Bella training hard under Coach Charlie's watchful eye

Race Preview - April 14th-15th 2012

Challenge Fuertaventura, Spain

Saturday April 14th
Distance: 1.9 km swim • 90km bike • 21.1km run

teamTBB - Gran Canaria athletes racing
Bella Bayliss
Dan Halksworth
Stephen Bayliss

Bella Bayliss is back and with teamTBB men Stephen and Dan will race Challenge Fuertaventura this weekend!  Bella, Stephen, and Dan will face a competitive field on a fast, challenging course.

Bella is very excited to be back racing.  Last year she watched the race from the sidelines while 28 weeks pregnant.  But this year, she is back and ready to race it!  And her little man Charlie will be coaching and cheering from the sidelines with his grandparents.  Bella reported in that "for the past few months she has been building her training volume back up and feels that this Challenge events comes at a perfect time to schedule her first race back since having son Charlie.  She is very excited to be back on the start line and will of course do her best to go for the win on Saturday."  She and Stephen have been training on Gran Canaria for the winter so their trip over to Fuertaventura will pretty easy.  Charlie hasn't been talking yet, but knowledgable sources say he is very excited to watch his fast super-fit parents, Bella and Stephen, race this weekend.

Stephen raced Challenge Fuertaventura last year and finished in a strong 3rd place.  He is excited to race after his great camp on Gran Canaria with Bella and teammates Dan and Mathias.  He feels that his form is great and that he is ready to face the strong field.  He reported in that "I am looking to put in a strong swim, bike, and run and do my very best to be up near the front come the end of the race.  It will be great to be racing with Bella again and to have Charlie and my parents there watching and supporting."

Dan is also racing Challenge Fuertaventura for a second time after having a solid result last year.  His form is great, and his training and racing has been going smoothly throughout the winter.  He reported that he is looking forward to racing this event and had a fun time there last year.  He is eager to test himself against top competition after his great result at Abu Dhabi last month.

The race starts with an ocean swim at Playitas Beach moves onto a hilly challening bike, and finishes with a fast flat run in the heat of the Gran Canaria islands.  On the men's side, Stephen and Dan will face a stellar mens field that includes Abu Dhabi winner Rasmus Henning as well as top ITU athlete Javier Gomez, and Ironman Marino Van Hoanacker.  On the women's side, Bella will face a competitive field with top Ironwomen Erica Cosmor, Emma Kate Lidbury, Helen Bej Di Vaate, and Eva Nystrom.