Tuesday, January 15, 2013

#1 Prologue

A potted history of the first eight years of 220 Triathlon Magazine.
There is a big bunch of pictures, chosen at random, on the Extra Photos page
and when you've finished going through this lot, more nostalgia links: 

An English/French FaceBook group: 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1636525763249398/ 
Mike Plant and ST’s 
http://www.trihistory.com both worth a √

1989
1990

 1991
1991

1992

1993
1994
1995
1996
Extra Photos
Appendix


This is the Prologue, read on ›

Total Fitness Triathlon Club 1987. Me, Trevor Gunning and Nick Fisher

My name is John Lillie and this is my account of how 220 Magazine came in to being. There are ten more pages, each one represents a year's worth of publications and finally an appendix with a bit more of my stuff. This  blog is a work in progress and I welcome, in fact need, input from readers who have an opinion. I would like to include stories from anyone who could write a couple of words (not those two words!) or a sentence, or a paragraph or a page about what they remember from back in the day.

I'm hoping to hear from anyone who has time to put finger to keyboard and tell me what they thought, what was good, what was poor and what happened between 1989 and 1997 from a 220 triathlon view point. Anecdotes gladly accepted.

Send to: johnlillie@easy.com
Thanks and good writing.

Triathlon in the early 1980's was a sport so small that it didn't even have a niche. It was fragmented, lacked disciplined, raw and un-goverened. In the UK the sport followed what was happening in California. However by the mid eighties there were sufficient events each week for competitors to be able to call themselves triathletes. We didn't have the Californian sunshine so a lot of races were based at indoor swimming pools with only a few "massed start" events in open water.


In 1986 I joined one of the few triathlon clubs, Total Fitness in Swindon, which was also the first? specialist triathlon shop in the country. I did some triathlons then at the end of 1987 entered the the most famous event of the year which was the Hawaii Ironman (how this came about is another story). The next year I went back to Hawaii with a couple of team mates and this is where the story begins:

In 1988 I came back from Ironman Hawaii with my Total Fitness Tri Club mates Trevor Gunning and Kevin Ferris, satisfied that we had all finished the race, got our medals and finisher's T-shirts and had a remarkable experience on the Big Island. I'd go so far to say on return we were buzzing!
John Lillie, Kevin Ferris, Trevor Gunning
A month later Triathlete Magazine came out with the Hawaii race report. In those days it was the American issue with a UK supplement wrapped round the outside. I read the report with a big smile on my face and then turned to the results page. Nothing. Despite a good turn out of Brits at the race not one was mentioned, I was incensed. Actually the UK supplement recorded the finishing times of some Australians . . . . . ?

"You'd better start your own magazine" someone half joked to me. It was only a half joke because I was a serial starter of businesses and at the time one of them was quite profitable so I had the wherewithal to do it. So I did.

I knew nothing about magazines, printing or publishing but another friend, Duncan Robb, had a Macintosh computer and told me I could do it on my desktop with a program called PageMaker. I convinced Duncan to start off being the editor and after much discussion about a name - I didn't want anything obvious that included Triathlon or British or News - he came up with 220 (the theoretical maximum heart rate) I thought that was all right, and we were away.

I realise now that starting the magazine like this was a bit like starting an Ironman race with no training, no experience and not knowing the route. I had no Forward Planning, no Cash-flow Forecast, no Statement of Assets and Liabilities and no Mission Statement. The nice thing was that I didn't need to persuade any of my mates to lend a hand, writing, reporting or taking snaps, everyone else seemed to be just as enthusiastic and optimistic.

Duncan
Duncan was responsible for collating the first few issues. I think he had to print the text with a laser printer then paste it on a board and take it to a "Repro House" for them to scan and add our photos. They could then make a set of four films for each page. This film, one for each print colour, then went to an offset litho printer to be printed. At first we saved some money by having a section of pages in black and white. The first big headache was we had to print a minimum of 2,000 copies and had, as yet, no customers or advertisers.

The initial print run was mailed out free to every British Triathlon Association member, something less than 2,000 at that time but with a hard copy in my hand I set about selling advertising space. Being naive at the publishing game I didn't know that big companies set their advertising budgets a year in advance, but we managed to get a few advertisers and this helped pay the printing and repro bill.

