I come back to this event every year, one for first timers and people who just want to test themselves.

The pool swim is well organised and trasition is well situated, the bike course is pretty fast with challenging false flats if you're not paying attention.

The run isnt very senic but there is noting they can do about that and its a good 2 lapper with a family friendly finish area.

As the pool, transition and finish is all withing 300 meters its a good spectator event too.

All in all a great event and I will hopefully be back next year.

Breaking with my usual habit, I'll keep this short - there isn't really much to add on my previous review from my participation in 2015 - same course, same format etc. - great event by a good, well-supported local triathlon club.

 Parking in the leisure centre and the school opposite is plentiful and free. Registration is slick, efficient and painless.

Transition is well organsied - numbered racking. For some reason I had a lot of difficulty with 'balancing' my bike on the racking - the first time I have ever expeirenced this; perhaps the racking was a bit wobbly (I don't know), but my bike was frequently shifting as soon as anybody toched their bike anywhere nearby and I was forced to put my helmet on the floor when I usually have it resting on my bars/hydration system... this resulted in me departing from my usual routine and getting a schoolboy stop & go for not putting my helmet on before unracking my bike (As the BTF Official said to me: 'anyone would think you were a complete beginner!' - or something along those lines!)

I've not done many pool based triathlons - but those that I have done (including this event in the past), I've usually been lucky in the swim - managing to keep away from other lane-dwellers. Sadly, this time round, at one stage, there were 4 of us in my lane all (at one point) hitting the wall at roughly the same time. Waves were released every 2 minutes. The bunching up did disrupt me but I suppose that's the luck of the draw and it was just bad luck that we all found ourselves hitting the wall at the same time. Having said that, talking to a few people after the event, quite a few people found their swim a bit 'crowded'. Maybe 2 minutes was a bit ambitious, I don't know; as I say, pool-based sprints aren't my usual fodder.

The bike was well marshalled - there were temporary lights at roadworks on the route this year; I hit them just at the end of the green light phase (fortunately/unfortunately).

Soon after exiting the roadworks I found myself behind a small convoy of 3 or 4 cars for the best part of a half mile; the 3 cars were held up by slower cyclists in front; unable to pass becuase of a combination of oncoming traffic and bollards in the centre of the road through the village;

On reflection - getting caught at a red might have been better; there was a marshal on the lights taking numbers and reporting back the time that competitors were held at the lights and results were manipulated at race HQ. That would obviously have given me (a) a bit of a rest, and (b) an opportunity to hit the front at the green light. Swings and roundabouts, I suppose and you can't fault the organisers for the roadworks...

What I can say is that, compared to 2015 - there seemed to be a much heavier distribution of marshals on both the bike and the run; the marshals were superb; well briefed, enthusiastic and providing good support to the competitors.

The run course was 2 laps round out of the leisure centre and along roads and a residential estate. Again, heavily and proficiently marshalled with a drink station at the mid-point.

In short - despite a disappointing race from a perosnal performance perspective - it was/is a very well organised event put on by the local triathlon club; 200-or so competitors with capacity for at least another 100 or so.

As for the spectator offering - food stall, bouncy castle, quality mobile coffee van. There could probably be a bit more in that respect - maybe a kids 'fun run' event/live entertainment/retailers?

An enjoyable sprint race which I did for the first time last year. Once again the whole event was well organised and marshalled by friendy/helpful folk who should take great credit for putting it on so efficiently. It seemed to me that everyone had a good time! And once again the weather was ideal too. 

My swim was my only negative. Whilst well organised I was held up in my lane and (despite my swimming having improved) was a whole minute slower than last year's time. Perhaps this can't be helped in pool lanes but frustrating nonetheless. The bike leg was a bit harder than I remembered! Some dodgy surfaces but all potholes & ruts well marked. Having to stop for roadwork traffic lights fairly early on was a shame but standing time at the lights was noted by marshals and corrected so only momentum time lost. The run is not scenic but surprisingly enjoyable, I was a little slower than last year but still decent for me. Despite my slower swim and run my quicker bike leg and transitions meant overall I finished quicker than last year. 

