It was a very early rise (even by triathlete standards) for the athletes and many supporters who made their way to the Nepean triathlon on Sunday. The Illawarra was well represented with 9 athletes out to experience their first real taste of summer. Held at the Penrith Regatta Centre, it was a 1km swim, a 30km cycle and a 10km run under the scorching sun where the temperature soared to the high 30’s. The race is Australia’s oldest and richest, with lucrative prizes and awards on offer. Throw in an opportunity to qualify for a second “super sprint”, and you’ll find yourself racing amongst a very competitive field of athletes. With a prize for the overall winner, the girls received a 12 minute handicap based on the previous 5 years results. So off we're sent with targets on our backs and the guys hunting us down. After our race, we all packed into the grandstand and cheered on Alex who raced well in the explosively fast super sprint. It was a successful day with our athletes recording excellent times. I went home happy after shedding 14 minutes off mine from last year and placing 3rd in my age category. Download the results below.