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09/10/2023

A different level! Phoebe Barker out runs the men to win by 13 minutes; Chris Lewis takes the open.

Cowman World Standard Duathlon Championships Qualifier Result:

🥇 Phoebe Barker 🥈 Hayley Wells 🥉 Yan Ting Sim

🥇 Chris Lewis 🥈 Ali Herbert 🥉 Tomos Hales

Phoebe Barker ran faster splits than any athlete and recorded the biggest winning margin at a qualifier this season, booking her place in Townsville in some style.

The former GB cross country runner was imperious as expected and would have been less than two minutes off the podium had she competed in the open race. And in theory... she could. Now that's a thought!

Leading gun to tape, she described her race as "rather solo" but that she enjoyed picking off some of the men on the second run!

12 minutes and 46 seconds back, Hayley Wells took second place moving up from 6th with the fastest bike split, one place above day entrant Yan Ting Sim who just missed the podium at Thruxton last weekend.

Sharon McNicol placed 4th ahead of Karen Murphy who made the Top-5 overall despite being in the 55-59AG.

The open race also stuck to script with Chris Lewis taking his first win of the season having placed second at Ashridge.

Will Austin and Ali Herbert set the run pace, before Chris Lewis and Tomos Hales came through on the bike. The pair established themselves at the front of the race and all looked set for a final run showdown.

Then with 4km to go before transition, Hales collided with a lapped rider. He remounted and retained second on the road but lost time leaving Lewis to enter T2 alone.

Hales carried on strong but could not prevent Herbert from regaining second position. Two minutes separated the Top-3 from the rest of the field. Will Austin took 4th in a tight finish with James Naldrett thanks to a speedy T2.

A couple of weeks break from championship racing now until Age Group News is back for the British Duathlon Championships at Grafham Water!

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Big Cow Events

06/10/2023

Phoebe Barker and Chris Lewis to headline penultimate qualifier at Olney.

Cowman World Standard Distance Duathlon Qualifier Preview:

British Universities and English National Duathlon Champion Phoebe Barker starts a strong favourite for this weekend’s qualifier, as Chris Lewis hopes for better weather than his podium finish at Ashridge. A day which remains scared into the minds of many!

Barker races the national road relays the day before, but given her enormous margin of victory at the Clumber Park sprint distance qualifier - it is hard to see beyond her for the win.

Venice double bronze medallist Georgina Dunlop is still hopeful of racing despite carrying a post-marathon injury, although it might drop her out of overall contention. Sharon McNicol made the top-5 at Weston Park with 30-34AG European Duathlon Champion Hayley Wells also in the mix.

There is top talent in the over-50s who could place highly in the overall standings. Angela Joiner-Handy made the top-10 when this race was last a qualifier in 2021 and Karen Murphy remains among a select group of athletes to have won a qualifier outright whilst over 50.

Ashridge silver medallist Chris Lewis looks the one to beat in the open field. Will Austin struggled with cramp at Thruxton last week having recently switched to a TT bike. But the Southport 7th placed finisher could feature if he gets it right this weekend. Tomos Hales is another to have broken the top 10 in a qualifier this year at Box End and would have placed higher still without a swim.

The action kicks off from 8:30am this Sunday!

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Big Cow Events

03/10/2023

Top-5 twice in a day!? Katy Mardle dominates as Carl Gibson edges out Adam Dart.

Thruxton European Standard Duathlon Qualifier Result:

🥇 Katy Mardle 🥈 Marie Brush 🥉 Rachel Stacy

🥇 Carl Gibson 🥈 Adam Dart 🥉 Lewys Winfield-Young

Katy Mardle placed top-5 twice within the space of 5 hours on Sunday, dominating the standard distance race before helping her training partner Kate Amies in the sprint. In the open, Carl Gibson edged out Adam Dart in a reverse result of their contest at the World Championships in Ibiza.

Katy Mardle was always our favourite for the standard but it was the magnitude of her win which was eye-catching. Posting the fastest splits in all three legs she finished over three minutes ahead of Marie Brush in second (who also competes in the 45-49AG).

A few hours later, Mardle placed 5th in the sprint race, crossing the line side-by-side with training partner Kate Amies. There are no rumours of her replacing Primoz Roglic as Jumbo Visma’s next ‘super-domestique’ but we can always start one! 😆

In the contest for third, Rachel Stacy and Yan Ting Sim were the big movers on the bike. Stacy posted the faster splits across the three disciplines but speedy transitions from Sim kept her in the hunt. Eventually raw speed prevailed and Stacy took her first overall podium in a qualifier having placing 6th at Box End earlier this year.

