Tatton Tri 2012

Hi , I'm looking at the Tatton Tri this year to attempt my first Olympic distance tri. I've heard that the organisation can be very poor. It can be a case of "we've had your money so crack on" , and that some competitors were threatened with disqualification last year if they didn't remove their bikes from racking fast enough as the event had been over subscribed.

Are these just vicious rumours or is it a good tri for a novice ?

Either way , what other tri's around the north west/north Wales do people recommend. I'm looking at building up to Ironman UK in 2013.....

Got my first sprint at Nantwich on May 27th....

Thanks.

Did it 3 years back and it was excellent, had a big event buzz about it, was well organised (although nobody mentioned at the time that the run was short). Two years ago it was very poor and felt like it was creaking financially, with lots of complaints, but the awful weather didn't help. Didn't fit my schedule for last year, so I didn't do it.

It's a fantastic location and, on balance, I'd say it's a good novice event. The lake swim is very safe and reassuring; the bike route is fast, flat, picturesque and the run is varied and interesting.

Just bear in mind that it's a country house rather than a sports venue.... so the logistics can get a bit chaotic, especially if it's wet. Give yourself plenty of time.

i took part last year and it was a little poor, we had to rack our bikes the day before and where given a time to turn up to do so when we got there the racking wasnt even ready and a large group of us spent 2 hours helping with the set up, im more than happy to do this but should really have been done in time.

also the man running transition was like a miny hitler with his manchester commonwealth games gear on he had me up the wall.

as for race day totaly different story everything was spot on and well organised also i think its a fantastic course. transistion is small tho and entering after your race while others are racing is almost impossible.

 if you do race you get a list of parking which is cloased till long after the race and one which is a 30 min walk which stays open, my advice is come to the closet car park as it opens straight after the race even tho it says it doesnt they open up the back road so you can get through.

all in all great experience,

 if your looking for others in the area there is liverpool, capethorne and in north wales take a  look at slateman and sandman also really good events

Sandman - a long bike and hard!

Slateman - cold lake and probably hard!

Bala - always a good standard

Ellesmere - always good!

Chester - being a bit vague here but the Deva and the one at Manley Mere. (I'm right they are different and not the Diva Deva - womens one??)

I think there is one in the Liverpool Docks but I may have made that up!

Shrewsbury - in the river and not sure if it is a full OD though