DCT Feedback

Piranha Members, take a bow !

Below you will find a copy of the emails sent in after DCT 2014. There are some common themes running throughout with regard the Organisation, goodie bag, etc etc but the one comment that was said over and over was the Fantastic support everyone got from the Stewards

So take a bow all the Piranha Stewards. DCT is becoming known for its outstanding friendliness and Support which is a credit to everyone

Kind Regards,

John Wallnutt (Race Director)

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Hi John

The best organised race in the country this year. Infact, having competed in Chicago, London and San Francisco this year the best in the world. You should be very proud of your achievement. Looking forward to 2015 already. You even sorted the weather!

Regards

Turlough

Turlough Blessing
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Hi John,
Just a quick note to say thanks to you and all the team for organizing such a great event.
Thanks Colm
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Great job Johnny, you and your team should be proud! See you next year!

Ps..the medals are class!
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Hi John,
Just wanted to send a big Thank you to you and your team for providing such a great event. I did the Olympic race this year after doing the super sprint with ye for the first time last year. It’s such a good location for newbies like me, in the canal, and the closed roads for the cycle just add to feeling safe in your surroundings during the event. Also the team spread out over the course are so supportive to everyone as they pass it really helped keep the momentum going. I had a great time and hope to be back again and improve on my times…and for that great goodie bag!

Many Thanks,
Denise Dwyer
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Hi John,
Just wanna say a massive thank you to you and the team. When things run that smoothly you know a huge amount of effort has gone in to the preparation. Well done to everyone! I will definitely be coming bk next yr!

King regards,
Deirdre Kelly
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Hi,

Thanks for an amazing event, my first of hopefully many triathlons, though hopefully with improved performance.

Thank you,

Edele Grey

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Hi John,

Firstly a massive thanks to you and the team and all the volunteers and marshals for a fantastic race day. It was an excellent event and well organised from start to finish. This is my first year training and racing tri and so I’m still finding my feet and DCT was certainly a great experience and very easy to navigate around. The information provided was excellent, both pre-race and on race day.

The online tracker was great and a huge help for family and friends who were kept up to date from afar.

In terms of specific feedback:
The swim was great albeit cold (I can only think 16C in Donegal (TI Guy’s home country?) is considered balmy, I thought the water was baltic.

The bike was great, what a savage route especially along the top section where I got to use the aero bars properly for the first time in a race.

And a great run too.

And the best bit for me was getting my medal…I know for the elites and seasoned racers, they might get bored by all the bling but for people like me and especially first timers it’s like crossing the line in Kona and I wouldn’t swap that medal for anything.

Thanks again, hope to see you for the Olympic next year..

Regards
Damian McNeely
Liquid Motion Tri Club Ballina, Mayo

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John,

Well done on a great event, very impressed with organisation and comparable to the best I’ve experienced in Europe and NA. I was a wave 5, ie 50+, though I think that was a good idea it would be nicer if the wave was sequenced earlier as it’s always nicer to finish mid pack than at the end.

Thanks and well done to team

Shane Clarke

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Hi John,

Just a quick email to say well done on the organisation on Sunday. It was an absolutely fantastic race that you put on which of course was enhanced by the great surroundings of the park.

It is however the organisation and people that make it stand out. From start to finish every marshall had a smile on their face or words of encouragement and I wanted to congratulate you on putting it all together.

This was my fourth time doing this race and it just keeps getting better and better. My 3 year old has been asking all year can she go back to the race where she gets her face painted! It is by far the best organised event I’ve been to in Ireland and having done IM Lanza this year I can say that your race is every bit as well organised and as enjoyable as that.

Keep up the good work and well done to you and all the volunteers,

Thanks,

Robert Ryan

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Hi Johnny,

At the age of 56 I completed my first Triathlon on Sunday with I am proud to say with the Vodafone Dublin City Triathlon and I wanted to say a massive thank you to you and your team. My background is in open water/long distance swimming but 3 years ago I suffered a bad knee injury which resulted in needing to have surgery.

Up until July 2013 I couldn’t even swim anymore and when I walked 50-75m I experienced significant pain. Anyway I was able to get along to last years Dublin City Marathon to support a friend who is a triathlete and he did the Olympic distance. He said to me afterwards why don’t you have a go next year (2014) ?

I was so inspired by what I saw last year I got my mind focused and started to train. At first it was back to the pool then I purchased a turbo trainer for a really old road bike I had and started working out last winter on that in the house.

At the turn of Christmas and the new year I was already doing cycles of 10, 15, 20 miles several times a week. In the Spring I upgraded to a new road bike having, in the meantime, lost 2.5 stone in weight. My plan was to extend my walking distances as now having lost weight I was relatively free from pain in my knee.

