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Dad, Daughter, Medals: Club Champs at Dorney Lake

Sprint Triathlon – Family Racing

Dorney Lake, Berkshire · 30.08.2026

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At a Glance

Event	Dorney Lake Events
Distance	Sprint (1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run)
Date	30.08.2026
Location	Dorney Lake, Berkshire
Conditions	Sunny, calm water, warm on the run
Kit Highlights	Zone3 junior trisuit (Eva)

Distances

Swim	T1	Bike	T2	Run
1.5km lake	–	40km	–	10km

Goals

Goal	Target	Result
Enjoy it together	Both finish smiling	✅
Stay close	Never lose sight of each other	✅
No panic moments	Keep it fun	✅

Results

Olivier Finish	Eva Finish	Both Medals
01:40:36	01:40:36	✅ Yes

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Pre-Race

The Entry Price Reality Check

The full price for Eva’s race entry was a shock. British Triathlon should be making junior participation more accessible. The barrier to entry is real, and it’s not helping grassroots development. Luckily, Westbrook Waste sponsors Berkshire Tri Squad and our entries, which took some of the sting out.

Training and Prep

Eva and I had done a few sessions together over the summer, but the big one was the Bray Lake practice. Getting comfortable in the wetsuit, practising removal and working through the rolling start technique made a real difference on race day. No panic. Just confidence.

The wetsuit was snug, so we made a few creative modifications before the race. We cut a bit off the leg cuffs to make removal easier. Not ideal, but it worked. That was the best way to avoid doing the bike and run in a wetsuit.

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Race Narrative

Racing as a team rather than a timer.

Swim

Rolling start with all Berkshire Tri Squad members going first. Eva was on my right, and honestly, half my attention was on making sure she wasn’t getting caught in a tumble dryer of faster swimmers behind her. The water was lovely. Calm, clear, comfortable temperature. No drama.

Our split was 18 minutes. I’d hoped for 15, but I wasn’t pushing it hard because my eyes were on her the whole way. In hindsight, that was fine. We both exited the water in good shape, grinning, ready for what came next.

T1

Fast and smooth. Eva’s socks and shoes on, me bare feet. In and out before you know it.

Bike

I started out ahead of Eva, but quickly realised that wasn’t the play. I needed to see her, but not at the cost of swerving into the next cyclist. So I let her pass and settled into a comfortable pace. 22 to 25 km/h, easy on the body, easy on the mind. For me, it was a walk in the park. For Eva, it was a solid, confident ride. She was eating this up.

Fuelling was just water, which was plenty for a 40-minute spin on a relatively flat circuit. The bike flew by. Faster than I expected, given how many hours we’d spent on it during the build-up. The Zone3 suit handled the effort beautifully. No chafing, no stress.

T2

Eva had to wait for me to remove my bike shoes (she wasn’t in clip-pedals, just regular trainers). While she sorted herself, I grabbed some apricot juice and half a Twirl. Nothing fancy, but it hits the spot before a 10km run.

Run

Eva took off like a rocket. Four minutes per kilometre. I looked at her and said, “Slow down, you’ve got 10k to go.” Her response? “I can’t feel my legs.” Classic. That was the nervous energy talking, and it was going to bite her later.

She did slow, but not by much. By kilometre 3, the pace was dropping naturally. She was working hard, learning what it felt like to dig properly. Meanwhile, her mum was on the sidelines, our dog was cheering, and half of Berkshire Tri Squad was screaming encouragement. When you’ve got that kind of support, you find something extra.

The Finish Line

Crossing the line was mad. Two medals. Two huge smiles. That’s the whole story right there. This wasn’t about my splits or my age-group placing. It was about watching someone you’ve coached and trained with come out of the water grinning, push through the bike, and dig into the run even when it got hard. That’s what racing is really about.

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Time Chip

Olivier’s result: 117th overall out of 165, 9th in age group (50–54). Splits below.

Swim	T1	Bike	T2	Run	Finish
00:18:24	00:03:02	00:47:58	00:02:03	00:29:08	01:40:36

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Post-Race

Recovery & Celebrations

Medals first, questions second. The post-race food was excellent, as we all went to the café next door for well-deserved drinks and cakes. The club atmosphere was electric.

What Went Well

Racing together. There’s something special about crossing a finish line with your kid. All the training, the early mornings, the arguments about hydration strategy. It adds up to this one moment.

Eva’s confidence. She went out there and raced. No hesitation in the water, no drama on the bike, and even though the run got tough, she dug in. She’ll carry that forward.

The club’s support. Berkshire Tri Squad showed up for us. The rolling start was smooth, the course was well marshalled, and having your community cheer you on makes a difference.

The Zone3 suit held up. That junior trisuit was brilliant. Durable and comfortable, it’ll last Eva through at least another season of racing.

What To Improve

Pace discipline on the run. Eva went out too hot. We talked through it beforehand, but race-day adrenaline took over. That’s a learning moment, and we’ll work on it before the next one.

Junior entry pricing. This isn’t something I did wrong, but the entry cost shouldn’t be a barrier to participation. I’ll keep pushing this conversation with the event organisers and British Triathlon.

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Race Ratings

Organisation	8/10
Course	7/10
Atmosphere / Crowd	9/10
Junior Support	10/10
Value for Money	6/10
Overall	7/10

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Final Thoughts

Dorney Lake is a perfect sprint venue for families. Flat, scenic, well-organised, and the community atmosphere is genuinely warm. If you’ve got a junior who’s ready to race, this is the place to do it. Just budget for entry fees, get them in the water at Bray Lake beforehand, and let them loose.

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