Search
shop

‘Riding with a parachute’ – Kyle Smith with the lowdown on Edmonton

Despite a couple of unwanted challenges, Kyle Smith still made the top 10 in the first ever PTO Canadian Open
Last updated -
Get the ultimate guide to destination racing

TRI247 columnist Kyle Smith with his latest update…

It was a privilege to be part of the first PTO Open race, it was a really special event and a super-exciting race. 

I think for me, I was feeling okay before the race, had a good swim with the lead group and then got on the bike and I actually felt okay at the start of the bike. 

But I just started not feeling great towards the end of the bike. Of course, it was pretty brutal but as well as that my suit zip broke coming out of the swim, so I was kind of riding with a parachute. So that was riding really good power, but going backwards through the bunch.

Advertisement

More misfortune

Kyle Smith PTO Canadian Open bike photo credit PTO
[Photo credit: PTO Canadian Open]

And then coming into T2 I just swung the leg over and my shoe unclipped, but I was on top of it, so I went down and then kind of hurt myself a little bit on that, I hit my heel quite hard.

But there was still money and a place to be had and I was still in a good position. So I started to run and wasn’t in a good way for the first, I guess, three kilometres. I really struggled but then kind of ran through that s**t period and got back into some kind of flow and then held on for ninth place on a day where I wasn’t feeling great and a lot of things went wrong. 

So I was quite happy with that, all things considered. I was stoked to be part of the race and now I’m really looking forward to Dallas. 

I don’t think I’ll be making the Collins Cup team, unfortunately. There are athletes who are showing that they’re doing great things and I don’t think I’ve done enough to make the team. 

So I’m looking at racing the ITU World Long Distance Champs there the day after and then with a big focus on Dallas and Kona back-to-back. 

Kyle Smith
Written by
Kyle Smith
Discover more
Caroline Pohle Lena Meissner ironman 703 jonkoping sprint 2025
PremiumHow to pace a triathlon to leave it all out there WITHOUT blowing up
FORM Smart Swim 2 PRO lens close up
FORM Smart Swim Pro 2 Goggles review: can these high tech goggles actually help you to train smarter and swim faster?
Premium‘The difference from triathlon is so big – there’s no comparison’: Maya Kingma on life in the Women’s WorldTour peloton
Laura Siddall Challenge Roth 2025 finish line
PremiumLaura Siddall: 10 things I’ve learned from my professional triathlon career
TRIFIT VORTEX tri suit
The small but mighty tri brand you NEED to know about: Why TRI-FIT are on a mission to disrupt the triathlon apparel scene
latest News
Hayden Wilde happy T100 Singapore 2025
Hayden Wilde – is he BACK for T100 London after injury nightmare?
Sam Laidlow run Roundhay Park IRONMAN Leeds 2025
‘I’m ready for it’ – Sam Laidlow on why triathlon is hitting new heights in 2025 ahead of IRONMAN World Champs
Alistair Brownlee Olympics Triathlon London 2012 Podium Gold
Olympic icon Alistair Brownlee reveals most British thing ever when it comes to fuelling recovery
Lionel Sanders IRONMAN 70.3 Oceanside 2025 celebration finish line
Lionel Sanders provides BIG update on triathlon comeback
Gwen Jorgensen World Triathlon Cup Tongyeong 2023 run
Olympic triathlon champion Gwen Jorgensen issues last call for scholarship fund for young athletes
triathlon on your terms
Never miss out with our triathlon alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.
The 247 Group

The home of endurance sports

TRI247-LOGO_Primary-Black_RGB-1

CHOOSE YOUR MEMBERSHIP TO BECOME PART OF SOMETHING EPIC

We’re on a mission to elevate the world of endurance sport, becoming your go-to resource for expert training tips and inspiration, unbiased reporting and creating a platform for grassroots voices. But we can’t do it without you on board! Choose a TRI247+ membership option below and become part of something epic.

£7.95/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

100+ new articles/month

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

£47.95/year
£95.40/year

50% Discount

100+ new articles/month

Unlimited access. No ads. A whole library of tips, advice and inspiration at your finger tips, and the chance to shape the future of triathlon journalism.

You’ll also gain access to our other premium websites:

Have an account? Sign in

Share to...