Hitchin-based triathlon club Team Trisports got their Club Championship underway on Sunday at the Grendon Sprint Triathlon in Northampton.
The race, which involved a very chilly 750m swim, windy 23km bike leg and off-road 5km two-lap run, saw some great perfomances from the 40 club athletes who competed on the day.
Finishing first for the club, Adam Laycock was a popular winner of the first round to the Club Championship and put in a cracking time of 1:12:21 to finish 43rd overall in what was a highly competitive field due to the fact that the race acted as an Age-Group qualifying event for no less than three different championships.
Also setting a great time, Steffan Ford clocked 1:12:52 to finish second for the club and get his Club Championship off to a flying start.
Rounding out the podium, Rob Wilson showed, along with Laycock, that age is no barrier to success as he set a time of 1:13:01 to also get his championship off to a great start.
Turning to the club’s female athletes, Gemma Sargent won the opening round of the women’s championship with a time of 1:22:26, followed by Kate Turner who crossed the line in 1:24:34. And overcoming a recent training accident and resulting injuries, Katy Jinks finished third female athlete for the club in a time of 1:25:16.
The race also marked the triathlon debuts of Joel Farrow, who recorded a very respectable time of 1:29:04 to finish in the top half of club finishers, and Lee Thorp.
Also competing were: James Foy (1:13:34), Gavin May (1:16:07), Chris Baxter (1:20:00), James Utting (1:22:34), Sean Bradley (1:25:00), Steve Rust (1:25:23), Ian Hobbs (1:25:32), Rachel Armstrong (1:25:32), Max Lepoutre (1:26:01), Simon Douglas (1:26:58), Helen Shulver (1:27:25), Rob Davies (1:27:52), Andrew Musset (1:28:24), Joel Farrow (1:29:04), Tony Shortland (1:30:00), Mark Beaver (1:30:01), Andrew Lowrie (1:30:08), Naomi Woodland (1:31:13), Mark Young (1:13:14), Dave Welch (1:31:41), Richard Thomas (1:32:47), Anna Holden (1:33:38), Ed Manson (1:34:02), Mick Humphris (1:34:24), Tim Smith (1:34:26), Pete Ryan (1:35:02), Mark Malone (1:35:22), Paul Dutton (1:35:58), Kevin Bradley (1:36:36), Jackie Perry (1:37:33), Steve Mussett (1:39:04), Tracy Kennedy (1:45:07), Alyson Sprawson (1:47:01) and Sue Gipson (1:47:18).
A week earlier, Ian MacKerness finished an excellent 6th overall, and 1st in the 45-49 Age-Group at Race 1 of the Puretri Sprint Series in Bedford. The race, which consisted of a 400m pool swim, 24km bike and 5km run saw MacKerness set a rapid time 1:10:04.
Also securing Age-Group success, Rachel Armstrong won the Female 35-39 Age-Group in a time of 1:24:36.
There was also an excellent 2nd place finish for Alyson Sprawson in the 50-54 Age-Group.
Also competing were: Simon Shaw (1:13:34), Jon Wilson (1:25:56), who was making his triathlon debut, and Graham Perry (1:30:48).
And finally, proving that triathlete’s never truly take a break, Darren Greene used his recent holiday in Canada to enter and record a time of 1:34:43 at the Vancouver Half-Marathon.