I had encouraged three mates to enter this year (which was a bit daft as they're all faster than me!!) and all agreed a well run, enjoyable event for all levels. 

I've done the Bassetlaw Sprint Triathlon a couple of times and I'm planning it again this year, but due to circumstances it comes three weeks after Ironman UK so I'm not sure I'm going to make it! If I do I may not be as fast as I have been in the past!

Lovely little event, lots of parking, good secure transition area, nice pool, fast bike course, some fast roads and some that are little more out of the way, but the run isn't so picturesque, two laps of urban roads. Still, a good event, well organised, well supported and good value.

This was my first Sprint distance triathlon which I only signed up for at the last minute, encouraged by a mate who was doing it. Really glad I did. Well organised event with real mix of competitors, pool swim 400m (very different to 1500m open water!), nice undulating 21k bike route and well signed 5k street run. All the marshals were friendly and encouraging, greatly appreciated!

This review is done from memory of my participation in 2015.

Bassetlaw Sprint Triathlon is my local event. I *think* the first event was in 2013. In 2014 it clashed with my participation in the London Tri (and also clashed with the event in 2016). I was able to do the event in 2015 and I am entered again for the forthcoming 2017 event.

The event is organised by the local Triathlon club as opposed to one of the commercial outfits. Don't be in any way put off by that and don't exepct some sort of half-hearted event: it is extremely well organised. I'm not a member of the club but I do know a few of the members - they're an enthusiastic bunch with plenty of experience racing - and by now - organising their own events.

I entered online - as a pool swim (400m of a 25m pool - 16 lengths) - in an effort to maintain some 'order' in the pool, you are asked to enter an estimated swim time. I'm always a little wary about this - will people generally over-estimate their ability or underestimate? From my 2015 experience, however, it struck me that most people had given accurate estimates.

About a week before the event you are sent - by email - your start time and race instructions. From what I can recall, these were fine - but I caveat that with the fact that, being local, it would all make a lot more sense to me than it would a stranger, but I can't imagine there were any problems and there were (optional) pre-race briefings at set times on the day of the event (see below).

There is on-site parking. I was a fairly late start time but still had no problem getting a parking spot. If memory serves me right, there were about 200 entrants.

The event is centred around Worksop Leisure Centre - the 'local authority' sports centre managed by a private company. Registration takes place in the main centre - you pick up your race number and collect your finishers t-shirt (even though you haven't yet finished).

You then set up your trainsition - which is in a fenced compund - either tennis courts or a 5-a-side football pitch (off the top of my head I'm not sure of the everyday configuration). Transition was very well managed with plenty of crew to ensure you knew where you were and to explain the swim in/bike out/bike in/run out routes. Despite this - I did see some people heading off in the wrong direction with their bike, but it's worth pointing out that there are a large number of novice entries to the event - it is an event very well suited to complete novices becuase it is quite low key, friendly and informal. Having said that - there are also more than your fair share of regular, experience competitors with top-level kit; you're as likely to encounter a £5000 TT Bike as you are a £99 mountain bike.

As previously mentioned, I recall that there were a number of optional briefings on offer - I seem to recall that in 2015 these were at specific times. I didn't attend any of the briefings because I was familiar with the routes and I had no questions arising from the written brief sent by email.

You were asked to be at poolside a set time prior to your start. You were issued your timing ship at poolside and a coloured swim hat for your 'wave'. I can't recall how long the separation between waves was - I think 2 or 3 minutes - and from what I can recall there were usually 3 people in each lane when I was swimming (I'm circa 7 mins for a pool-based 400m swim). From watching the swim whilst waiting to start, people were exiting within a minute of each other, hence my impression that people were giving accurate estimates.

Exiting the pool, you run out via the fire exit with a short jog into transition dropping your swim hat at the exit. Running out of transition and a short way to the mount line - this road can be a little busy - it was a shared route for bike out/in and run out.

The route out sees you turn immediate right (returning bikes coming in from your left). It is a short run along the road before you turn left and up a short climb. You have just enough time to get into your shoes and strapped in before the turn and climb. At the top of the climb it is a left turn onto the main road: this is a LIVE road. There were a couple of marshals at the junction giving some warning - something along the line of 'you're ok if you go now - enter at your own risk' - obviously they were providing a visible presence for oncoming cars and whilst they were not stopping traffic, I didn't have to stop and made it out onto the road with no problem.

