World Championship Medal success for FVS TRI and Greg escapes from Alcatraz!
FVS TRI’s Richard Melvern won the bronze in the 60/64 age group in Vancouver in an event that was devastated by poor weather conditions. Early competitors in the Olympic event had their sea swim cut short in the cold Pacific Ocean but as weather conditions deteriorated, the ITU officials had little choice but to abandon the traditional swim/bike/run and replace it with a duathlon format of 3k run/40k bike/10k run. Richard completed the revised course in 2:00:03 to add another age group medal to his collection. Mike Bridge also represented GB in the 25/29 age group but as yet they have been unable to complete the official results due to all the weather problems. In the Sprint Age Group World Championships at the same venue, Martyn Hynes was first GB home in the World Sprint 25/29 age group finishing 5th in a time of 1:14:36 and only an agonising 18 seconds off bronze position. This event was held earlier in the week and so was not so badly affected by the weather.
Greg Evans completed the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon which as the name suggests is a race which starts with a swim across the notorious stretch of water which surrounds the former prison in San Francisco. Greg completed the 1500m swim in freezing water, gruelling 18 mile bike and 8 mile off road run in 3:00:43 to finish 597th from the 2000 starters.
Bradley Baynham and Penny Wylie both competed in the Weymouth Middle Distance event using it as preparation for Ironman Switzerland later in the summer. In contrasting temperatures the freezing cold swim was offset by the really hot run!. Bradley had to repair a puncture but still finished in a time of 5:32:29 just seconds behind Penny in 5:32:13 who won the 45/49 age group.
Kerri Renshaw was 3rd female at the 2nd Bedford Sprint Event sponsored by Trisports Letchworth in a time of 1:09:07 winning the 30/34 age group ahead of Suzy Hawkins who was 2nd in 1:12:53.Brenda Bozwood won the 60/64 age group in 1:33:09. First home for FVS TRI overall was Simon Patenall in a time of 1:07:50 for 12th overall and 3rd in 40/44 age group. Ed Manson 1:15:50, Dil Wetherill 1:19:05 for his first triathlon, Simon Douglas 1:19:46, Tim Smith1:24:00 also in his first triathlon event. Alyson Sprawson 1:30:35, Kevin Bradley 1:33:02 and Meli Fletcher 1:40:38 who both went wrong on the bike course.
Sam Tophill was 2nd female in the Wantage Ultra Triathlon especially long to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the race. She finished in 4:34:30 for the 1600m pool swim,70k bike and 17.5k run. Simon Hall was 6th overall for the standard event of 800m swim 35k bike and 11k run in 2:06:05
Drew Lowrie and Graham Perry competed in the St Albans Triathlon finishing in 1:15:06 and 1:25:39. Richard Thomas also completed but had the misfortune of being sent the wrong way by a marshal along with 20 other competitors finishing 10 minutes off the pace with a 1:24:22!
Richard Easterbrook and Pete Hodgson competed in the Blenheim Sprint Triathlon finishing in 1:28:23 and 1:31:25 for the event based in the grounds of Blenheim Palace.
Gavin May recorded a new PB on the A1 for 50 mile cycle time trial with a 1:54:41 finishing 6th overall in the event organised by Finsbury Park CC. Tim Somers finished in 2:28:44.
In midweek Mark Robertson was 1st home for the club in the Stevenage Cycling Club Evening 10 in a time of 24:47 for the sporting course. Tim Smith 26:17, Drew Lowrie 28:00 and Suzy Hawkins with a course PB of 28:20
Tim Gilbert completed the St Albans Half Marathon in a time of 1:31:12 and Mark Malone completed his first half marathon in a time of 1.51.58.
Kerri Renshaw ,FVS TRI’s female triathlete of the year 2007,returned to competition in winning style for 2008 with a win at the Mazda National Age Group Aquathlon Championships held at Emberton Park near Milton Keynes. Kerri completed the 750m open water swim and 5k run in 22:23 to take gold in the 30-34 age group and 4th overall. The event was part of a weekends multi sport festival with the headline Sprint triathlon held over 750m open water swim, 20k bike and 5k run. Mark Robertson continued his excellent form with a 2nd place overall in 1:03:54 ahead of top veteran triathlete Ian Mackerness who finished in 3rd overall and winning veteran gold in 1:05:38. Robbie Laughton was 47th in 1:15:24 and veteran Mike Blanden returned to competition after a long absence with a 1:18:53,Will Long 1:20:38 Greg Blount 1:36:54 and Brenda Bozwood Davies 1:40:18
Clare Chapman completed the 1000m swim event in 22:01
Rob Wilson made a triumphant return to competition after the disappointment of having to withdraw from the Lanzarote Ironman through illness. Winning the La Santa Sprint Triathlon in 53:49 for the 400m swim, 15.2k bike and 4.4k run, he improved his PB for the course by 2:45 and beat the 2nd place athlete by almost 5 minutes thanks to a strong performance on the bike leg.
Gavin May and Mark Young travelled to the New Forest to compete in the Beaulieu Middle Distance event over the half ironman distance. Despite 3 punctures and jelly fish hazards in the swim, Gavin finished in 4:39:51 for 46th overall. Mark was 180th in 5:12:47 for the 1.9k swim, 54 mile bike and 14 mile run.
Neil Coombes and Graham Perry competed in the Braintree Sprint finishing in 1:12:56 and 1:27:19 for the 400m pool swim, 20k bike and 5k run
Jon Gillham finally broke through the one hour barrier competing in the popular Hitchin Nomads 25 Mile Cycle Time Trial on the A1 between Sandy and Buckden. His PB time of 59:28 was recorded despite the rain and poor visibility. Rob Wilson also recorded a PB of 1:03:16 despite a 2 minute penalty for late start. Chris Yuill recorded 1:16
Richard Allen ran a 42 second PB in the Whipsnade 10K in 42:22 for the flat 3 lap course in perfect weather conditions
