“Tartu”. For the many athletes who raced in Kitzbühel we told you that the Estonians could put on a good show. For those of you who travelled eastwards, where the sun did not set until well past 10pm and where it rose shortly after 3am, where you were greeted by smiles wherever you went and where we had the best ever Awards Ceremony, I think you can agree that the promise was delivered.

With the Elite doing battle for the Sprint Title, with the Paras collecting medals and the Juniors not only racing for individual but also the Mixed Team Relay medals, the weekend was indeed a full one.

Racing began on the Thursday and with many Age-Group athletes already in town, the support for the Paras was impressive. It all picked up with the Parade of Nations and this year, somehow, it really came together. Each nation as led by a banner-holder and they were taken on a route that passed under the finish gantry for a quick “Team Photo” before heading to the centre of the park and the speeches.

Singing is an integral part of Estonian culture. The national anthem, sung without music echoed around the park to open the ceremony.

The Local Organising Committee had spent the last year building on the successful foundation of a series of ETU European Cup races to ensure that the 2018 ETU Tartu Triathlon European Championships would be memorable. They worked hard but also proved to be the bravest LOC we have encountered for years as they put on a welcoming dance.

With the welcome speeches given by the President of the Estonian Triathlon Federation, Margus Lepik, who later raced in the 45-49 category. He handed over the microphone to the Deputy Mayor of Tartu, Madis Lepajõe, who explained in perfect English just how dedicated the city was to delivering sporting events.

ETU President Renato Bertrandi welcomed onto stage one of the founding fathers of ETU, Krzysztof Piątkowski, who gave us all a bit of background about the identification and selection of the city for ETU races. Tartu has now entered the record books as hosts of both summer and winter ETU Championships. Declaring the Championships open, Renato Bertrandi wished everyone the very best of success.

Friday saw the junior and elite athletes race and with each event, there were thrills, spills and excitement. The Age Group athletes lined the streets and cheered loudly from start to finish. With all those hours of standing and in the scorching heat, would this impact upon their racing the next day?

Team GB was there in its usual big numbers.

Jon Cowell, the GB Team Manager later said, “Now that is how to host an event...an excellent weekend of racing!”

Austria delivered its biggest Age Group Team and Malta was there with its biggest team ever too.

Other nations filled the ranks but it was a shame that some nations were absent. Ultimately, they are the ones who lost out, because the sun was shining, the course was a true test and the city was oh so welcoming.

So, how did the racing go?

Well, a river swim is always fun. Gone is the buoyancy of the sea and with the temperature pushing away any need for a wetsuit, it was a real triathlon. The LOC, working closely with the Technical Team, led by Sarah Taylor-Hough (GBR) and Siim Vollmer (EST), made the calculations ahea