Wight Tri’s second summer series event at Yaverland on Sunday (6th July) delivered sunshine, mishaps and some impressive performances as 22 athletes took to the water and road.
Before the action even started, Chairman Jack Elton-Walters was spotted stepping in as Kaylee Gauntlett’s personal valet when she struggled to park her car. When her front wheel skewer went missing, Patrick ‘Spare Parts’ Condy saved the day by finding a replacement in his van.
The swim leg was not without chaos either. Faster swimmers on the long 500-metre course clashed with the slower pack after rounding the buoy, creating some accidental aquatic jousting. Fortunately, Neil Cooper and Elaine Spear provided water safety cover to keep things under control.
Athletes then faced a tough transition dash across sand, stones and prickles. One unnamed participant needed a full extraction from his wetsuit with help from Mrs Goodall after losing a zip battle.
The bike section saw riders tackle a short 12.6km route to Bembridge or a longer 17.8km loop to St Helens. Jack Eldridge’s chain made an early exit from the race while Liz Dunlop had to stop and wrestle with her left shoe before continuing strongly.
It was a ‘Morgan v Morgan’ finish on the long course. Henry Morgan was only 6 seconds off his predicted time, finishing in 41:06, but was pipped by his dad, Dan Morgan, who crossed the line in 41:03 to claim fastest man of the evening. Jan Fletcher was quickest female with a smooth 47:00 finish.
The club has thanked its volunteers for marshalling, time-keeping and water safety, including Neil Cooper, Elaine Spear, Martin Goodall, Anne Dines, Sammy Stevens and Jack Elton-Walters.
The next event in the Wight Tri calendar is the St Helens Aquathon on Friday (18th July). Participants are advised to bring watches, goggles and trainers – and no spare skewers will be needed unless there’s a BBQ.
