Saturday 18th March 2006, 1.15 - 4 pm, Fitzroy St. St. Kilda

Have I posted in the right place here? It's more the atmosphere of the thing than anything. And sorry I missed the first leg.

The crowd: or a small part of it. There seemed to be maybe tens of thousands of people there.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/ooompaloompa123/Melbourne/sport/tri_4190.jpg

Crowd control: crossing the road was like running through a stockyard (and only fifteen at a time!). Also,you had to sto[p and wait in the median strip.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/ooompaloompa123/Melbourne/sport/tri_4166.jpg

There they go! Up the Grey Street hill ... note the bums here: three of the four finalists.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/ooompaloompa123/Melbourne/sport/tri_4168.jpg

and back again.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/ooompaloompa123/Melbourne/sport/tri_4172.jpg

Further down the field: Decaul from Grenada and Bathfield from Mauritius.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/ooompaloompa123/Melbourne/sport/tri_4179.jpg

Off your bikes! The leaders start running ...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/ooompaloompa123/Melbourne/sport/tri_4193.jpg

On the return leg: left to right: Don of England, followed by Kahlefeldt and Robertson from Australia, then Gemmell of New Zealand. The other three overtook Don, and Gemmel overtook Robertson. In other words, finally, it was Kahlefeldt for Australia, Gemmell for NZ, Robertson for Australia again, then Don for the Old Country.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/ooompaloompa123/Melbourne/sport/tri1200_4194.jpg

De Villiers from South Africa (on the left), Tichellaar from Canada and Hayes from england foought it out to finish in 10th, 8th & 9th positions respectively:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/ooompaloompa123/Melbourne/sport/tri_4195.jpg

I rely admire these guys. The last guy to finish was 47 minutes behing Kahlefedlt; one of the 32 didn't finish. But the crowd were pretty good and cheered all of them on.

Trying to get home: the crowd that thought the No. 96 tram along the light rail would be too crowded, and walked the extra half a kilometre to St. Kilda Road instead:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v294/ooompaloompa123/Melbourne/sport/tri_4211.jpg

Great stuff . . . looked like a huge crowd.

That's awesome yardy.