LUKE HARROP MEMORIAL TRIATHLON

Spectators lined the streets as thousands of competitors tackled the annual event in Southport yesterday.

BILL Chaffey reckons he’s got worse cuts shaving.

The Bilambil paratriathlete has emerged unscathed from a spectacular crash at the Gold Coast Triathlon, Luke Harrop Memorial race but not before sending a scare through the nation’s triathlon ranks just over an hour before he was to be officially named on Australia’s team for the Commonwealth Games.

Chaffey has only one speed when he’s racing - flat out.

And it almost brought him unstuck yesterday on a rainswept Broadwater Parklands course.

Despite an earlier crash, Chaffey did not back off and paid the price, tumbling from his race chair just 200m from the finish line and smashing into barriers in a fall that cost him the national sprint title as Victorian Alex Welsh sailed by. Chaffey’s injured pride was one thing.

What he could not afford five weeks out from the Games was a serious injury.

But he has guaranteed he will be on the start line on April 9, even if he does have to back off a little in his final rehearsal.

“I treat every race like it’s a world championship, I go 100 per cent all the time and sometimes that can be my downfall,” Chaffey said.

“It was a little bit like that today, going too fast for the course conditions and the traffic that was on the course.

“It brought me undone twice but I feel alright...I’ve got

a little bit of a sore shoulder, a sore finger, a couple of scratches but nothing that’s going to stop me.

“I will be 100 per cent at the Games and I’ll be leading the charge. I’ve got a couple of little scratches, but I’ve had worse shaving.”

Chaffey will finalise his Games preparations at the Mooloolaba Triathlon in a fortnight and admitted he would have to back off the pace.

“I’ve entered a race at Mooloolaba in two weeks, it’s my favourite race in the world,” he said. “I’ll race that but I might knock it back to 99.95 per cent.

“I don’t want any more mishaps before the Games.”

While Chaffey had been pre-selected, as had Queensland world champion Emily Tapp, he was officially named in the Games team yesterday.

Vincent Young (3073) leads the pack in the junior race at the competition yesterday. Pictures: MIKE BATTERHAM

Cyclists navigate the tricky course yesterday at the Southport Broadwater Parklands.

Amber Pate pushes her body to the limits on her way to the finish line yesterday.

Ryan Billingham (3070) and Sam Richards (3071) head off in their race.

Sheldon Triathlon club members (from left) David Mais, Mal Miller, Ross Lewis, and Eva Bury.

One of the younger competitors gets ready for the bike leg of her race yesterday.

Michelle Smith’s clan are all smiles.

The racing heats up on the bike.