Simon Billeau's Abu Dhabi Race Report

(This race report was translated from French by an online translation engine)

International triathlon of Abu Dhabi.

Saturday April 13 took place the inaugural triathlon Long distance of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. It is with honor that I belonged to this prestigious adventure. Unfortunately for me, I am French and French does not have good reputation abroad (in term of tourist prospective customers. It should well be acknowledged, we are a little skinflint on the edges…). So that I was not likely to be invited by the organizer.

In what relates to me, this triathlon consisted of a diagnostive evaluation of the efforts authorized since the recovery and for the IRONMAN of South Africa on April 25. This last constitutes my primary goal of the season. Concretely, I hope to take down there my qualification for Hawaii by a podium but more especially to obtain my first victory at the mythical distance.

To acclimatize me to heat, I had opportunity of carrying out a training course in Spain under the aegis of the GM-Tri-Org company of Gaël Mainard. The softer temperatures on the Iberian side enabled me to carry out a progressive passage towards canicular temperatures in the Middle East (my shoulders will still remember it a moment, for those which saw them!). Thus, just time to pose the luggage of Callela, which I embarked Tuesday morning for London Heathrow with British Airways. Large a mercy besides with Daniel and Pascaline for their hospitality on Paris. And yes, some can criticize Abu Dhabi for their élitiste tariff practised on the level of hotel trade (101€ the night in what relates to me) whereas the night in Roissy in a poor Formula 1 would have cost me the moderate amount of 180€.

J-4: Upright with 3:45 ', presence with the airport 3:00 before takeoff obliges with a bicycle out of compartment…
The tour starts badly with a look of deja vu with the airport of Roissy CDG. One hour of delay on the takeoff and the price of a crossing to the step of race (and it is an euphemism), I thread before the closing of the door of the plane the made-to-order of a celebrity slipping under the door of Fort Boyard not to be made devour by the Charente-native tigers… 45 ' 'later and the plane left without me! I stressed all the journey time to the airport of Abu Dhabi as for the mean probability that my bicycle followed me. Happy surprised with the landing by noting the presence of my Ceepo Katana. Still 45 ' of taxi and I pose my luggage in International Rotana.

J-3: Lifting with the dawns by me to give at once of the weak jet lag (+3h). Then large meeting with foot on the famous Cornice, their Walk of the English Arab way is 2 times longer and 1000 times more flowered and composed of watery jets to no one another similar. The afternoon is devoted to the shrinking of the numbers via an escapade in the city with my cycle. After on the occasion to lose ten time the life on their (car) roads, I decide to return bredouille (and unfortunately, that will not be the single time…).

J-2: Lifting even morning to prepare me with the alarm clock of Saturday morning, D-day. I spring towards the beach where place will have swimming and the first park with bicycle. It is about the private beach of Emirates Palace. In the passing, the monument is sumptuous. At side, the Elysium and the White House do not appear… Water is turquoise and much to my regret already hot in spite of the winter which prevails in the Persian Gulf (32° in the shade!).

Small a 1500m to go back in the bath… with the Torpedo made by Kiwami. The afternoon is again devoted to the attempt at shrinking of the numbers. This time, I manage to join Park Rotana Complex, a kind of hotel for millionaire (4000 Dhs the night is 550€). It is here that the whole of the athletes of reputation invited by the vent organizer was based.

I find there charming it Juliana de Trimag, Thierry Deketelaere de Triathlete, my friend Jacky Evraerdt media for Triathlon Hebdo, Olivier Marceau our Swiss pet preferred. I benefit from the occasion to throw an eye with the start list. Hoouuuu, I would not have had. I put myself the moral one in the socks… Northwave…

14:00, departure of drunk towards the swimming pool of the officers of the Army. A small watermark by athlete, small a 2500m and a salad fried later, we turn over to the HQ.
16:00: One leaves to discovered Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque to make some photographs of this religious temple.
18:00, briefing for the “Pros” with 5 ' minute of questions/answers at the end of the intervention of the organizer and the director of the referees. I adore these 5 ' where my “friends” (adversaries) resemble imbeciles of mercenaries… (the 2 only questions which worry highly developed brain of a triathlète elite are not other than the prize money and drafting regulates it. To believe that some of best of our planet are neophytes or have a red fish memory concerning the distances between 2 individuals).

J-1: I turn over to check the temperature of water: Eh not of miracle, always with 24°, that feels prohibition to swim in combination…
Deposit of the bicycles and the bags transition as on a traditional IRONMAN.
Return to the hotel and small meeting of recall VMA the afternoon, history not to be fresh.
D-day: After the breakfast containing energy cake GO 2, I join the starting surface. After the traditional inflation of the bowels and the installation of the gel on my tube of framework, I intend the arbitration body to announce the prohibition of the port of the combination. No the chance, my europium will remain in the bag. I leave to the heating.

With 6:45 ', the departure is given for 3000m in 2 rectangular loops with exit to the Australian one. I spring relatively quickly. And I am in contact with a group of 5 competitors. I carry out the 1st turn in their company. I make the effort not to eject of this group. The exit with Australian is not fatal. The second turn is harder. I find myself esseulé.

I extirpate myself water in 41 ' 15 ' 'with the 33e place is some 3 ' of delay on the head, which confirms my progress in swimming. Because those of front are in particular Philip Graves and Bryan Rhodos, the first quoted having left at the head to the championship the World in Hawaii.

I make as with accustomed fast transition and enfourche my bicycle for the 2 return tickets and half proposed is 200km CLM in nozzle of saddle. The course is composed of long straight lines with a half-turn on Yas Marina Formula 1 Grand Prix. Imposing!!!

I note much to my regret that a group (group) of 19 units is with the outposts. Signal 10 will be difficult.

I finish some with strolls with bicycle with 41,2km/h of average is 4:51 ' 09 of saddle SMP and 15 boys re-installed with the passage.

The park for T2 is located on the family beach of the Cornice. My 2nd transition is harder.

The pedestrian course of 20km consists of 2 return tickets to the “Heritage Village”.

Contrary to the cyclist part, the public is massed along the course and the local population is more cordial than I would have imagined it just like the sun which at this hour of the day recalls you with the order.

I am carried out in 1:13 very round as envisaged. I crossed the line in 11th position. In front of, the victory was played between Eneko Llanos, Dirk Bockel and Rasmus Henning in the order of arrival.

For my part, I finish in 6:47 ' 22 to some 12 ' of the winner. I put in the order of disciplines 3/6 and 3 ' moreover than the Spanish champion. It remains still much of work before reaching the top hawaiien.

I am rather satisfied with my service and my management of race. I think that they is good omens for the African objective. By then, there to date remain to me still 15 days of keen drive and a week of training course again in Spain to try to breathe the same air that Eneko… and I bring back for you a charm of South Africa. It is necessary well that French undertakes some because they are not our footballers who go décarcasser for that…

For information, the race east retransmisse on www.ironmanlive.com on line. As Africa is almost under the same latitude (+1h), you will be able to follow the race in real-time for the early risers. Departure of the race at 6:30, local time of Elizabeth Port. If not, there will be a remote retransmission on Sport +.