The open race became a repeat contest of the Ibiza World Championships where Adam Dart and Carl Gibson posted the two fastest times by GB athletes (albeit in different age-groups). Dart led the first 5 bike-laps and Gibson dug deep to stay within eye-shot. Lewys Winfield-Young caught up to the pair late on, but could not follow the pace of Gibson and Dart on the final run.

Coming off the bike as a trio, Gibson pinched 5 seconds in transition. Adam Dart never threw in the towel but Gibson widened the gap inch by inch keeping Dart out of sprint range. Carl Gibson took the victory by 13 seconds in the tightest finish of the day as Winfield-Young held position for 3rd!

Other pre-race featured: Jack Elliss 6th, Simon Hall 7th, Jonathan Peters 8th, Richard Shephard 9th, David Crawford 18th

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02/10/2023

Matthew Snowdon wins Thruxton thriller as transition turmoil thwarts Baker.

Thruxton World Sprint Duathlon Qualifier Result:

🥇 Matthew Snowdon 🥈 Arthur Ballard 🥉 David Robertson

🥇 Amy Fuller 🥈 Megan Powell 🥉 Tamina Oliver

Matthew Snowdon took a well-deserved first victory at a duathlon qualifier on Sunday as Amy Fuller shocked even herself to win the women's.

The withdrawal of Matthew Nelson due to work-related commitments meant elite duathlete Adam Baker began the race as a marginal favourite. He started well leading into T1 flanked by Matthew Snowdon, Arthur Ballard and David Robertson.

Then a moment of drama. Baker ran past his bike in transition and the confusion cost him 20 seconds at a crucial moment. The three leaders drilled it on the bike, leaving him in no man's land.

Arthur Ballard stole a march in T2, and stayed clear as long as he could. But Snowdon would not be denied. After a series of top finishes against elite opposition this season, he chased down Ballard for a thoroughly deserved victory. Ballard went one better than last year, whilst David Robertson’s astute tactical decision to bury himself on the first run to stick with the leaders was duly rewarded with third place.

Liam McLaughlin took 4th on his return to duathlon after four years of crit racing as Baker eased off once he knew the race had escaped him finishing 5th.

Amy Fuller was a surprise winner of the women’s event. She placed 4th in her last qualifier at Woodhorn Museum and was racing her first-ever draft legal event of any kind. By T1, Fuller had almost a minute gap on the field. She was caught by Tamina Oliver after a largely solo ride although the acquaintance was brief as she had no issue re-opening a gap on the final run.

Megan Powell repassed Oliver on the second run for P2. Powell’s early season was disrupted by post-marathon sickness whilst Oliver had foot surgery after rupturing a tendon in March. So it’s great to see them back on top form. Pre-race featured Seraphina Harris finished 4th, and Katy Mardle completed the top 5 despite winning the standard distance race just a few hours before!

All about that in tomorrow's post! 🙂

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Challenging Events

29/09/2023

Top field for Thruxton with Adam Baker and Matthew Nelson to go toe to toe!

All eyes are back on the duathlon this weekend as Thruxton hosts a doubleheader of GB qualifiers. Back-to-back races will decide the final spots for the World Sprint Duathlon Championships and the European Standard.

The 2022 sprint race attracted an elite field and this year is no different. Adam Baker won a classic sprint with Ben Price and whilst Price does not return, the presence of Matthew Nelson and Matthew Snowdon should keep the racing as hot as ever.

Baker, Snowdon and Nelson finished within five seconds of each other in their last contest at Darley Moor so this could go down to the wire!

Add to the mix last year’s 3rd and 4th placed finishers Arthur Ballard and Beau Smith you’ve got yourself some race! Ballard won the British Aquathlon title just last week with Beau Smith the reigning 30-34AG world champion.

David Robertson, Ryan Allen, and Michael Garrard are among those with a good shot at the top 10.

In the women’s sprint, top junior Seraphina Harris (5th) and Katy Mardle (7th) are last year's highest returning finishers. Mardle posted the second-fastest time by a GB athlete at the World Sprint Championships whilst Harris finished just off the podium at Darley Moor.

However, Katy Mardle’s focus for the day is the standard distance in the morning with the sprint race just a bonus to support her training partner. With that in mind, last year’s 9th-placed finisher Tamina Oliver could sneak into the top-3.