My idea was to have a magazine that was not conventional, I wouldn't go so far as to say subversive, but I wanted to be able to question the administration that ran (or didn't) British Triathlon. It really would be a tri-fanzine just for me and my mates and anyone else who 'got it'. I didn't want only star athletes on the cover (that did change), it would be a people's magazine. The first cover was a postcard I bought in Hawaii of three Polynesians - exactly what I wanted, nothing to do with triathlon! (although someone did remark that it was me, Trevor and Kev in disguise, ha ha)

 

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#2 Issues 1 - 8 1989


Looking at the early issues and seeing the out-of-focus photos, spelling mistakes, typographical errors, schoolboy humour and general naffness, I have to shudder. But we didn't know any better, and ignorance is bliss. 

In Issue One I wrote a Horror Scope page, the advice for every sign was the same but nobody noticed 'cos you only read you own month, right? Then I called myself Chef Carbo Load and wrote a food page. Dave Bellingham became Dave "Scott" Bellingham, or sometimes Dave Bedlam, and wrote some mad stuff. Ian Sweet set himself up as our international expert and wrote Around the World. Ken Maclaren became Ken Trovosi the back page man (he actually held this place for the next 200 issues). Duncan did some interviews and the rest, like the letters and small ads, we made up. 

From issue 2 we had a double page spread called Question of Sport with photos of ordinary people alongside the stars before and after a race. We didn't print their names until the next month or the end of the year or sometimes never. 


Top right is Rik Kiddle and on the cover of his 220 is - Rik Kiddle.


The 220 Rankings was established as a monthly feature. The British Triathlon Association (BTA) had a ranking system at the time based on their Grand Prix races which was calculated on points per place. We didn't like this, so extended the coverage of races to more events including international races and more importantly, it was calculated on a time basis which we felt gave a truer picture of everyone's standings. At the end of the year Glenn Cook had edged out Bernie Shrosbree and Lantern Rouge was pensioner Patrick Barnes in 409th place.


Patrick Barnes
We started organising races under the banner of Total Promotions, not that we really wanted to put on events but if we didn't there would be nothing to write about in the off (triathlon) season. The Reebok Big Biathlon was the first in March with the finish gantry built inside the Swindon Link Sports Centre's main hall. (It can get a bit chilly in March so it's nice to be indoors). 

Tim Stevens

Swindon
In May we organised Round 1 of the Carling GP Series at the Cotswold Water Park. I liked that event, apart from the swim being short, everything went well. Nice weather, nice venue, nice athletes. The women's race had over 50 entrants, the largest in a British triathlon at that time. Sarah Springman (On a wacky bike with 24" wheels and 72 tooth chain ring) lead from start to finish and our own 220 columnist and Total Fitness Tri Club man, Ken Maclaren won the Men's :-)

Sarah Springman's little wheeled, big chain ring bike
Ken Maclaren No1 in Swindon
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In issue six we conducted a mini interview with a lad called Simon Lessing



220. We have not seen you since the Southport race (where he came 7th), where have you been? 
SL. I have moved to France and I am based in a town called Salon de Provence near Marseilles. 

220. How have you been getting on? 
SL. I've been coming in the top three for most of my races. I was second to Patrick Girrard at Toulouse but the first prize was a trip to Africa and I didn't want to go back there, so he won by two seconds! 

220. You have a British Passport and a BTA licence, are you going to race in Britain? 
SL. Yes, I'm coming here in November to find work but next year I have been offered a place in a French team where they help with all the expenses and the prize money in France is a lot better. Usually four or five thousand pounds per race. I will be coming back to race for Britain because I want to be selected for the World Championships. 

220. Are facilities good in France? 
SL. Yes, marvelous, the whole community comes out to support their local race. I have improved my biking so much in France. They take races up roads you wouldn't have dreamt of training on. If you can't ride properly you can lose two seconds each corner so you soon learn. 

220. Our readers are always interested in people's best times; how is your swimming and running? SL. I've swum fifteen hundred meters in the pool 17:30 and running 14:45 for five thousand meters. 

220. So a bit more work on the bike and you'll be World Champion! By the way, how old are you?
SL: 18.




By now we were getting genuine letters for the letter's page. Here is part of a wonderfully brusque missive from a chap called Tom Walker
 I was interested (which is unusual where 220 is concerned) to read your criticism of the BTA officers for not being present at National Long course Championship race and since your uncredited criticism was in the form of a rhetorical question, I hope you will make space for a reply in the "letters". The statement regarding our absence is (again unusual for 220) true, but your conclusions are, sadly as usual wrong . . . . . . . . 

