Racing in the Aussie Green and Gold @ the Worlds |Spain
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By Lizzelle Smith
Spain 2025 Pontevedra
I left for Spain on Sunday, the 15 June 2025, but our flight was delayed for 4 hours. So, we left on the 16 June 2025. Three of us (Lizelle, Mark, and close friend Nelleke) left for Spain on the same Qatar flight. Ross, also in our group (referred to us as the Cheese and Vegemite sandwiches' ) had arrived a day earlier on the 15 June 2025.
First stop was Doha, with a layover and next stop was Madrid. We arrived in Madrid a bit late and stayed in the Ibis Styles Hotel, close to the airport. A lovely hotel, with a beautiful breakfast and coffee. (Thanks Mark!)
The next morning, we all went for a little run before exploring Madrid and all the tourist attractions.
We picked up our rental car and off we went, exploring some more tourist attractions. We stayed over in a smaller Spanish town, Salamanca. Absolutely beautiful, with magnificent old buildings. I truly loved this place, and one day I would like to return and explore some more
Our next stop would have been Porto (Portugal), but after driving around in Porto and the city, we decided to head back on the road again.
We arrived in Pontevedra on Wednesday, 18th June 2025, and stayed out of the busy city at the Hotel Regiosa. It was a budget hotel, clean with some great food.
Travelling in Pontevedra can be very challenging (especially being on the right-hand side) and stressful. So, in hindsight, I think it would have been good to stay within the city, without the need to travel up and down😉 However, you will need to pay more for accommodation closer to Pontevedra.
Pontevedra is a very big city, with lots happening. You can walk everywhere. (Parking is a real issue, with high parking fines too. Oh yes, and when going from Madrid to Pontevedra, expect to pay toll fees).
Back to the race… We hired our bikes in Spain. This was a super idea! No need to worry about bike boxes, travelling with bikes, insurance, lost bikes, etc. I would really recommend athletes renting bikes when competing overseas. We could also leave our bikes at the designated hotel, without the worry of storage, service, etc.
We registered on the Thursday, and the atmosphere at registration was just awesome. We could buy some souvenirs and take some happy pics too. On the Friday, we had to register for races and racked the bikes for the first race. (Age Group Sprint Duathlon). All went well. Just amazing to see hundreds of bikes in transition.
On the Friday afternoon, we attended the Opening Ceremony – it was an amazing experience to stand next to fellow Aussies and seeing the Australian Flag and listening to the anthem. A moment to treasure, to be grateful, and just reflect on these blessings that come our way. I loved to fact that we could walk as a group of mates (the Cheese and Vegemite Sandwiches ) amongst other elite and world-wide athletes. Moments to treasure forever…. 100%
Next day, Saturday, was race day! We were all quiet, nervous, and excited at the same time. But, after we had our helmets, stickers, and gear checked by the officials, we were ready to go. We were all in different waves, age groups, and time slots.
Race information:
My first race went well; I felt good on the run. However, the bike was a challenge and the hills were real. But I managed and held on. The bike performed very well, and it felt like I was flying down the hills. The second run also went well.
When I crossed the finish line, I just could not help but cry. The pure emotion of being there and being able to complete the race, was just wonderful. I knew I gave it my all! I thanked the Lord!
Also, after seeing my mate Ross, and listening to his encouraging words, I was overwhelmed …and the tears came down like a flood… yes, these memories I will treasure.
My second race was harder. I was fatigued from the first race. I had to question myself – why did you enter another race, a longer and much tougher race?
Well, too late… I just had to face the Standard Duathlon. The 10km run felt good, However, the 40km bike ride over the Spanish hills were just brutal. Coming down them was a different story… it was super-fast! I had to really hold on to the handlebars and brakes… dodging some of the potholes too.
My last 5km run also went well.
Considering the toughness of this race, I was happy with my 12th place. The most rewarding of all, was to race world athletes, especially Great Brittan, USA, RSA (my home country), and Spain.
Results : 11th 1:22:24 12th 2:52:04
Thanks to: Greg, my family, and friends for believing in me, the Cheese and Vegemite Sandwiches---, Mark, Ross, Nelleke, and my EFS Club. I am thankful to the Lord for giving me the ability to participate in these races at my age.
Lizzelle