In the standard, the two fastest GB athletes at the World Age-Group Standard Distance Championships Adam Dart and Carl Gibson take on elite long-distance duathlete Peter Ellis.

Richard Shephard, Jack Elliss and Simon Hall are on the start list having finished 1-2-3 in the GB qualifier at Cholmondeley Castle. David Crawford placed 7th at the aforementioned very competitive qualifier at Darley Moor and races at standard distance for the first time. And Jonathan Peters has been a regular fixture of the top 5 over the past two seasons.

Katy Mardle focuses on the standard as mentioned, with 2021 40-44AG World Champion Marie Brush also on the start list!

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Challenging Events

25/09/2023

“Did it for mum” - Linda Russell-Bond makes history in Pontevedra!

Pontevedra World Standard Triathlon Championships Result: 7 🥇 7 🥈 6 🥉

Linda Russell-Bond ensured she will forever be remembered among the greatest age groupers as she became the first to win all international triathlon titles at sprint and standard distance two years in a row. Two weeks on from the passing of her mother.

Her race had a very different feel to the World Sprint Triathlon Championships. As soon as she put foot to tarmac in Hamburg, there seemed an inevitably about her victory. This time, she found herself over 4 minutes behind GB’s Penny Rother. A fantastic runner she is, but was 4 minutes over 10km too big an ask?

Nerves were unfounded. Driven on by the memory of her mum she ran so well she left herself time to spare - and perhaps - time to contemplate the enormity of what she was about to achieve - and how proud her mum would certainly have been.

Philippa Fancourt won GB women’s only other gold medal after a dramatic finish with Gwen Kinsey. Kinsey kept with the leaders in the swim, but Fancourt closed the gap thereafter until a dramatic sprint in which she seized victory by a second in a GB 1-2.

Donald Brooks won his 4th world title in as many weeks and once again posted the fastest time overall. A tendon issue picked up in Nice almost forced his retirement but thankfully he pushed through despite difficulty walking after the race.

All four of the fastest overall men’s times were posted by GB athletes with Edward Castro (35-39), Jake Watson (25-29) and Matthew Stratford (40-44) winning gold in their age groups.

Jake Watson had the race of his life on debut. A 32:43 off the bike proved decisive as he left a series of top contenders in his wake including GB favourite Lloyd Bebbington who placed 4th. Fellow debutant and last year’s youngest BTF Major Event winner Thierry Le Cheminant also delivered gold in the 18-19AG.

Libby Greatorex (25-29) took her second international silver of the year posting the third fastest time overall.

And GB won 4 🥇 10 🥈 6 🥉 in the World Aquabike Championships with Robin Hughes (20-24) posting the fastest time.

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23/09/2023

Brooks and Richardson get the party started in Pontevedra!

Pontevedra World Super Sprint Triathlon World Championships Result:

6 🥇 4 🥈 4 🥉

Donald Brooks and Sarah Richardson were among GB’s gold medallists on the opening day of the World Championship long weekend, as GB picked up 14 medals in Pontevedra.

Despite racing in the 45-49AG, Sarah Richardson posted the second fastest overall whilst Donald Brooks (45-49) won his third world title in four weeks. He now has the chance to make that four on Sunday.

Richardson shared the podium with GB’s Amy Pritchard (pictured) who won silver in the same age group.

The fastest time by a GB athlete was set by George Turner (15-19). He shared the podium with Mili Diddee (15-19) as both brought home silver medals.

Like Brooks, Craig Dale (35-39) is among the favourites in his age group for Sunday and he got his weekend off to a cracking start. Just 24 minutes and 19 seconds were needed to bring home a gold medal after opting against wearing a wetsuit to save time in transition.

The race for the all-time international medals record between Mick Anglim and Michael Smallwood continues apace. Smallwood (75-79), who currently holds that record, picked up another today after Mick got one closer two weeks ago in Italy!

European Sprint Triathlon Champion Steven Carragher continued his excellent run of form picking up gold in the 50-54AG. And Judith Mackay (85-89) won GB’s 6th gold medal as the eldest female in the race!

Silver medals also went to Kathy Wellam (40-44) and Ash Chambers (30-34).

The World Championships concludes on Sunday with the World Standard Distance and Aquabike Championships.

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21/09/2023

Linda Russell-Bond stands on edge of history in memory of her mum.

