Summer starts with the European Middle Distance Championships in Brigg

It’s 08:29 on the 1st of June 2025 in Brigg, North Lincolnshire, the first day of meteorological summer and a fine and warm day with a little bit of breeze blowing in from the west.
In the river Ancholme, around 110 multi-sport athletes are awaiting the start of their events, now just 1 minute away. The athletes are participants in one of four events being held on that day.
Firstly, there is the prestigious third international quadrathlon championship event of 2025, the European Middle Distance Quadrathlon Championships. This event also doubled up as the third of the 2025 season in the World Quadrathlon Federation World Cup series, following earlier races in Kassel and Gyekenyes. Secondly, this one day championship event was accompanied by its slightly shorter sibling race, a sprint distance quadrathlon, with points being awarded and counting towards the national British Quadrathlon Association series awards. Finally and separate to this race report, there was an accompanying standard distance and sprint distance triathlon.
The Race – Suddenly, the race director, Jeff calls out loud and clear to the athletes in the water…….
‘Is there anyone here doing the duathlon?…….. If you are, you’re in the wrong place……’ So much laughing and smiles from everyone and then bang, we’re off. Two laps of a 750 swim for the European Champs race and one lap for the sprint event. As ever, the swim was a fast affair for those at the front, with the top athletes looking to establish an early lead position.
I settle in, concentrate on breathing, find your own rhythm, count the buoy turns and then back to the landing stage, Here, friendly and familiar faces and voices carry you on your way past the boathouse into transition.
Onto the 30k bike stage and the course was just excellent. For me personally, I’d checked out the bike course on the previous Friday, so it was full gas all the way, tuck in, shrug the shoulders narrow and get aero, every second counts. The loop out of Waddingham and through Snitterby was just excellent fun. 49:24 later and I’m rolling back into the sports center, thinking now about the kayak leg.
One thing that is an absolute pleasure about the Brigg quad races is the boat leg on the Ancholme, 7.8k’s to the wooden bridge and back for the middle distance and just short of 5k’s to the red bridge and back for the sprint competitors.
Paddling alongside Oli Fairbairn on the outward leg, a figure was rapidly approaching us and coming into view on their return, pushing their boat at circa 12-13kph. This was Ferenc Csima, at that point around 20 minutes ahead of us, the eventual overall winner and an absolutely phenomenal kayak racer. Next to cross us was Laurent Martinou, eventual 2nd place and around 10 minutes behind Ferenc at that stage. ‘Bravo Laurent! Allez, allez, allez…..’ was the shout out as we crossed.
As a side note, chapeau to Laurent, who drove north from his home south of Paris on the Saturday, raced the event and then drove back to the south coast after the race for the 19:30 Sunday evening ferry, top effort! On the return leg, it was great to see Helen Russell in her GB tri-suit on the outward leg, pushing on in the boat on her way to the overall win.
So here we go, the day’s getting done now, just the run to go, 5k’s for the sprint and 9.8k’s for the middle distance event.
This is the classic time to check in with the body……. ‘legs, how’s it going, are you thinking about cramping? No we’re fine. Achilles, how are you? Any tightness? No, we’re alright just now. Ok lower back how are you after the kayaking? I’m a bit sore, but I think I’m good for 10k’s, lets do it…….’ So check the watch, put it on 4 minute 35 second k’s and tick off the distance.
And just like that, the day is done, off the river path, past the petrol station, over the bridge, careful on the little grassy slope and the finish line is there. This sport is just fantastic and the people are just so lovely. Cross the line, go and hug everybody and then look for family supporters.
The open race overall was won by Ferenc with a fantastic time of 2:29:29, with Laurent 6 minutes behind in P2 (1st O40 – 2:35:45) and James Block of GBR completing the podium (1st O50 – 2:48:40).
Overall Mens European Champions
Helen won the female event overall with a time 3:03:33 (1st O50), with Rose Durrant in P2 (1st Elite – 3:08:13) with Orna Otoole completing the podium (2nd O50 – 3:16:50).
In other results, Tora Oetgen was 1st female O40 (4th overall – 3:26:46), Hermione Ball 1st female junior (5th overall – 3:31:25), Oli Fairbairn was 1st Elite (4th Open overall – 2:51:37) and I was 1st O60 (5th Open overall – 2:54:02)