It is then a long run down 'The Sandhills', into Carlton in Lindrick, through Costhorpe, Langold and then a left turn just beofre reaching Oldcotes - about a 5/6 mile straight run. There is a traffic light controlled cross roads. The lights are, however, over-ridden and traffic control officers generally give a green wave to competitors. I say generally, becuase you are told that it may be that you are held up. As it happens, I was significantly held up on the fastest section of the course - the drop from Worksop into Carlton down the Sandhills. I was held up by a bus that was itself held up by a slower cyclist in front.

The road surface is variable. There are some pretty poor sections along the way. Some of these have been improved since 2015 - but there are still some very rough sections. HOWEVER - the club are out very early in the morning with (presumably washable) spray paint - highlighting the rough sections and providing helpful direction arrows advising on evasive action to avoid the worst potholes.

The run from the turn just beofre Oldcotes is almost always tough. The road surface is of the energy sapping type and you are almost always cycling into a headwind even when it isn't a windy day (how that can be the case, I just don't know!) This section of road has had some patch improvement in recent months/years - but it can be a bit variable in places. After a mile or so there is a short downhill section towards Letwell where you make a sharp left turn into and through Letwell. This is a fast section but beware of a couple of sharp right and left turns. It is then a good run towards the Gildingwells crossroads. The road surface here is fairly good and you can get some good speed along this mile or so. Beware of the crossroads, however, as there is a MANDATORY stop - you are crossing a live road and you MUST put your foot down even if the road is clear. The crossroads is marshaled. 

Through the crossroads it is a short sharp climb through Gildingwells and along a bit of a winding road of fairly poor quality (think about staying to the centre line but beware of the possibility of oncoming traffic - ears on full alert). The road then takes you into Woodsetts and this was, for many years, a horrendous road surface - it looked as though it had been cluster-bombed by a Harrier Jump-Jet and/or strafed by an Apache Helicopter! This has been significantly improved in the last 12 months. There is a short climb to another junction with the 'Butchers Arms' pub on your right. You take a left turn here - again - be aware of traffic coming from your right. There then follows a very fast dash out of Woodsetts - you can get some good speed on this run of about 2 miles but there is one short, sharp rise that will scrub some speed before it levels out for a quick run to the A57 roundabout where you will take the first left. Again, marshaled and beware of traffic coming from the right - but it is a dual-carriageway entry that you are taking and if you get your timing right as you approach, you shouldn't need to stop. You're now just a mile or so from the finish. The road is rough in places - but good enough for some fair speed. The route is well signed and marshaled and after a short run into Worksop, you take a left turn filter lane at the 'Romans Rest pub' - beware of traffic coming from your right. A short run and then a right turn onto Valley Road and then a right into road to transition. Dismount is clearly marked and vocally highlighted.

Run out sees you turn right as you did with bike out but then another right turn (as opposed to left on the bike) and out onto Gateford Road, a bit of a climb past Tesco on your left - the road levels out and then head down and run hard. You'll see the bikes coming in up ahead near the Roman's Rest, but you'll turn right before then and run through the residential estate. This is a nice downhill section. In 2015 there were plenty of old folk and young kids out in their gardens enjoying the spectacle. Exiting the estate onto Valley Road - again, you'll see the bikes coming down and in towards transition. You will run through the grounds of the leisure centre and out on a second lap. 

On entering the leisure centre grounds after the second lap - rather than peeling off for a second lap, you take the route to the finish arch.

The finish is on the playing field; there were (in 2015) large numbers of spectators and finsihers on the field and it is a very good atmosphere. Water and refreshment is available and times are available to be printed out straight after you finish. Obviously, however, given the fact that the fastest swimmers (and therefore probably the better overall athletes), it's worth waiting a while before going for your time to get a better indication of where you have actually finished.

In summary - it's a fantastic little event. Very friendly, well organised by an enthusiastic club. It's certainly an event that should appeal to complete beginners but even those who are experienced competitors 'with all the gear' will enjoy the event.