GAVIN MAY IRONMAN LEGEND
FVS TRI’s top Ironman Gavin May returned to Frankfurt, scene of his previous Ironman PB and Club record, and did it again with a colossal 9:26:26 for the 3.8k swim, 180k bike and full marathon distance of 42.2k to finish. Heading up the FVS TRI Hall of Fame in any event with his previous best of 9:37:40 set in 2004, the new time gave a top 10 age group finish with a 9th and 97th overall from over 2000 finishers including the elite field. The coveted prize for all Ironman competitors is to qualify for Hawaii, the birth place of triathlon and still the holy grail for all triathletes. Gavin qualified and competed in Hawaii in 2004 but still has unfinished business completing the course in for him an under par 11:59:50. This time he is in hot form and will return to Kona later in the summer to finish the unfinished business! For the record his split times were 1:07:46 for the swim for 1012th, up to 279th with a 5:02:08 bike leg and then a storming marathon of 3:11:16 to elevate him to 97th overall. Gavin will return to normality this week coaching FVS TRI at Hitchin Boys School before competing in the Club Championships in The Beaver Triathlon over the half ironman distance at the weekend.
Richard Melvern returned to national competition, after his Bronze Medal World Championship performance in Vancouver, winning yet another representative honour with a silver medal in the National Age Group Championships at Wakefield for the 60/64 age group. His time for the Olympic course of 1500m swim, 40k bike and 10k run was 2:34:08 for 177th overall on a wet and windy course.
Ian Mackerness was 10th overall and 5th vet at the Norwich Olympic Distance Triathlon in a time of 2:09:12
Suzy Hawkins completed a stunning debut at the Milton Keynes Cowman Middle Distance Triathlon over the half ironman distance with a 5:15:39 for 6th senior female. She completed the 1.9k swim in 34:37, 90k bike in 2:58:06 and completed the event with a 1:40:01 half marathon. Ironman Mike Utton was first home for the club in 5:09:59 (swim 30:31 /bike 2:58:39/ run 1:38:37) just ahead of Andrew Forster 5:12:12 (swim 34:21/ bike3:03:17 /run 1:30:25). John Rose also completed his debut at the distance with a remarkable 5:24:07 (swim35:31/bike 2:56:48/ run 1:47:33) on a wet and windy course in less than ideal conditions.
4 FVS TRI members also completed the Milton Keynes Sprint Triathlon event which was held at the same time as the Cowman but on a shorter course. The 750m lake swim,20k bike and 5k run was completed in 1:18:18 by Richard Easterbrook just ahead of Pete Hodgson 1:18:58. Matt Hickman 1:26:10 and veteran triathlete Brenda Bozwood Davies 1:41:00
Rob Wilson continues to improve on the bike with a course PB of 24:09 for 2nd place on the night in the Stevenage Evening 10 mile cycle Time Trial. Mark Robertson was 3rd in a PB of 24:30. Tim Smith just missed out with 26:07 and Ryan Johnson improved on his previous best with a 30:36 in good conditions.
