The organisers of the Windsor Triathlon are said to be investigating an incident involving a horse rider at the triathlon this weekend.
In a video posted to Facebook, the rider can be seen keeping to the left of the road, with cyclists passing her on both sides. Rider Jennifer Katherine wrote: “No event warning on the road – I would not have been out on the road in any form had I known there was a sporting event on. I saw no signs alerting the local that an event would take place on the road I was on and when, hence why I went out like any normal early Sunday morning this time of year.
“Nobody stopped and the cyclist that hit me seemed to show no remorse by what looks like him lifting his middle finger at me whilst riding off as I screamed. I’m very thankful to the event officials for their prompt investigation into identifying the individual and the sincerity in which they are taking the incident. As mentioned, police are also investigating and both aim to work together.
“Although one cyclist hit me, I am surprised there wasn’t more. Many individuals on this stretch of road at this time had passed dangerously and irresponsibly – too fast and too close. They also put other road users at risk by putting themselves between my horse and oncoming vehicles.”
Organiser Human Race Events tweeted: “We are in contact with the individual effected by the horrible incident earlier today at Windsor Triathlon. We want to sincerely apoligise to her and her poor horse.
“We have convened a senior level committee internally, and along with British Triathlon we will be reviewing the video evidence to identify those involved in this. Those at fault will be disqualified and banned from all future Human Race events.
“There will be ramifications for these people with British Triathlon and potentially further action taken.”
Despite both rider and horse wearing high-visability garments at the time of the crash, cyclists can be seen in the video coming closely alongside the horse, rider Jennifer Katherine adding: “the cyclist smashes along the side of my horse, taking my stirrup in the handlebars and bruising up my ankle. My horse rears and bolts forwards, taking off one of his back shoes.” Luckily the rider and the spooked horse are both said to be ok, but still in shock and suffering from a bruised ankle.
The Windsor Triathlon has been running for 28 years and starts and finishes near Windsor Castle. Other road users have told the BBC that they too encountered cyclists riding ‘dangerously’ along the route early in the morning.
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