He goes on for another six paragraphs in the same vein. Excellent! I think we should have given him a free subscription!



In 1989 people were colourful; minimal, fluorescent bikinis and long flowing blonde hair was common - and that was just the men! (as seen here, Tracy Harris winning the Milton Keynes Triathlon). 


Around the World with Ian Sweet

Ian, with his 220 bag, being chauffeured by Spencer's dad Bill.
1989 was an extremely important year for the sport of triathlon. OK, the birth of 220, which although significant nationally, maybe globally, didn't quite match up to the formation of the International Triathlon Union (ITU) which took place in Avignon, France. Triathlon had grown rapidly from that first event in 1974 at Mission Bay, San Diego and within a few years had become one of the fastest growing sports all over the world.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was intrigued by the sport’s incredible growth and popularity world-wide and in 1988 began discussions to include triathlon in the Olympic Games Programme.  IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch arranged a meeting in Stockholm that year with the intention of including triathlon in the Olympic Games as soon as possible. At that meeting Canadian Les McDonald, a british Ex Pat, was selected as President to a working committee for triathlon.

So off to Avignon to report for 220 on both the formation of the ITU and the first ever official Triathlon World Championships. I was lucky enough to own a small caravan and so I drove with my family in tow and found a place to stay near "That" bridge in Avignon.  The World Championships brought success for Britain as Glenn Cook took silver behind the legend Mark Allen (USA) with Rick Wells (NZL) bronze. In the women's race it was Erin Baker (NZL) gold. Not sure if 220 used any of my photographs but I recall where we docked the photo boat Thierry Deketelaere, shooting for Triathlete, missed the dock and ended up in the drink and ruined both his cameras! No photos for Thierry....This actually happened again in Hawaii for the Ironman but this time Thierry carried a waterproof instant Kodak camera.

You can check out highlights of the 1989 ITU World Championships at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMgpyKSzN2Q
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Gordon proof-reading the Cambridge News

Gordon Riley came on board 220 as our sub-editor. He was so fed up with the spelling mistakes and typos that he volunteered to read and correct our articles before we went to print (miles and miles of fax paper went back and forth between Swindon and Cambridge).

As he was going to Hawaii anyway we wangled him press credentials for the 1989 Hawaii Ironman. We didn’t know it at the time but  this race would become a ‘collectors item’ and be known famously as the Iron War. So famous that whole books have been written about it. Mark Allen and Dave Scott ran side by side on the marathon course, each trying to get away from the other until finally . . . . . . .  

Gordon:
Jack and I travelled to Hawaii to act as Team Springman as Sarah Springman was competing that year. She was friends with Dave Scott so we got some pretty good scoops. 

My press credentials got me to the swim start and the finish line, the time in between was spent tearing around the course in a convertible Ford Mustang trying to get photos of the action. 

All in all a pretty good day although not as good as the day Mark Allen ended up having!

Gordon got one of the very few photos of Mark Allen 
without Dave Scott on his shoulder.























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In a bid to boost circulation we printed our first nude photo. Fortunately Kev was good for the craic and I needed my bike cleaned.

Next page click here 


1990 Issues 9 - 20

Biathlon Series Stuff

The concept of the  220 Turntec - Bill Rodger -Biathlon Series was to create some events that we could report on during the off season and so not be obliged to have to spend the winter in Barbados.


We loaded our 220 transition racking and finish gantry on to  the trailer and set off on a tour of the UK, co-operating with local organisers to make one big series.


We went to Bedford, Preston, somewhere in Surrey, Swindon (the event Julian talks about), right up to Hexam, Leicester, Sittingbourne, the Wear Valley with the final at RAF Cosford's indoor arena. There were 1086 finishers over eight races and £1000 in cash was distributed to the various winners - not bad in those days.

Dave Littlemore narrowly escapes being blown over the fence by a farting horse.

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Man in Restaurant: Waiter! this meal is terrible.
Waiter: But Sir, you had a five course meal with wine and it only cost two pounds twenty.
Man in Restaurant: In that case, waiter, the meal was excellent.

A similar conversation was heard at the Ball Busters Duathlon at the top of Box Hill (nearly two miles of ascending). 

