Excel London Triathlon Pontoon on Saturday 7th August

[ouch]

A quick question from a Newbie...

Did anybody participating in the Excel London Tri on the Saturday have any difficulties getting out of the docks onto the pontoon ?

I have read the booklet and it stated 'The swim exit pontoon dips into the water so you can swim onto it before standing up'. My experience was that it didn't dip into the water and that you had to be pulled out. Did anybody else have the same ? In addtion, the plastic pontoon was obviously slippery from having water on it.

I notice, from looking at the Channel 4 coverage, that the pontoon on the Sunday had a rubber covering and dipped into the water.

Was I just imagining things or am I right ??????

Cheers,

Steve

[Ali Bongo]

I raced Sunday and it deffo dipped in to the water and had a rubber covering - best swim exit I have used - certainly better then the Lakeside tri where you had to climb up several feet of netting to get out on to the quayside!!

[ouch]

Lol, it'll be step ladders next time !

Yes, I'm interested to hear about how it was on the Saturday as I'm quite sure it was different.

[MrTim]

I raced at 1630 on Saturday and am sure it was dipping into the water then, although at a steep enough angle that they had marshalls pulling people up the slope still!

[Race1]

MrTim.

Did you just put a vid up on YouTube?

TBH, I couldn't tell whether it was a ramp or what. All I know is I was hauled out more by the volunteers than by my own legs. And they also pulled my zip down. Which was odd.

[shadowone1]

vounteers pulling your zipp down... sounds like you were doing something other than tri

[ouch]

Cheers for the replies MrTim and Race1.

I must admit I was suprised that we weren't able to swim on to the pontoon and stand up before running onwards.

I was grabbed and pulled out too as I wasn't able to get traction on any dipped pontoon, which of course got me out but unfortunately left my shoulder in the wrong place......

I just wanted to make sure I wasn't imagining it as it all happened pretty quickly

[Race1]

vounteers pulling your zipp down... sounds like you were doing something other than tri

Well they do have wobbly legs in common

[TriAndyTri]

Have to say I went off in the 12.40 wave on the Sunday and noticed as I was swimming towards the pontoon that it most definately did not dip in to the water and as far as I can remember had no rubber matting on it.

Also as I swam towards it, one of the lifeguards, prob an 18 year old girl weighing no more than 7.5 stone attempted to pull me out. If someone has a video of the swim finish watch it at 31 mins. I'm 6"3 and weigh 16 stone, she had a horrendous job getting me out and another lifeguard came to help her. I guess I was the only person laughing as I got out of the swim!

[ouch]

Lol, at least they got you out eventually !

The guy pulling me out had a similar problem. He was sliding on the rain drenched plastic pontoon while trying to pull me out.