entrance near Dorney court the best way to get back to Burnham station from here is. Along the Jubilee River. Crossing the motorway at Mercian Way Park. And weaving through the backroads of Cippenham.
I hope you enjoyed that. Something different I guess. And as I said, I’ll run the loop when I’m back in the UK in July. Let me know if you are researching a triathlon history tour of your own local area. I can help with info from magazines that I might own.
In the Spring I’ll map out a Munich Triathlon History tour by bike. That will also include some 1972 Olympics sites. Obviously, there wasn’t a triathlon in those games. But there should have been. Because there’s some excellent venues that could have been used.
Of course. Let me know if you ever do this run.
Images:
British Triathlon Scene (UK) Dec 1989-Jan 1990
British Triathlon Scene (UK) November 1989
Tri-Athlete (UK) July 1987
1988 Raleigh Catalogue
Triathlete (USA) May 1987
Tri-Athlete (UK) September 1988
Me finishing the 1991 Windsor Triathlon
My Dave Russell. Maybe taken in the Autumn of 1990
Links:
Slough by David Brent
TSP2: The Speed And The Sweat
Slough Trading Estate History
Slough Trading Estate Video
Slough Community Centre History
Ginger Runner with Ben Gibbard
USTS Hilton Head 1987
TSP9: The First British Triathlon Shown On TV
TSP21: My First Wetsuit. My Favourite Wetsuit. One I’d Like To Get Hold Of.
And Some History.
TSP16: The 220 Triathlon Series - Year 1
1989 Avignon Triathlon
Dave Russell on Classic Lightweights
TSP3: I Bought 4 Sets of Scott DH Handlebars
220 (UK) July 1995
Sources:
Slough on Wikipedia
Mars Inc on Wikipedia
Slough History Online
220 (UK) September 1989
British Triathlon Scene (UK) June 1989
220 (UK) October 1991
220 (UK) March 1989
Stows Cycles History Page
Cinnamon Cafe History Page
Windsor Leisure Centre History
Dorney Lake