By the time late July came I had already done several longer distance road bike sessions extending my distances to well over 50miles at least once a week plus shorter hill climb sessions.

My swimming was always in the bag and my cycling was now in place for the super sprint event on the 24th August but as I am very heavy the running was still going to prove to be my weakest discipline. My running plan in order to avoid injury was to do sessions on “run/walks” and I did this up to 4.5km.

So I had made the start line last Sunday and all I planned to do was to get round the course and enjoy it although my goal was to finish it without injury. That was to be a major achievement for me but secretly if I could get round in under 3hrs I would be over the moon.

I started and I finished. my transitions went well and I am delighted with a time of 2hrs and 13 seconds. I am moving forward with my training but mostly swimming (open water) and cycling (sportives) with maybe one jog per weak.

Thank you for taking the time to read my email. The Dublin City Triathlon has afforded me the opportunity to get back on the road to health and fitness. I am now inspired to set new goals at the age of 56 but one major goal already set is to be back in Dublin for next year.

Yours sincerely,

Richard Timms
Race Number 2162 – Super Sprint

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Hi John,

thank you for the day, it was a great experience. The medal was a fantastic idea 🙂 I have a question about age restriction, my mother is interested in doing the Super Sprint next year, she is 63 would that be ok?

Regards,

Frances Sullivan

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Hi John
As a super sprinter it was a great pleasure to watch the Olympic athletes.
It was a superbly well organised event. I cannot say enough about the friendly supportive people who took the time to volunteer and marshal they are a credit to the club. There was obviously massive organisation involved and the effort was evident at every turn. There were encouraging marshals everywhere, great atmosphere and it seemed to run like clockwork. Congratulations and thank you to you and your team.
It is my only Tri in three years and a great if difficult experience.
Sunday was a terrific event and I hope to train for next years. Thanks for the ice cream it was delicious!!
Kind regards

Ciara Donahue

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HI John

Once again, congratulations on a splendid event; well organised and friendly.

I think the medal was splendid.

You could reduce the entry fee by cutting corners (no food, no T shirt/jacket etc) but I wouldn’t . The extras make it a great event and if people can afford e40 then can usually afford e50.

Best wishes for 2015.

David Hawcroft
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Thank you very much John and team for organizing the Dublin City Triathlon 2014 …my wife and I had a fantastic time, it really made a lot of people very happy and it also made me feel like an elite athlete for a day. You were generous to a fault and I do not think I have experienced an event so well organized.

Just a bit embarrassed by the littering……and the feckless attitude that went with it.

Next year I would gladly help out with the clean up of litter after the event. Please let me know if I can help in anyway.

Many thanks again for organizing such a memorable day!

All the best.

Noel Berwick

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I hope you had yesterday off after all your work on Saturday and Sunday. I just wanted to drop you a note to thank you for all your hard work on the organisation of the Triathlon. Feedback internally has been amazing, Anne said it was the best year yet for Vodafone.

Thank you for going out of your way for us and ensuring that everyone really enjoyed the day.

Thanks again and all the best in the future,
Christine
Vodafone

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Hi john
Unfortunately even though i had registered I wasn’t able to take part in Sunday but I did go up to support a friend and I have to say the buzz in the park was great, the finish line especially! I’ll definitely be putting it in my diary if only to get one of those cool finisher medals, hope you have then again next year!
Tara Browne

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Hi John,

Just a quick email to say well done on the organisation on Sunday. It was an absolutely fantastic race that you put on which of course was enhanced by the great surroundings of the park.

It is however the organisation and people that make it stand out. From start to finish every marshall had a smile on their face or words of encouragement and I wanted to congratulate you on putting it all together.

This was my fourth time doing this race and it just keeps getting better and better. My 3 year old has been asking all year can she go back to the race where she gets her face painted! It is by far the best organised event I’ve been to in Ireland and having done IM Lanza this year I can say that your race is every bit as well organised and as enjoyable as that.

Keep up the good work and well done to you and all the volunteers,

Thanks,

Robert Ryan

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Thanks John – Very well organised and executed. Clearly a huge amount of preperation and thought gone into it!

My only possible suggestion would be to extend the cycling out a little perhaps using more of the park to reduce the laps (although I’m sure its an enforced restriction)

Nonetheless a very enjoyable race!

