“Every race is a chance to turn challenges into strength”

CSSC’s Elite Sponsorship Fund supported triathlete Martin Jessop to compete at the European & Asian Triathlon Finals in Istanbul, where he proudly won Silver in the Age Group Standard Distance event

Istanbul European & Asian Standard Distance Finals – Race Report 

“On landing, Istanbul greeted us with heat, traffic… and more traffic. The two-hour journey to cover 50km to the hotel was a baptism of fire, with wild dogs on motorways and cats everywhere. I’d chosen a hotel on the Asian side, close to the venue, to ease logistics — a wise call in hindsight.

A free room upgrade was a pleasant surprise, and the bike build went smoothly (a relief after missing components at Worlds in September). My spares bag remained untouched and my pre A race ritual of new tyres was undertaken. The local roads felt too chaotic to risk riding, a few spins around the hotel car park confirmed everything was in order. 

Breakfast the next morning provided a shock of a different kind. The dining room looked like the aftermath of a mass brawl, until we realised the hotel sat next to a hospital and most guests were patients recovering from cosmetic treatment. Less amusing was the traffic noise that continued all night, heard even from the 16th floor.  

My “bike recce” was essentially the taxi ride in from the airport. The course’s defining feature was the bridge across the Bosphorus — a surreal setting, usually a busy shipping lane, now to be swum in and raced over.

The swim briefing promised a 2.2km down-river point-to-point that, thanks to current, would “feel like” a 1.5km swim. The advice was to head for the far side of the bridge, find the stronger current in the middle, and then cut back across. In reality it was clear this would be less about pure swim ability and more about who got lucky with the currents. 

Racking the bike on Saturday afternoon confirmed just how congested the city was: despite being only six miles from the venue, it took 40 minutes in a taxi, before we eventually bailed and walked. I couldn’t help wondering how anyone thought a triathlon of this scale would work in a city so overcrowded, despite the closed roads for the junior racing exacerbating the traffic chaos. 

A 3am alarm, 5am transition check-in, and a bus to the swim start set the tone for a long day. Surprisingly, water temperature was measured below 21.9°C, meaning wetsuits were allowed — a bonus for those who’d packed them. 

The start was slick, athletes funnelled into gated pens, then every five seconds four of us sprinted across the jetty and leapt in. No mass brawl, just smooth efficiency. 

I struck out for the middle of the channel, expecting faster current — and competitor company. Instead, I was alone, no safety boats, just surrounded by crystal-clear water full of moon jellyfish that, oddly, seemed drifting toward me despite the supposed downstream flow. The course was unmarked, leaving me disoriented with no feet to follow. I don’t recall seeing a safety boat and assumed the field was vastly spread out across the river. Convinced I’d gone too far out, I started to cut back towards shore, but the swim dragged on and on. Post-race chat confirmed one competitor had clocked 2.6km. No wonder it felt endless.  

Exiting the water via the ladder, I feared my race was already lost. But the 400m run into the first transition (T1) told a different story as the bike racks were still full, with only a handful of athletes getting ready to ride. My support crew shouted that I was 4th out of the water — back in the game.

 The opening 2km climb out of T1 was out of the saddle in parts, were I silently thanked Derek OYB for swapping chainring to a 54 for this race. Once onto the motorway, it was a dream: long, gradual ascents and descents, flawless surfaces, and — mercifully — closed, empty roads. The Bosphorus bridge crossing almost passed unnoticed as I was tucked in holding race pace. The 40km evaporated, and I was almost disappointed to be descending back down the hill into T2. Easily one of the best bike courses I’ve ever ridden.

Heading out, I was told I was in 2nd. As usual, I went out too hard, chasing the leader, and paid for it later — some lessons I’ll never learn. But the effort held, and I crossed the line in 2nd place, delighted to podium in my final year in this age category.

My lasting memories: an endless swim, a bike that finished too soon, and stray dogs howling in unison to the call to prayer echoing through the streets. 

There’s talk of Turkey bidding for the 2027 World Finals. If so, let’s hope they choose a less congested venue — for everyone’s sake.”

2025 İstanbul Avrupa-Asya Şampiyonası