Gavin May was also in top form over the shorter 3.2 Mile Pirton Boxing Day Run with the leading club time of 19:16 for the increasingly popular off road event. Organiser Dil Wetherill was 2^nd home for FVS TRI in 19:49 with Simon Patenall third in 21:05. Gemma Sargent was the leading club female in 23:01 just ahead of Kate Turner 23:14 and Jackie Perry 23:45.  The event also proves popular with family members who are often competing for the first time. Tony Shortland was joined by daughter Annabelle who won the GU13 category in a time of 35:09 with wife Christine 37:01 and daughter Jennifer in 37:01. Mark Robertson supported his father John who finished in 33:10 and mum Chantal and sister Claudine who both finished in 40:43

FVS TRI won every race at the latest Sunday Cross Country League fixture at Southgate with the biggest club turnout on the day of 38 athletes competing in traditionally the least popular League fixture the week before Christmas.  Steve Harrison  consolidated his lead in the individual competition with a win over the  approximate 5 mile course leading in the eight man  A team of Simon Hall, Gavin May, James Grierson, Brian White, James Bedford, Dil Wetherill and Pete Bardell. The A team now also lead the overall competition.  Jane Chappell was first home for the women leading the A team of cross country first timer Suzy Hawkins (Female Triathlete of The Year 2008), Gemma Sargent , Sam Tophill and Jackie Perry and they now lead the Women’s competition.  The combined results of Men and Women’s races go towards the overall League Trophy which is now headed by FVS TRI who are trying to win the League for the first time having been runner up in the previous 5 attempts.  The Men’s B Team of Steffan Ford, Pete Ryan, Richard Allen, Andy Mussett, Tim Gilbert (cross country first timer)Jon Gillham, Jeremy Lintott and Pete Eames won the B race on the day and now lead the overall B Team League.  Both veterans teams won on the day and also now lead in their respective competitions.  Newest member Anna Holden and Karen Parnell also joined the ranks of cross country first timers and vow to be back for the next fixture at Royston on 4^th January. 

The main action at the weekend was in the Sunday Cross Country League with the 3^rd match at Southgate. Steve Harrison maintained his winning form and FVS TRI produced the biggest club  turnout with 3 men’s teams and 3 ladies teams in traditionally the weakest supported fixture before Christmas. Results not available at time of going to press.

Chris Suckling and Darren Greene completed the Bedford Half Marathon 1:33:33 and 1:38:47 respectively

Ironman Chris Suckling completed the Gower Coastal Marathon in 5:06 for the off-road event.

Simon Patenall was first in the RNLI 5K in a time of 17:55.

FVS TRI Chairman Keith Perry was awarded British Triathlon National Race Official of 2008 for his work as a triathlon referee. He received the national award at the  British Triathlon Awards Dinner in Leicester, having been voted the Triathlon England Eastern Region Referee of the Year  earlier in the year.  Keith was selected by a panel of judges from the winners of 9 regional awards.  This award was also recognised at the FVS TRI Awards Evening at Arlesey Football Club with a special presentation on behalf of the club presented by Secretary Paul Dutton who is also Triathlon England Eastern Chair.

Ian Ellery and Neil Coombs completed the Borden Saab Salomon Turbo X 16K off road challenge in 1:31:38 and 1:33:11 respectively.

Also off road at the weekend was Nina Pitcairn who completed the Merrell Mudman Duathlon in 2:47:24 for the 7.5k off road run(44:18) 15k mountain bike (1:16:38) and 7.5k off road run(46:28)

38 FVS TRI runners competed in the first event of the Stevenage 5K series with Steve Harrison finishing an excellent 4^th in 15:32 on the new course. Mark Robertson was 2^nd home for the club in 17:47 with Suzy Hawkins first club woman  in 21:27 just ahead of veteran athlete Jackie Perry in 21:31. Karen Parnell raced for FVS TRI for the first time and Gary Shanahan made a welcome return to competition.

Pete Bardell finished an excellent 55^th overall from 1950 competitors in the Hell Down South Race over 11 miles off road in a time of 1:16:31  in an event which included a river crossing, a “bog of doom” and  ”killer sandbanks”

Rob Davies raced the 2^nd race in the Regents Park 10K Winter Grand Prix Series and finished 60^th from 383 finishers in a time of 42:35.  Graham Perry completed the  Billericay 10k in 59:36 and newest member Karen Parnell travelled to Boston to run her FVS TRI debut race competing in an 8K Breakfast Run.

Mike Bridge competed in the AMI/L TWO DAYER Fell Race which amazingly went to a sprint finish as the leading 6 all came off the last ridge together. Mike was 3^rd in the sprint for an overall 5^th for the 2 day combined result. In poor weather conditions which ranged from thick mist, knee deep snow and strong winds, only 12 of the 61 starters managed to finish. A true endurance event!

Pete Timmins competed in  the XTT off road triathlon in Camberley finishing in 2:58:16 for the 1500m lake swim,24k mountain bike and 10k cross country

In the ladies race Gemma Sargent was first home for the club in 7^th overall in 39:55  with Sam Tophill (41:29), Kate Turner (42:34), Lesley Dutton (42:56) and Jackie Perry (44:05) making up the winning women team of 5. The winning Masters Team of 3 was Sam Tophill, Lesley Dutton and Jackie Perry.  Lynn Allen made her debut on the country with Naomi Woodland making a welcome return to the Club

 The next fixture is at Welwyn in November with a monthly race through the winter finishing in February with the Watford fixture.