Thanks again

Thomas
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Hi John,

First of all let me say a huge Thank You to both the team & yourself for an amazing event.
It was my first Olympic distance Tri & apart from an old injury getting the better of me off the bike I had a great day.
Special thank you to all the volunteers. They were truly amazing. I saw them answering any queries put to them and every one of them encouraged all competitors for the whole day. Brilliant!!
After finishing the swim, I ran into T1 feeling a little unsteady to put it lightly. One of the volunteers accompanied me to my bike to ensure I was ok, again encouraging me the whole way.
The best organised triathlon I have attended since I started 2 years ago and that’s not to take away from others.

Can’t wait for next year’s event..

David Condon
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Hi John

Just a quick note to say how much I enjoyed the event. There was a fantastic atmosphere and I know the spectators supporting me enjoyed the morning as much as I did.

Congrats on an efficient, well run event.

Orla.

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Hello,
Just wanted to say loved the event.
You answered a question i had been pondering since race day about the swim waves and speed… that makes so much sense.
It was my first triathlon and if I remain injury free then i will be back again next year aiming for a top 50 finish in the sprint.
I always hated the idea of participation medals but with this type of endurance event it really works. Its heavy steel not tacky gold plated, reminds me of determination, which is exactly why I have it, I have been trying to do a tri for 8 years, never quite got there until now… love it
Thanks and nice job to everyone
Terry Sommerville
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Hi John,

It was a super well organised event, I really enjoyed it, next year I’ll deffo do more training and prepare myself better.

Cheers,
Keith Dixon
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Hi John
great idea to mix up the waves!
Sinead Mc Kee
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Hi Johnny

Just want to personally say thank you very much for such a wonderful experience. I missed the race last year because I was new to triathlon and the race was full before I realised it was on! This year however, I registered back in April and had been looking forward to it ever since. It was well worth the wait!! The atmosphere, the course and the coveted medal at the end could not be faulted. Definitely the best of the 4 I have done so far this year!

Well done to you and all the team – I will return next year for definite – but in the Olympic event 

Bernie Dillon

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Hi John,

I just wanted to let you know how much I have enjoyed taking part in the Dublin City Triathlon over the last three years. It has been my focal point each year as I love the course. It is always so well organised and a great fun day for all the family.

The Icing on the cake this year was to come first in the 55- 59 category.

Yours truly

Martina Kelly.
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Hi John!
I want to say thanks a million for the late entry and for a brilliant day .. In the bike course, I heard the marshells
Cheering me on every few hundred metres .. I want to express a huge thanks to you and all the marsheels for all the encouragement
And of course my partner Fionnuala who I would not be able to do it without and
Mark Riseley who was a brilliant guide…

Thanks again
Michael
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Hi John

Once again a great race in DCT. Super well organised and great marshalling. I love that bike course.

Big positives were
– all female wave
– great goody bag
– good post race grub
– loved the splitting out of ladies and gents portaloos
– instant timing and tracking

Points for improvement would be the run. Would like to see more of it on paths. The cross terrain bit is not so much fun

Race of the year again for sure

Congrats

Miriam Staunton
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Hi Johnny,

Fourth-season triathloner but this was my first DCT – don’t know why I waited so long!

Extremely well-organised from start to finish, very convenient parking, still trying to get to the bottom of my goodie bag, after-race grub/drink excellent and fine course though my hamstrings are still suffering after the run. To have NS points up tomorrow is another feather in your cap – excellent event, will be back in 2015!

Many thanks

Alan Hewison
Trilogy TC

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Sunday was my first Olympic triathlon and while it was a challenge I really enjoyed it. You should be incredibly proud of all your club members as the marshals on the day were the most encouraging I’ve seen at any race. I especially appreciated the calls of encouragement on the hills in the cycle. I think the mixed ability waves are a great idea as it ensures people are not finishing at a deserted finish line. I was delighted that females were in the 2nd wave. I knew my run time would be slow but there were still a lot of runners on the course who constantly encouraged me to keep going. Once again thank you for all your hard work. Hopefully I will be back next year to improve my time! I’m going to work hard on my running!!

thanks,

Noelle Toner
Omagh Tri Club
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Great event Johnny, well done to you and all your team.

Would be great if yourselves and TI could get together and attract some of our top elite competitors for this event.

All the best,
David O Mahoney
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Dear John,
I would like to thank you for your support and organization.
Our athletes were very satisfied and they enjoyed each moment of the race.
I would like to confirm you our cooperation for the next year. We’ll be your Italian partner if you’ll like and I hope we’ll increase the number of our athletes.
May you let me know the 2015 day of the race? I want to put in our race calendar as soon as possible.
Thanks again for everything and keep in touch!!
Best Regards,
Massimo Ross

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Hi john
Just a quick email to thank all involved for sunday. Fantastic organisation and atmosphere

Regards
Neil Mc Guinness

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John,

Brilliant race – I’ve done DCT 7 times – & that was the best one :o)

Remind us on FB or by email like this to vote for DCT when TI Ireland are taking votes for best race of the year.