Pontevedra World Standard Distance Triathlon Championship Preview:

Linda Russell-Bond (65-69) has a chance at becoming the first to win every age-group international triathlon title at sprint and standard distance two years in a row in Pontevedra.

But this will be her toughest challenge yet coming a week after the sad passing of her mother. Despite dementia, she still smiled and understood whenever she saw Linda’s medals and Linda will be racing in her honour this weekend.

Russell-Bond shared the Age-Grouper of the Year award with Donald Brooks last year. Already a world champion at full and half ironman he's having another stellar season.

Lloyd Bebbington (25-29) races Southport champion Jack Bristow having posted the second fastest time by a GB athlete at the European Championships in Madrid. Second only to Brooks. On the women’s side in this age group, Hannah Wardley and Libby Greatorex were both second GB in Madrid at standard and sprint distance respectively.

Last year's youngest BTF Major Event winner Thierry Le Cheminant (18-19) makes his international debut following a strong 7th overall at last year's British Championships.

Chris Goulden (65-69) and Richard File (75-79) return to defend world titles having won silver in Madrid. Nicki Rushton (55-59) won her second consecutive European title there, and she races with duathlon specialist Karen Murphy who won sprint distance bronze in Hamburg.

Chris Stanton (40-44) showed good form in finishing second in Bournemouth and will race alongside Box End silver medallist Matthew Stratford. Meanwhile, recent St Neots bronze medallist Edward Castro (35-39) takes on in form of Scottish national champion Craig Dale.

2022 world silver and bronze medallists Deborah Lloyd (60-64) and Hilary Briggs both return along with 2021 European champion Terry Johnson (60-64) who showed his strength in winning this year's middle distance title in Menen.

The long weekend kicks off with the World Super Sprint Championships on Friday with the standard distance race taking place alongside the World Aquabike Championships on Sunday!

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19/09/2023

2024 BTF Major Events. The secret is out!

British Triathlon releases 2024 BTF Major Events calendar with much familiarity but some surprises!

The big news is the incorporation of British Sprint Triathlon Championships into British Triathlon's Grand Final. For years it has been British Standard Distance Championships which has been a part of British Triathlon's show piece event. The change marks a shift towards sprint which I am sure will be welcomed by many short course athletes.

The British Standard Distance Championships moves to Windsor and will be held on open roads for the first time since before the Leeds era.

The addition of the first British Mixed Relay Championships is a nice surprise and promises to be a fun day out! A British Sprint Duathlon Championships remains elusive however.

Last year there was disappointment from Scottish athletes that there were no qualifiers in the nation. Progress has been made with East Fortune hosting a closed roads duathlon qualifier. Locations of qualifiers remain disproportionately biased towards England but it's movement in the right direction.

The proportion of confirmed draft legal qualifiers for draft legal races remains the same as last year. 4/6 draft legal qualifiers in duathlon is a step forward, counterbalanced by just 1 confirmed draft legal sprint triathlon qualifier. Motor Racing circuits lend themselves to draft legal duathlons but it would seem incorporating a swim is proving more tricky.

This calendar has a lot of familiarity with many old favourites. Llandudno Triathlon is a notable exception, bound to please those seeking new adventures. It is particularly nice to see racing returning to Mallory Park, after Race Rapid could not meet rising rental fees demanded by the venue.

Overall, I think this calendar will be well received. The profile given to British Standard Championships by Leeds / Sunderland may be missed by some but it's high time sprint athletes had their day in the sun.

Progress on regional representation is also welcome and the retention of tried and tested events is no bad thing! Let's just hope for no clashes with so little known about the European Championships!

12/09/2023

Ben Akin beats the heat in Almere; Gemma Carter Collins sprints to victory in Italy!

The GB age-group team brought home another six gold medals this week, with action from the European Off-Road Triathlon and Duathlon Championships in Italy and the European Long Distance Triathlon Championships in Almere.

Intense heat was a recurring theme with the scales tipping 30C at both venues. In Almere, the course was pan-flat. No let up - like riding a turbo in a greenhouse. Whilst at Lake Garda, athletes faced the opposite challenge. 850m of climbing packed into 20km of mountain biking.

Ben Akin (30-34) and Harry Pickering (35-39) picked up the golds in Almere, and Akin posted the fastest time of any age grouper. Three months ago he found himself leading Ironman UK only to be wiped out by a spectator on the bike. This was his second appearance for the GB Age-Group Team and redemption was duly achieved as GB brought home 2 🥇 6 🥈 and 2 🥉.

