Small race with big heart and lots of joy in Terceira

Exactly 5 years after the Sprint European Championship in 2018, Azores Island Terceira hosted again a Quadrathlon World Cup race on 18 March.

Pedro Bartolomeu with his team supported by the local Angra Iate Clube and many other local organisations as the Regional Directorate of Tourism, Municipality of Angra do Heroísmo, 1st Garrison Regiment, Angra do Heroísmo, Angra Nautical Club, Best Of Healt Club Gym, Terceira Island Surf Association, Azorean Cyclist Association and Terauto organised an excellent event in the city centre of Angra do Heroismo.

Number of individual participants was rather low and only man, but thanks to the new WQF regulation there were many relays at the start and individuals could also be part of different relays, as they started at the same time. So the total number of competing athletes exceeded 70. There was also a race organised with super sprint distance (375 m swim, 2 km kayak, 5 km MTB and 2 km run) for children relays.

Circumstances were not easy on the water as quite strong wind blow from the south and so the otherwise protected bay was rather wavy with 1,5 – 2 m high waves. So for not experienced swimmers and kayakers it was a big challenge to complete these first two disciplines. The organisers decided to provide the same type of surfski kayaks for everybody, which were quite stable on the water but with the backwind many could surf on the waves which made it very fast and enjoyable.

The 3 laps MTB course was carried out on the iconic Monte Brasil mountain including the part inside the military fortress. The elevation gain and loss was 250 m in every lap so in the 3 laps athletes have to climb 750 m. So it is no surprise that even the best MTB time in relay was not better than 40 minutes.

After the 3 exhausting disciplines the final running on flat asphalt road was already relaxing for the athletes. Here numerous spectators encouraged the quadrathletes to speed them up until the finish line.

The evening medal presentation including a dinner was organised in the military fortress. Everybody was invited so the number of participants reached 150. It was really the celebration of quadrathlon. Every participant received a hand made clay medal, podium winners a hand made clay award.