How to describe the wonderful achievements of Helen Rodd and her daughter Carina in two superb displays of endurance. Helen is well known to the sporting community in Dubai. Co-organisor of the Triclub events over the last 4 years, regular time keeper at the DRR predictor, member and web site manager for the Roadstars, registration secretary for the Wadi Bih event and now a sporting super star. The Etape is a 180 km cycle event through torturous mountains following one leg of the route of the Tour De France. This year the event coincided with Helen's 50th birthday, 18th July and to celebrate she entered the event. To train for it she was getting up at 3:00 am on Friday mornings in the heat of Dubai in June to cycle 180km.
Before the event she was worried about completing the distance or whether she would make the cut off time. On the day she did magnificently. She was 26th woman out of about 200 in the age 35+ category. She finished in the top 3000 overall out of 8000+ starters. She beat more than half of the men taking part. And, as if that wasn't enough, she was fast enough to win the silver medal (not just the regular bronze for finishing).
Thanks Helen. What an inspiration to us all.
Carina Rodd
Helen had still not come down to earth a week later when it was the turn of 18 year old Carina to shine. Like Helen, Carina is well known in the Dubai Triathlon scene. She first started running on the Predictor in 2003 aged 12. At the age of 17 she was top female triathlete in the UAE, winning the Tri-club series. She went on to represent Great Britain in the World Junior Triathlon Chamtionships last year in Australia and finished 7th.
But to undertake an ironman event is quite a different matter, particularly for one so young. On the 25th July Carina Rodd, competed in the Zurich Ironman, one of the worlds major triathlons. In her age group, 18 to 24, Carina was 2nd in the swim, 1st on the bike and 3rd on the run, finishing 3rd in her catagory overall. She did the 3.8 km swim in 1:04:58, the 180 km cycle in 5:52:08 and then followed that up with a run over the full 42.2 km marathon distance in 4:29:38. Her overall time was 11:34:50.
A fantastic performance. We are proud to be associated with these 2 great athletes.