Over in Italy, Gemma Carter Collins (40-44) was the pick of the GB gold medallists at friday’s European Cross Duathlon Championships. She sprinted to victory in a dramatic finish that came down to the final 100m.

On a bike course that was shortened for the over 60s due to the intense heat, John Risby (65-69) won gold four years on from winning silver at these championships in 2019. There were also golds for Colin Hunt (70-74) and Mick Anglim (75-79) who continues to chase the all-time medals record.

Sadly no GB gold medals at the European Cross Triathlon Championships on Sunday, but Karen Heppenstall had an excellent long weekend, doubling up to win silver in both events. Kath Finn was also a silver medallist as GB took home a combined 4 🥇 5 🥈 and 6 🥉 medals!

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11/09/2023

Favourites win at Bournemouth; first win of the season for Carl Shaw at St Neots!

Pre-race favourite Carl Shaw claimed a first BTF Major Event win of the season as Oliver Pritchard and Kate Hutchinson took predicted victories at Bournemouth.

But the women's winner at St Neots was unforeseen. Middle distance specialist Lucy Mapp stormed to a thumping victory ahead of Victoria Bramley and new-to-swimming top duathlete Georgia Bell.

At Bournemouth, Oliver Pritchard took a routine win despite a deflating tyre in the final third. Two minutes separated him from Chris Stanton, and Sam Hopton on return from a hamstring injury.

Kate Hutchinson won the women’s but it was closer than anticipated. Chloe Dooley put her under pressure and it could have been closer still had Dooley not lost her way in transition. Nevertheless, Kate Hutchinson found herself leading out of T2 for the first time, and duly converted winning by 10 seconds. Laura Wilby came past Chloe Truffitt in the final kilometre for third.

Over at a very warm St Neots, former para-guide Carl Shaw took his first BTF Major Event victory of the year to complete the set having won 🥈 at Dambuster and 🥉 at Blithfield.

Edward Castro led the swim out with Ben Marsters (although entering this race as 'Ed' Castro successfully confused my predictor 😅). Carl Shaw replied with the fastest bike split and was never caught. James Green won a footrace with Castro for second as Castro held off a fast-finishing Marsters for third.

Lucy Mapp was the winner I didn’t have down! She placed 16th at the 2021 London Triathlon in her last appearance in a qualifier over this distance. At middle distance, she raced to an excellent 7th place at this year's very competitive British Championships.

She won on return to the site of her first-ever triathlon with a comfortable 4-minute margin on Victoria Bramley who finished a further 5 minutes ahead of Georgia Bell.

Bell, who took up swimming after her 2023 World Duathlon Championship victory in Ibiza, made up for a predictably weaker swim with her superb running ability coupled with a strong ride.

Stay tuned for news from the weekend's international events tomorrow.

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08/09/2023

Pritchard back in Bournemouth, Bell tries tri at St Neots!

Oliver Pritchard looks towards Malaga at the final World Sprint Triathlon Championship Qualifier in Bournemouth as AG World Duathlon Champion Georgia Bell takes to the water in St Neots.

Pritchard, who is deaf, competes in Bournemouth off the back of taking the bronze medal European Deaf Athletics Championships.

James Hodgson, with whom he had an enthralling battle for the win at the European Championships in Madrid, is also on the start list. Sadly for the neutral, there will be no repeat with Hodgson calling time on another excellent season having already secured qualification by winning the British Title in Shropshire.

Sam Hopton, who posted the fastest time overall at the European Age-Group Sprint Duathlon Championships in Venice, does race on return from a hamstring injury, however.

Kate Hutchinson competes in the women’s at Bournemouth after winning the qualifier at Castle Howard which became an aquathlon. She races elite aquathlete Chloe Dooley, Chloe Truffitt who recently placed 3rd in Blithfield and Louise Whitting who placed 6th at the British Sprint Championships last weekend.

Over at the World Standard Distance Triathlon Qualifier in St Neots, World Standard Distance Duathlon Champion Georgia Bell takes to the water having started swimming since her victory in Ibiza. Swim pace is unknown, but her running is incredibly strong!

Victoria Bramley returns here from her silver medal at the European Middle Distance Championships in Menen. Southport silver medallist Jane Eaton and Woodhorn silver medallist Emily Young are both strong contenders for St Neots.

Carl Shaw is my favourite for the open race following his third-place finish at Blithfield. He races Ben Marsters, whom he beat by a single place at the English National Standard Distance Championships.