Cyclist: Those riders aren't going very fast, are they really racing?
John Lunt: Yes, but first they ran eight miles which included coming up this hill. Then they have another three laps on the bike, each time coming up this hill. When they have finished all that they run another lap, and yes that makes five ascents in total.
Cyclist: . . . . pause . . . . In that case, they're going very fast indeed!

220 Contributor Dave Bellingham duathloning.

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Julian Jenkinson.

The 1989 Swindon Biathlon was my first ever duathlon after my first season in triathlon. I remember spotting Richard Hobbson who was the "star" and thinking he was twice my size and appeared to have all the kit. I rode in trainers. I recall an indoor transition and quite a buzz about the place. Coming from cross country running this felt like the big time; people watching and prizes!

I was completely unknown and ran with Hobbo. I beat him out of transition because of my trainers. I think it was an out and back  course and I got caught on the way home, a few other runner types were quickly over hauled ; a very young Julian Bunn and this guy called Trees who had run a 4 min mile or nearly. Hobbo led off bike and I took second. It was a massive surprise to me and everybody there. I loved it.

Why did I love it? Atmosphere, Exciting, Buzz, Cool. I was young cocky student and the girls and beer and everything was perfect. I did number two at Leicester meeting Dave Bellingham - mad as a hatter. I had almost learned to cycle and won the race from Steve Meads. Never won much at running, got the bug now, found something that I was half decent at.

British Ironman record holder for 13 years in 8:15:21. National titles at long distance triathlon and long distance duathlon. Represented GB elite at all distances in both triathlon and duathlon, Later (40-45years) turned to time trialling and won the BBAR in 2010, National 12 hour champion in 2010, including a best 100 miler in 3:28, 50 miles in 1:40 and a 12 hours 297 miles.

All Abroad Swindon Triathlon

Richard Hobson and Sarah Springman won their respective adult's categories.
Harry Webb was Men's Vet winner with Steve Trew second.


Round Robin Interviews

One of the really nice things about triathlon back in the day, was that the top guys, usually,  didn't have delusions of grandeur. They all knew it was a niche sport and they weren't going to get rich quickly. They were just geezers, and whatever the female equivalent is, so very approachable. When we went round asking some of the National Squad members to write a bit for the mag they all said OK.

When we said, "but you have to write about another squad member", they said . . . . . . . OK. That's how we got Glenn Cook to write about Robin Brew, Robin on Ken Maclaren, Ken on Bernie Shrosbree, Bernie on Tracey Harris, Tracey on Richard Hobson and Richard on Glenn Cook. We said "don't make it a love-in" and they didn't :-)


Commonwealth Games in NZ

The 1990 Commonwealth Games in Aukland NZ, I notice we used to spell Auckland various ways; sometimes Aukland, sometimes Orc Land (is that somewhere in Middle Earth, seems to have that ring about it). Anyway, they had The Games and also two Demonstration Sports, one of which was Triathlon.

I still don't really know why the BTA wouldn't select a team for the event, Scotland, Wales and Ireland were organised but no English team. I think there was political maneuvering somewhere between the BTA and the Sports Council, there was no logical reason not to enter as far as anybody could see.

So a swimmer turned triathlete called Mick Flaherty came to me with a list of people who wanted to go and were prepared to pay their way. Without the BTA's agreement 220 made contact with the NZ race organiser, he accepted the team and laid on homestay accommodation for everyone.

We bought a load of matching kit from Reebok and passed it on at the same price. If I remember there was one person who didn't send a cheque but every one else supported the whole venture. They all went off and apparently the race was a great success.

Funny story about Mick (Fish) Flaherty, he was in the military and in 1982 he was entered into the very first Nice Triathlon. He was told he would have to swim, ride and run. It was only later he found out that the riding bit was not on a horse but a bicycle :-)




220 Marathon Triathlon = Entry Fee £2:20

220 Marathon Triathlon T-Shirt (detail).
We wanted to put on a race that people could aspire to - a long, hard, tough race. Obviously it had to be an Ironman, without using the word Ironman which is owned by the World Triathlon Corporation. After much scratching of body parts we decided on The 220 Marathon Triathlon.

