NEVIS CYCLE & TRIATHLON CLUB

A group of athlete leave SXM by boat the Eagle and some by via win-air it was a fabulous boat ride over it take us about 1hr 30min to get there after getting closer to Saba it was a wonderful site to see just pure rock coming off of the Atlantic going to the Caribbean side of the Island with Saba on the left and a another rock on the right pointing out of the water as the boat pass though the island and the rock in my mine was juggling welcome Haven or welcome to hell, and y do the call the tri hell gate Saba is a beautifully  place it was green and full of life, will i was about to find out why hells gate.

while we were approaching the island those who arrive by plane were there and already contemplating who the winner will be it was between me and Dick trying to not get caught up in that i was just happy to be there to race and have fun that's the same mentality i went to St. Croix with because i no i was not at my best in fitness. I was picked up by a friend name Steve he gave me a VIP welcome by picking me up and showing me some of the course and telling me about Saba. then he drop me off at the Eco-lodge way up in the hills the room that i was in i could have see Nevis and Montserrat WOW!!! it was nice.

The place where Steve drove me to see the swim, boy it was steep rocks in the road as we were going down my ears pop reach to the swim there was no sand pure rocks on that day, but there is normally sand there the waves were coming hard. Back at the Eco-loge Sue ask me how did the swim look i tell her dangerous, the organizers went down to take a second look, and the had to change the course but it does not matter were they change to it still going to be hard.
the swim started in the harbor were we came in and it was more then 750m, plus heading into the waves sun is in your eyes when you looking for the marker did not make it any easier i was out in front with dick right on my left marking me close by the time we reach the first buoy i no i will have a bad day.

Frits Bus, Gary Hawkins meet me in transition Pablo was out of the water just a head of me Wow this was like a replay of low lands tri, leaving the transition we were heading up & up, & up, if i tell you my legs call for the granny gear i was definitely having a bad day, haven was not in my head anymore it was like now i know why they call it hells gate. I start talking to my self come on Reggie get out of that and ride your self back in the race at every turn i could see Frits and Gary all of a suddenly this guy pass me on a road bike my hart just drop. I tell my self i will make it up on the run but little bit did i no what i am getting my self into dick was way a head by the time i reach T2 my mind was off of dick he was already way a head it was getting through the tuff race Winston and Susy race talk me into doing.

The run was a pure off road run with steep on road section then back off road again it was pure jungle of pain and fun it more of a hike then a run it had lovely views. I try to keep up with Steve but he was walking faster then me ha, ha, ha, but we were trading places on till he get away from me so i came in fifth. times are Dick Luttekes 1.42.55 Frits Bus 1.49.54 Steve Gilles 1.51.35 Gary Hawkins 1.56.13 Reggie Douglas 1.53.14.

I must say it is a race i must do again  and definitely train for, to me is not to go back there and beat any body but to conquer the race itself. Thanks to the organizers for putting on such a beautiful race.