@MultiSportCan Bracebridge Triathlon
Aug 12, 2018 Race Report, Ryan Dockman
The sun was shining, the water was calm, athletes were out, and dry road
conditions made for a great Bracebridge race - Another amazing day put on by
Multiport Canada! 
The Bracebidge Olympic Triathlon was my first race 3 years ago and I’ve done it 4 consecutive times since. Every year I’ve marked it on my Calendar and come rain or shine I’m excited to be racing there. Being in Muskoka always has a special feel - Bracebridge’s winding country roads and riverside run (out and back) make for a good day!
Bracebridge is a unique
race and being a time trial start, it offers a different dynamic than most
races. It allows you to really focus on
racing your own pace, so if you are beginner or just getting into the sport,
Bracebridge is the perfect race for getting out there and completing. By removing
the mass start a Triathlon feels more like you are out there to challenge
yourself and not race against others, but at the same time it also offers fast
competition for those top elites / age groupers.
The Swim is an out and back River Swim and the water was warm,
flat and calm this year. Some years if they’ve had a heavy rain the day/night
before, the current can be a little stronger but Sunday it was perfect. They
start you on 5 second intervals, and fter your 1500 meter (or 750 for sprint)
you arrive at with a cheerful crowd at an awesome beach finish. 
Transition is peacefully
set alongside the river. It makes for a good uphill effort to get out on the
bike and the run course, however it also offers a great downhill 400 meter run
to the finish!
This year the bike course was basically cut in half to make
2 20KM loops. Personally, I liked it better as it allows you to measure your speed
and timing at each of the 1/2 & full laps of the course. You also get a
better look at how you are faring against other competitors and the progress
you’re making. 2 laps offers some additional challenges because the larger
hills are on the first 10KM of the original course. So on Sunday most of the
bigger hills had to be done a second time on lap 2, but dry road conditions
made the course perfect for race day.
If you’ve raced Bracebridge you’ll know the run is set on a beautiful winding course alongside the river. If you haven’t you’ll have to race it for yourself. It’s a mostly flat out and back but make sure to hydrate! It can get fairly warm on the road and on Sunday it was a sunny day without wind so it heated up a bit. Not to worry though - the course has plenty of shady area and water stations to keep moving.
Overall, I had an amazing day! There were faster competitors
than me (there always are😉), but I had a fun swim, bike and run on a
beautiful course during an amazing Summer day in Muskoka. What else can a
Triathlete ask for? See you next year Bracebridge!
Ryan Dockman Toronto Multisport Canada Ambassador
