After several months of lockdown with lots of indoor training but no formal events, Wight Tri was able to resume their 2020/21 Winter Duathlon Series, with the 2nd in the series, the Niton Nightmare Duathlon, with the transition set in the grounds of the Niton Football Club.
20 members took part, under strict BTF and Covid-19 restrictions, organised by the Wight Tri Covid-19 co-ordinator, Kevin Winchcombe. The event is not for the faint-hearted, with both the run and bike courses taking in very hilly terrain!
The competitors got the choice of a 2.16km or 3.7km run and either one or two laps of the 13kmm cycle route. The runs headed up from the football grounds to the Pepperpot monument, with the short-run turning just over halfway up. The longer-run took the runners around the Pepperpot to then finish with the long descent back to transition.
The circular 13km cycle route took in the villages of Niton, Brierley, Chale, and then the long climb up Blackgang before descending down into Niton to transition or for the 2nd lap.
1st in the nominated event was Junior member Kaitlin Wilson, who completed the short run/short bike/short-run route in a very swift 54:55, only 5 seconds off her nominated time of 55 mins. She was also the fastest on this course.
2nd was Liz Dunlop, 9 secs outside her nominated time. Liz completed the long runs and bike course in 1:50:09. Dave Dent was 3rd, completing the long courses in 1:27:21, 21 secs outside his nominated time.
New member Henry Farrell was the fastest male on the long course in 1:18:19, with Nina French the fastest female in 1:46:34. Wight Tri also held their overdue 2020 Wight Tri Club Awards ceremony, with the following trophies awarded by the Wight Tri Chairman Nick Kenny.
Wight Tri Female X-Country Championship – Mary Norman
Wight Tri Male X-Country Championship – Neil Cooper
Wight Tri Winter Duathlon Series Award – Craig Wilson
Wight Tri Club Triathlon Championship – Craig Wilson
Wight Tri would like to thank the Niton FC for the use of their grounds and also Russ Mellor of Cut Laser Cut for the duathlon trophies given out to all competitors. The next duathlon in the series is the Colwell Caulker on Sunday 16th May 2021. More information will be available from the Wight Tri Facebook page.
