The Exe Valley Triathlon is the traditional start of the triathlon season locally, writes Dennis Elliott.

This is a sprint or novice race involving distances of 200 or 400 metres swim a 20 or 24km bike and a 3 or 5km run.

Sundays triathlon was used my many who took part as a season opener, a chance to reacquaint oneself with ‘adrenaline rush’, the complexities of transitions (changing clothing etc as you move from one event to another), and to gauge just how the winter training has gone.

Jane Down has had a number of setbacks this winter, but she performed well and will be well place for the season ahead.

Ceri Henkus and Rae Owen have now both got their first full triathlon of the season out of the way. Both are excellent swimmers and offer great promise as their all round fitness continues to improve.

Henkus has also set a new standard for the club as her finger nails announced a new club ‘look’.

Sidmouth College governor Dave Welsh is beginning to look like a genuine triathlete and his work in the pool is paying huge dividends in terms of his overall performance.

Jane Beech is tapering to some very important races in the near future as she is trying to gain selection for the GB squad in this summers world championships. She shaved a significant amount of her time of last year with plenty of reserve in the tank. Karl Hodson is an outstanding cyclist and he is learning to balance his effort over all three triathlon disciplines.

This week he did not get it quite right as his run suffered, but there is plenty to build on. Richard Harvey was the highest placed club finisher a very respectable 67th place overall.