Great job by you & all your team.

Edward Sweetman

Hi John
Thank you for your mail and putting on a great race as always.
On the morning of the race I left my chip at home. Apologies I haven’t done this before and I won’t be doing it again. One of your team kindly gave me a replacement number 1605 so I was sorted out
Kind Regards

Dervla Owens
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John,

Did the try a tri, my 1st ever and had a great time, class venue, organisation and marshalls on the day were brilliant. Would say that more water was needed on the run route, i was almost finished when I got some, maybe have some at start of run?
Great race though, well done,

Denny Ryan

John,

Just a quick note of thanks for a great day on Sunday. While I only learnt to swim last year, I have completed well over 20 triathlons since (including two of the Castle Series in Paris and Hever in London) and yesterday’s event was one of the best, if not the best. The professionalism was top notch. From the goodie bag, the jacket, setting, adherence to the schedule, road closures, marshalling – I could go on. I had no complaints !! My congrats to all involved,

Cyril Sullivan
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Congratulations on a brilliantly run event. As someone who is new to triathlon it was great to walk into such a friendly, welcoming environment. The stewards and volunteers were excellent and always accommodating.
I will definitely be involved next year.

Regards
John White

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Hi John,

Another great DCT race (this was my 4th year doing it), superbly organised as always.
One piece of negative feedback, the number transfers were a nightmare to remove and probably unnecessary given we wore numbers on helmet, bike and race belt. A number of my club mates felt the same.
On a positive note, the addition of lettered transition rows was very helpful.

Thanks for organising such a great and will be back next year!

Anne

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John
I would just like to congratulate yourself and the great number of volunteers that made this such a well organised event. You all did yourself and Dublin proud!

PS: the bowl of hot chicken broth at the end was most welcome.
Kind Regards, John Thorne
Thanks John,
Superb race – thanks for ice cold beer / bucket / challenge at the podium.
Tom Gagola 2nd overall
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John,
I just want to send you a quick note to thank you for a wonderful event.
This was my first tri and I was awestruck by how well it was organized and the professionalism of all the Stewarts/Marshall’s.
I will definitely be back next year.
Cheers
Keith Brennan

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John

Thank you for organising a great event. I have taking part in so many of the events in Ireland at this stage and I found the DCT great value for money and a great race for the spectator.

Regards
Tom foody

This is my 4th year doing the race, it just keeps getting better and better. Congratulations, the organisation involved is amazing, as are the volunteers.
Cheers,
Kate Murray
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Thanks John for another brilliantly organised event. Really enjoyed it and already looking forward to it next year!

Regards, Judy van den Ancker

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Hi John,

Thanks to your team for such a well organised event. Have been to a range of “main” events over last two years and this was one of the best:
Number stickers, Course, Goody Bag, Staff, Transition, Food, Results, support stewards around course.

My family at home was able to track timings which was great.

Only main negative was the run across country. Would have hoped for more path/road sections.

Would be great if you made it the whole day and added kids races.
Will definitely be back for the Olympic next year.

Cheers

David
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Thanks for an excellent race. It was my first Olympic. I found it to be extremely well organised. The Piranha volunteers couldn’t have been more
helpful.

Loved swimming with the elites in wave 1, even though I was a slower (37 mins) swimmer.

If I were to see one thing different next year, it would be to have portaloos at the finish line. We’re all downing vast amounts of fluid on
the course. 🙂

I look forward to next year.

Best Regards,

Ken O Brien

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John,
Congratulations and fairplay on a brilliant & amazingly run race. I loved the race, the medal was a great touch & as it was my 1st Olympic Triathlon it gave me a real sense of accomplishment.
The timing was fantastic as my girlfriend followed my race while she was stuck in work & yes the cycle course was busy but it was also kinda cool seeing how the big boys play cause normally they are long gone.
The only thing I found hard was the run I would of preferred more tar & less trail but I won’t complain too much.
Once again great job I hope you treated yourself and your team to a well earned beer last night & DEFINITELY see yous next year 😉
Andy Mc Girl
Great job Johnny, you and your team should be proud! See you next year!
PS..the medals are class!
Thank you for a great day yesterday. All your hard work and that of your team is appreciated – keep up the good work.

Karen, Wicklow Tri Club

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Hi John,

Congratulations on a very successful day. I saw some of the cycling portion in the Park. It all looked like it was going like clockwork.

I met our group afterwards and they were full of praise for the organisation. To a man (and they were all men – I must change that in future) they all declared it was excellent.