There had been a couple of long triathlons in the UK but this was the first with the exact (can't mention the name begining with I) distances. We found a lake big enough at Cotswold Water Park near Swindon and a  triangular bike route of three 60km loops, not that difficult it seemed, but actually the road surface was pretty crappy so it became a bit of a slog (I know because I raced the event as well as partially organising; reorganising a drinks station on the run can be a bit stressful). We got hold of an official AAA course measurer and triathlete called Dave Cerqua and he made sure the marathon course round Cirencester Park was accurate to a spit.

Having been to Hawaii and seen how it's done properly, we knew we would need lots and lots of volunteers. So we said every competitor, who was also a subscriber, could enter for the reduced fee of two pounds twenty if they brought along a volunteer. If they were Johnny Nomates they would have to pay the "proper"  entry fee of twenty two pounds (and twenty pence).

We expected fifty or sixty entrants but ended up with 220 . . . . . and even more volunteers!


"You can't come in here dressed like that" - our transition security came straight from a local nightclub. Winners Mike Lockwood and Sarah Springman receiving their framed cartoons that Tracy Harris sketched for the prize giving ceremony.
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220 knew Dave Loughran as Tritech the Power Bar Man. Now he’s much more refined and can be found bossing the chaps at On-One and Planet X Bikes.

Do you remember the early 1990’s ?
Yes, very much so, was mad keen into triathlon, Warburton’s Big Bread, Rother Valley Half, Canterbury in the big waves, 220 Marathon Triathlon, Bedford Long Course in 37oF with a homemade plywood disc wheel weighing 3kg, 220 at Swindon, Kewswick, Ripon.

How did you get into the Powebar business?
I left university and didn’t want to get a proper job so I set up a business importing triathlon products which was really a front for getting faster. It turned out I was pretty good at buying and selling; Barracuda swim goggles, Scott Tinley Performance clothing, Mark Allen’s book, Scott Tinleys triathlon training video.  I cut and pasted a price list, sent it to Duncan Robb (then the British Triathlon Association’s secretary, he sent it out with the BTA newsletter and I received a load of postal orders. Powerbar came in 1989, I was their first export customer. I only bought them because it said in their advert that I would go quicker.


 Did you give Powebars to 220 to go in every goody bag one year?
Yes but we also did a cover-mount, I recall they were out of date and 220 were a bit pissed.

How cold was the swim in Coate Water in the 220 Marathon Triathlon?
I had a great swim until 200 metres to go when I got a horrible calf cramp and had to just sit there for 5 minutes. At the end of the bike a motorbike making the race video started filming me so I and smashed the last 15 miles, riding 53 by 11 at 28 mph thinking I was riding the final stage of the Tour de France.  

I wobble out onto the run wearing the first ever Camelbak in the UK. I’d blagged it at Interbike the previous year. Every lap Ken Mclaren, who was commentating, would shout “Here comes Jack with his knapsack on his back”. I ended up 7th and was featured on the Channel 4 TV programme with the infamous closing line “And for some the day was too long" as the camera zoomed on to my contorted face as I cramped-up crossing the finish line.

That was my one and only Ironman distance race, being tight-arse Yorkshiremen my mate Rod Dyer and I only entered because the entry fee was £2:20 - now that was good value!

Have you sold all your Hawaiian shirts?
Yes finally, I think last year, that was not my best purchase.


Sarah Coope


 Keevil Duathlon


"Good Morning - Announcing Flight 220 from Keevil Airfield, Our duathlon destination is ten kilometers, sixty kilometers and a further ten kilometers away.

Competitors are asked to fasten their helmet straps and ensure their saddles are in an upright position with spare tyres stowed safely away.

Please take a few moments to familiarise yourselves with the emergency exits. We would remind you that smoking on the runway and in the portaloos is strictly forbidden.

In the event of an Oxygen Failure you are advised to present yourself at the St John's ambulance before lying down.

We will be flying at an 30,000 feet with an estimated time of arrival, for the winner, of two hours and thirty minutes.

Thank you for flying 220, we hope you have a pleasant flight and look forward to welcoming you back to further events in the 220 Series. Have a very pleasant journey".

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Did you know, The village People started life as Triathletes!
You couldn’t make it up! (well, actually I just did).

The London Fire Brigade trip team are sponsored by Condor Cycles (the bike shop in Greys Inn Road, London where Mike Jagger and Eric Clapton go to have their punctures repaired).

