7 Wight Tri members took part in the Challenging Events Thruxton Duathlons on Sunday: qualifying events for the GB team for the 2023 AG World Sprint and Standard Distance Triathlons in Ibiza.
The men taking part had dreadful conditions in both the sprint and the standard events.
First off was Dean Pike, who was the only 1 in the group who took on the Standard Distance Duathlon. Dean was hoping to qualify automatically for the World Standard GB Team if he could get placed in the top 4. However, he had failed to register his intent in the standard event but had done it for the sprint event. Unfortunately, the BTF will not let him change his registration.
Dean said:
“The standard distance started with an 11.4k (3 laps of Thruxton) run in torrential rain. That said, I had a solid run, clocking a 10k PB of 39:05 along the way.
“The ride was 10 laps of the track, 38k and it’s a fast course with one long ‘very’ false flat before the home straight. Luckily the rain eased up a couple of laps in and then stopped completely for the rest of the race.
“After 10 fast-paced laps on the bike, the final run lap of the course of 2.4k felt agonizingly long, especially as my hamstring had really tightened up after the bike leg. I still managed to hold my position to keep myself in 13th overall and 4th in my age group.”
Dean completed the Standard Distance duathlon in 2:03:29 and looks like he could have achieved that automatic qualification. That would be a fantastic 1st-time appearance representing Team GB.
Sean Williams, Simon Pilcher and new member John Quayle also had some good performances in the Sprint Event.
Simon stormed the sprint race with a very swift time of 54:59 to finish 18th male overall and in 4th position in the 40-44 category, which should also see him get a qualifying time for the World Sprint Champs.
Sean – who was struggling with a stitch – did not have his best race. He found racing the draft legal race tough but still finished in a good time of 1:02:35, 15th in the 50-55 age group.
John completed the sprint event in 1:04:56 and came 16th in the 30-34 category.
Jan Fletcher, Millie Williams and Laura Abrook took part in the Sprint Duathlon Event in glorious sunshine.
The race consisted of 1 lap of the 3.8km race circuit for the run, then 5 laps (19km) for the bike, followed by another 1 lap run.
Millie continued her winning streak to finish in 1:03:45, 10th female overall and 1st in the 20-24 age group, taking an automatic qualification for the World’s.
Jan – taking on her first age group duathlon event – was only a few minutes behind, having had a good run but lost out getting on to the first pack of cyclists, so had to cycle 2 laps solo before a slower run group caught her up. She still had a fast time of 1:05:59 and was 3rd in the 45-49 category. She also achieved a qualifying time but has decided not to register for the World’s.
Laura – who we normally see doing the longer Ironman distance events – had decided to try her 1st short course event ever. She finished in 1:13:08 and came 9th in the 30-34 category.