Their only complaint was that the water was a lot colder than Italy – in winter! Ha, I look forward to hearing your solution to that one! The two who rented wetsuits wanted to buy them..

Well done John to you and the team and thanks for all your support.

Till next year! (Date?)

Best regards,

Martin
( Marathon Travel)

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I just wanted to say thanks for all the volunteers and marshalls and the organising team for such an efficiently run and fun event! Well done to all and thanks for a great day out! fantastic goody bag too- i couldnt believe those cycle jackets-they are fantstic. well done for a great well organised, safe and fun event!
Sinead McKee
Cork Tri Club
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Thanks for a great triathlon, very well organised with nice goodie bag….jacket has been well used since. It was great to have food , drinks etc at the finish line as tri kilkenny ran out of bananas and cups of water.
Looking forward to next year
Regards Ciaran Jenkinson
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Hi John,

Once again a brilliant triathlon very well run and organized!

Other triathlons around could take a few lessons from you guys.

I loved the quick time results and the super medal. It really made it special.

Bring on next year, cant wait.

Alexandra Birney
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It was a super super event.
Well done to all involved in the organisation of it.
Other events should learn from ye!
Rachel

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Hi John,

Last man standing here again, just wanted to say thanks again for another wonderful year, it was great to come back and knock 23 mins off my time from last year, thanks again for putting me in wave 1 really made a difference over the day. Will be back for 2015, have decided to do something insane and do the 70.3, the DCT and the Dublin Marathon, might as well aim big right. Again thanks to everyone in Piranha, your members are a credit to the club and I think I speak for everyone when I say how much we appreciate them giving up the opportunity of racing so that we can.

Lorcan 1072

Great race well organised, very good marshals with clear communication on route, merging bikes etc.

Bryan Mulchinock

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John,

Congratulations on another perfectly run race. The good humour , enthusiasm and encouragement from your club mates certainly helped this slogger over the line.

I was initially disappointed to be in Wave 5 and it felt a little lonely during lap 5 of the bike and lap 2 of the run but I understand the logic you used, hopefully next year I will be one of the aul fellas you sprinkle among the youth (or even the wimmin?).

My only suggestion for improvement would be to spray the park with fly killer on the morning of the race.

Thanks

Derry O Farrell

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Hi Johnny

Just a quick mail to say ‘Thank you’ to you and your team. An excellent days racing and an event that ran like clock work. Big Credit to ALL the marshals who NEVER stopped encouraging all the participants.
Well done again John, I’m looking forward to next year already.
One last thing, the Lady who was MC throwing in the cupla focal, class all round.

Rgs Colm Mc Daid

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Hi John,

Congratulations on a really fantastic race today. This is the second year I have done the race and I really enjoyed myself again. I’m a member of Omagh Triathlon Club and recommended it to several of our members, who all had a wonderful time as well, so please pass on my thanks to everyone that marshalled, helped us and shouted instructions and words of encouragement. I will definitely be aiming to return next year (and do it in under 3 hours if I can!)
Thank you for today’s race once more.

Regards, Emma Mc Laughlin
Hi john,

Just want to say a massive thank you for everything you did today. DCT was by far my favourite race of the year-I didn’t think HOTW could be beaten!

Thank you for a great day and really looking forward to giving it a lash again next year!
Hope you take a few days off!

Regards

Carolyn Hayes

Hi John,

Firstly congrats on a great race – thoroughly enjoyed being involved, and hope to make it an annual thing. I might even enter myself next year!! The feedback from Nature Valley has been very positive, so thanks again for the opportunity to be involved. 2500 bars were distributed in total!

In the meantime enjoy a well earned rest. Back to the day job 

Ciara
Ciara Lucey Director of Client Services TITAN MARKETING

Hi John

I have to say that you did a great job as race director. The race itself is an honest one, not overly tough but yet no overly easy. It’s a good race to benchmark all others off. From the registration to the after race food/drinks, the organisation of the race was superb.
.
It would be great if you guys could attract a draft legal race to take in the city centre (on the bike) as a showcase of the sport (similar to the Worlds in London in 2013). But then that’s a whole other logistically (and political) nightmare in terms of road closures.

Anyway, well done again on an enjoyable race and best of luck in the future.

Cheers
David Russell

Thanks so much to all involved today. Was a great event. So well run. Lots of goodies in goody bag and plenty of food and drink after the race. Well done. Will see you again next year hopefully!

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Gavin,
Just wanted to thank you again for all your pre-race guidance to a couple of foreigners. My cousin and I had a great time at the race.

Also wanted to mention that you and your team put on a great race. I have done a fair number of tris in the US and none have been better organized or supported.
Rgs Sean