29 May 2016:  The 2016 Montrose Triathlon welcomes its first Visually Impaired (VI) participant.  Menmuir’s (by Brechin) Norma Davidson will be taking part in her first triathlon on Sunday, 5 June when she takes competes in the Novice event.

Norma will be assisted by guide and childhood friend Mary Anderson to complete the 400m swim (16 lengths), 12km bike and 5km run round Montrose.   Mary and She will swim in the pool alongside the other participants before jumping on their tandem for the bike section of the event.  Mary will then guide Norma round the run route.

Speaking of the event Norma commented “I am really looking forward to it.  Mary and I are both involved with the SWRI (Scottish Women’s Rural Institute) Angus Federation and this year is our 100^th Birthday.  We wanted to do something to mark this so we decided to enter the Montrose Triathlon and that’s where it all started!”

Norma continued “I am looking forward to the whole thing!  The worry that is playing on my mind a wee bit is the swimming. I don’t want to hold Mary up and I worry about her being out of the pool before me.  Initially we thought I would be the faster swimmer but when we were practicing the other night it was the other way round.  Either way though, whoever is out of the pool first will have to wait, that’s just the way it will be”.

Maggie Lawrie, Tri Angus Director, commented “I was delighted when Norma and Mary got in touch about taking part.  The event has always been aimed at including everyone, whether they had taken part in a triathlon or not, so to have Norma and Mary involved this year really ties in with that.

“From a race organiser’s point of view I have been surprised how simple it has been to accommodate Norma and I would encourage other event organisers to look at opening up their events to people with disabilities too”.

When asked if she had any advice for other disabled people Norma said without hesitation “Just go for it, just go for it!  When I lost my sight at 16 my Mum was never one of these people to wrap me up in cotton wool and I think that’s the answer to any disability – just see what you can do.”  She then continued “You do need people like Mary in this world though who are quite happy, quite willing, to give up their time to help people like myself to do these things because I wouldn’t have been able to do this without her.  So if there are people out there who are keen to help someone like me then just go for it!”

For more information about this year’s triathlon visit the Tri Angus website www.triangus.co.uk.  If you would like to help cheer on Norma, Mary and all the other participants taking part in the event as they swim, bike and run their way round Montrose on the 5^th June they would be very grateful of your support.  Route maps are available on the website.  The first participants will be in the pool at 11am with the first cyclists out on course at about 11.25am.