Bristol triathlete misses out on win after running extra 2km

Slipping into the water of the Cumberland Basin at the start line of Sunday’s Bristol Triathlon, Ross Ellett felt confident.

Just two hours later, he would see victory slip through his fingers having been told to continue running by a marshal while leading the race and only turning around himself when he realised he was going to run further than the stipulated 10km.

Ellett eventually ran 12km but still finished in fourth position.

Having won last year’s sprint distance race at the same event, Ellett – whose day job is a barista in Little Victories in Wapping Wharf – returned for the Olympic distance and was all set to claim consecutive victories until the unfortunate mishap.

The 28-year-old, who lives near Long Ashton, had hoped that winning Sunday’s race might help his transition into professional competing. But it was not to be.

Ross Ellett during the running leg of Bristol Triathlon – photo: Ashley de Lotz

Ellett finished the 1.5km swim among the lead group and first took the lead on the bike leg. He began the run – 5km along the Pill path and back – feeling confident.

He assumed he would reach a marshalled turn point or at least a sign on the route telling him to turn around.

His wristwatch showed 5km come and go. Ellett carried on running. He did eventually find a marshal who said to carry on running. At 6.5km, Ellett decided to turn around.

He was not alone in passing the turning point. Two other runners following behind him had also overshot the mark.

Race organisers Tough Runner UK promises a “fully marked and marshalled route” for the Bristol Triathlon. Ellett said this simply wasn’t the case.

Tough Runner UK have been asked for comment.

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Read more: In photos: Bristol Triathlon 2021

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Ellett suspects that the marshals weren’t ready when he and the other frontrunners arrived at what was meant to be the turn point on the Pill path. Later runners were directed correctly.

His time of two hours, six minutes and 57 seconds was four minutes and 41 seconds behind first place. Had he turned at the correct point on the run and completed a 10km run like the winner, he would likely have stood on top position on the podium.

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After the race, Ellett checked on Strava and saw that the winner had run exactly 10km compared to his own 12km.

“So I knew then that I’d missed the turn point,” Ellett told Bristol24/7. “I was frustrated that I hadn’t won and defended my title.”

Ellett added: “It’s a bit frustrating when you know you’re in really good form and you’re capable of beating these people and it turns out just because of some slight admin error that it hasn’t worked out.”

After contacting the race organisers to explain what had happened, they offered Ellett a discount on future races.

“I think really it’s quite an amateur mistake to make,” said Ellett, who hopes that Tough Runner UK will learn from this mistake and make sure it doesn’t happen again.

The time has passed to correct the results, said Ellett, who is magnanimous in defeat. “Someone else has been crowned the winner. I don’t really want to take it off them by default.”

Main photo: Ashley De Lotz

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