IN a week where there was a lull in competition, the focus has been firmly on the Ayrodynamic Triathlon Club's initiative to encourage and promote sea swimming.

The first of the Barassie Sea Swim Sessions took place on the beach in great conditions and was a great success, with more than 30 people turning out to discover the fun and benefits of open water swimming - off our local beaches.

These sessions, which are part of a community programme. will continue with further opportunities to take part on Thursdays, August 17 and 31, both at 7.00 pm, and Saturday, August 26, at 2 pm. If there is sufficient interest, further sessions may be added.

Still on events, the New Cumnock Super Sprint is filling up, and anyone wishing to enter should move quickly to Entry Central to book their place.

On the competition front, Lorna Todd stretched her legs in the Dundonald 10km race, and finished second female veteran in 46 minutes.

Meanwhile in France, vintage veteran Grant Young continued his foreign adventure by taking part in the Black Mountain Triathlon, in the hills behind Carcassonne. He was the only British participant.

In a very tough sprint event, which had more than 600 metres of climbing in the 20 km cycle - some slopes up to 14%. He again won both his own age category, and the one below, and was fourth in the one below that - 55-59 years.

The race featured a very unusual start, where the competitors were briefed in the village hosting the race, then cycled in a mass Tour de France-style pack 5kms uphill to the swim start in a small mountain lake. Wet suits on, and bikes racked, the racers plunged into the water, completing three loops of a course which involved climbing out at the end of each loop and running along the embankment, before diving back in for the next loop.

After the swim, it was onto the bikes for a very rapid and potentially dangerous downhill followed by a daunting climb back to the transition area. The final run was through forests and almost alpine meadows.