Jasmine Flatters


Jasmine Flatters was one of our Super Volunteers and she quickly became Managing Director of our Volunteers Division. Jasmine found, organised and directed the hundreds of volunteers that we needed at all our races. Not content with working for free for 220, she went on to be a tireless worker for the British Triathlon Association, she organised the age-group teams and eventually became Chairwoman (I refuse to call it Chair). I think she was one of the few, if not only, altruistic Chairpersons the BTA ever had. She wasn't interested in vanity or ego or wearing a nice blazer (unless she had ear rings to match), she just got on with the job and enjoyed doing it.  

She also held positions for the ETU on the Executive Board and the Technical Committee. For the  ITU she was a Credentials Committee and Technical Committee member. Even more importantly she was the power behind John Lunt's throne organising the 2012 London Olympic Games Triathlon. Why she hasn't been called up to Buckingham Palace for a sack full of medals I find it hard to understand.

We asked her how it all began:
I first came into contact with you all at 220 when my husband Mick entered the 220 Marathon Triathlon and I was his £2.20 volunteer in 1990! Even though Mick never actually finished that race - he was hauled out of the swim in his ill-fitting wetsuit suffering with hypothermia - we went on to do lots more 220 races (Mick competing, me volunteering) and soon you asked me to co-ordinate all the volunteers for the whole series of events. I remember that I had a database of around 700 people in the end, which is amazing as there were no emails and online registrations in those days! 

I must have been on the phone all day long. Then when both my children were at school, I started coming to Swindon two days a week to help Lorraine Ferris with all the race administration for the series and by the late nineties I was very involved in the race-day management and even acted as Race Director on the last few events.



Some things I remember:
It was great going to Ardres in France for a race, but the pasta party was not good for vegetarians - it was meat sauce for the pasta or no sauce! Dry pasta is not that appetising.
220. Yes, well, we were in France.

Going to Eilat was great fun and I remember Richard Hobson entertaining us all at the local bar with his magic tricks. I fell off a camel in the desert and had the biggest blackest bruise you have ever seen on my ample behind! But it was mainly my pride that was hurting. 
220. At the end of the season we wangled some free flights to Eilat as a thank-you for our Super Volunteers, Richard Hobson was racing and doing tricks, sometimes both at the same time.

Spencer Smith in the changing tents helping the athletes in T1 at the Ironbridge Ironman. 
220 And Coopie and Richard helped too, more than one cold and wet swimmer was flabbergasted to find Sarah Coope helping him off with his trunks.

Amazing fireworks at Ironbridge. 
220 We had to wait for last man George to finish before setting them off. Trevor Gunning borrowed a butcher's bike to go out and escort him in.

Handing some of the athletes (well, Mick and John Lunt) ice-creams on the run at Ironbridge. Oops - that's outside assistance!
220 I'll go back and revise the results.

The greatest timing system in the world - Tabs on the Table!
220 Yes it was brilliant, those were the (analogue) days.

The finish gantry almost collapsing at Bath.
220 No, don't remember.

BUPA and Gatorade at Bath.
220 Big help to get some top level sponsorship at last,it helped enormously.

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I remember my introduction to 220  “We're starting a magazine why don't you write  a column?” It was a cold winter's evening early in 1989 (blimey was that really 25 years ago?) and dinner at the the Lillie household in Swindon. From memory there was also Sarah Springman, Duncan Robb, and Trevor and Debbie Gunning.

"You've always got something to say and we need a bit of controversy so why don't you write something for us? and it could be called Kentroversi", which I'm pretty sure was a line Sarah Springman came up with, and so it started. I had a small part in the 220 journey for 200 issues and sure enough Kentroversi was the early title given to the column.


Here is part of one:
Some time in 1994 under the British Triathlon Associations accepted a sponsorship package which involved sending a group of junior boys to a training camp in Saudi Arabia funded by British Aerospace. To me accepting funding from an arms company and going to a country where girls and women were not even allowed to ride bikes fell short of what triathlon was all about on a number of issues and I said so in the column.

The postbag to the magazine as a result of that article was way in excess of the occasional letter the column generated generally. The thirty responses were pretty well split equally down the middle with some writers incensed that I dared criticise any form of sponsorship and others agreeing with my stance.
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Drug testing during the 1990 Hawaii Ironman  
American triathlete Rob Mackle is seen here giving  an in-competion urine sample.



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