New season’s virtually here

That is according to club stalwart Emily Squire, who has been helping to devise their Virtual Duathlon that will take place on the original date of the postponed outdoor season opener.

Squire hopes that they can simply shift the Pembroke Duathlon later into this month, with social distancing and other special measures applied if necessary.

‘I think this might be the only virtual one,’ she said.

‘Pembroke’s a great duathlon to start the season, and it’s an easy course so it’s good for novices. We will try and hold that later.’

Squire added that they introduced the virtual event ‘to hold something for our members’ and maintain the calendar date of Pembroke.

‘Pembroke was too close to the [possible] change of restrictions, so rather than pull it together last-minute, we’re holding a virtual event.’

The Virtual Duathlon tests each competitor over a solo time-trial sequence of 1.5 mile run, 20km (12.4 mile) cycle and another 1.5 mile run, subject to Covid rules and regulations.

Participants have freedom to choose their own course and ride their bike leg on either Zwift or the roads, with separate results for each option.

Squire is hopeful of building upon the club’s virtual success in 2020, when their lockdown programme attracted competitors ranging from complete newbies to Island Games champion Josh Lewis.

‘We have had quite a lot of novice interest in the virtual triathlon events and lots of female interest too,’ she said.

‘We all know what we are doing this time.

‘It should be a lot smoother. Last year it was a bit of trial and error in the first few virtual races.

‘Now we know about Zwift and people have been using it for a year – that’s how we get our long rides during restrictions.’

It precedes a club calendar featuring at least 14 events from April to October, the Granite Man on 5 September being a major focus for hardy competitors.