What a scenic place to have a race, at “The Loveliest Castle in the World” as the Leeds Castle website says (although they're probably a bit biased). I've ridden up and down the A20 a few times in time trials, but never been into the castle grounds before, and it is very nice indeed.
Swim was in the moat of the castle, which was surprisingly shallow. I think it was stand-up-able all the way round, and in several places my hands were touching the muddy bottom whilst doing front crawl. If only those knights of old had known, they could have just waded across, although I guess a suit of armour would be a bit less bouyant than a wetsuit if they'd fallen over.
So for the sprint tri on Saturday there was a field of about 500 split into 3 waves, which meant for a frenzied start running into the water and some close proximity swimming all the way round. I came out of the 750m swim in a middling place in my wave. Wriggled out of the wetsuit OK and had a decent T1.
Onto the bike course which was up and down the A20 to Charing and back (26k). I spent the whole time overtaking riders from my wave and the first wave, and nobody overtook me. Must have been over a hundred people I overtook.
Back into the castle grounds on quite a narrow twisty road which I wished I'd reccied beforehand, through T2 and onto the 5k run around the grounds. Blimey, pretty hilly, which sorted out those wish tired legs. It was also getting hot by this stage, so I was glad of the water stations around the run course.
Came across the finish line a few seconds over 1 hour 30, for 70th place out of 489 finishers.