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RAPTC ALPE D’HUEZ TRIATHLON – JULY 2012

WO2 (QMSI) J W Foreshew RAPTC
I
n July 2010 the RAPTC Triathlon team competed in the Alpe are three categorized climbs including the Hor Catorgrie climb up
D’huez Triathlon (ADH Tri) although a fantastic event we all the legendary 21 bends of the Alpe D’ Huez, a 14km climb at an

agreed never again! due to the severity of the course and the
average gradient of over 7%. Once at the top there is a small order
challenge it gave. So when Capt (MAA) Irving RAPTC suggested of running a half marathon at an altitude of 2000m around a ski
we go back and compete in the event this year most of us said resort which is invariably not very lat.
yes, it is surprising how you can forget the pain as time goes by!

This years event was held in unseasonably warm weather for
The ADH Tri is billed as one of the hardest Triathlons in the world the Alps with temperatures soaring into the mid 30s making the
and regularly appears in lists of the worlds hardest events. The race swim a little more comfortable but the bike and run much more
itself starts with a 2.2km Swim in the icy waters of Lake Vaujauny brutal. To give an indication of how hard this race is out of nearly a
for those that have never experienced a swim mass start with over thousand starters only 567 inished the race.

a thousand people in a space no wider than a football pitch it can
get a bit brutal and is not a place for non competent swimmers. The RAPTC team acquitted themselves very well with some very
The bike then follows which is possibly the hardest part of the race strong performances most notably SSgt Chanel Mason inishing
consisting of a 115km. Out of the 115km ridden over 46km are 11th in category posting the second fastest RAPTC time up the

uphill with riders climbing close to 2800m of vertical climb There
inal climb of the alp D’Huez and second fastest time on the run.

The irst 3 males home were
1. WO2 Foreshew 147th in 8hrs 01min

2. SSgt Boultby 271st in 8hrs 52min
3. WO1 Sawyer 297th in 9hrs 02min

First 2 females home were

1. SSgt Mason 328th in 9hrs 12min
2. WO1 Dunne 461st in 10hrs 19min

What I ind fascinating about endurance athletes is that we were
already planning the next race with the pain of the Alps still in the

legs! Bring it on whatever the challenge is!!

I would like to thank Capt (MAA) Irving RAPTC on behalf of the
RAPTC team for putting this trip together, without his constant

drive and passion this trip would not have been possible. I would
also like to thank the Army Sports Lottery and Berlin Infantry
Memorial Brigade Trust for providing inancial support.
Capt S Irving and WO1 Sawyer at the top of the Alp D’Huez

RAPTC team before
the start of race