There is also action from the European Cross Championships in Italy and the European Long Distance Triathlon Champs in Almere. Kirsty Prior (50-54) goes for a 4th title in the Cross Duathlon today with Karen Heppenstall (45-49) set to compete both today and also in the Cross Triathlon on Sunday!

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04/09/2023

James Hodgson and Laura Gray win titles as duathlon fever grips AG Super Sunday.

Duathlon fever spread beyond Swiss borders this weekend as both British Sprint Triathlon Championships and the European Qualifier at Bala had swims cancelled.

It's been a tumultuous year for the aquatically able triathlete. A season of high-profile cancelled or disrupted swims continued, with no swim in Bala due to poor visibility nor in Shropshire due to toxic algae. Will Atkinson was among the contenders electing not to travel. Having raced the ill-fated European Triathlon Championships in Madrid too, one starts to feel for strong swimmers like him.

But the show must go on and James Hodgson and Laura Gray became the stars of it. Hodgson, who placed second overall in Madrid, produced a fine performance to take the British title ahead of Thomas Bill and Chris Standidge.

Laura Gray won the women’s on return from 70.3 World Champs, ahead of Tina Wilson who made it to back-to-back second-place finishes following her comeback performance at Blithfield. Izzy Rayner raced to her best BTF Major Event finish of the year, edging out Cardiff Sprint Triathlon Champion Amy Walker for 3rd.

Once racing got underway in Bala it was Welshman Dafyd Jay who prevailed. John Thelwell biked himself a lead but a crash whilst dismounting his bike followed by a 1 minute time penalty for unclipping his helmet early put pains to his chances and he did well to hold for second as James Wilkinson completed the top-3.

Rhian Roxburgh made a successful defence of her title from last year in the women’s. A favourite for this race yes… but more marginally deprived of her strong swim. Junior Millie Hannant placed second in her first age-group qualifier whilst Eleanor Hunter crossed the line in third.

Over in Zofingen 🇨🇭, there were 18 Brits who actually signed up for a duathlon and a long one at that! GB won 1 🥈 and 2 🥉 with the silver won by Mary Reeves (60-64).

Former rower and relative newcomer Alex Milne continued his breakthrough season finishing first at the Welsh National Long Distance Triathlon Championships, two weeks on from winning the Scottish National Middle Distance!

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01/09/2023

Zofingen, Shropshire, Bala and more - it’s all happening on AG Super Sunday!

Buckle up! It’s the biggest Sunday of the year with FOUR age-group championships and a qualifier all on the same day. We’ve got international duathlon action from Zofingen, the British Sprint Triathlon Championships in Shropshire and age-group qualification spots up for grabs at Bala!

Add to that the Welsh National Long Distance Champs at Tenby and Scottish Champs from Knockburn Loch and you’ve got yourself a weekend!

Held in Zofingen every year since 2011, the long-distance world duathlon championships is to duathlon what Kona is to triathlon. First run in 1989, it is a race steeped in history. On Sunday, 12 men and 6 women will represent GB over the 10k 🏃 150k 🚴‍♂️ and 30k 🏃 course.

Top athletes to watch for this one include Chris Nicoll (50-54), who won the European title at sprint duathlon this year and Mary Reeves (60-64), who looks to make it three wins out of three in Powerman competition.

Bala in Wales provides the final opportunity to secure a place on the GB team for next year's European Standard Triathlon Championships. In the open, 2021 Southport Champion John Thelwell is hopeful to start. Although as an electrical engineer, he is on call if any high-voltage faults get called in. So all hopes for a quiet day and an electrifying performance instead! He races Robin Hughes who placed 5th at the British Championships in Sunderland and Welsh Championship 4th place finisher Dafyd Jay.

In the women’s, 2022 champion Rhian Roxburgh defends her title against 30-34AG European Champion Courtney Hyde and Welsh Aquathlon Champion Eloise Crowley.

No published start list at the time of writing to go on for the British Championships in Shropshire. But with this race moved from Saturday to Sunday it means there will be national championships happening in all three nations of Great Britain this Sunday.

The day kicks off bright and early at 7 a.m. in Tenby, Wales!

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28/08/2023

Four in a row for marvellous Maria as re-emergent talent shines through in Menen!

Menen European Middle Distance Triathlon Championships Result:

7 🥇 8 🥈 8 🥉

Maria Powell (55-59) claimed a fourth international title in a row in Belgium as Outlaw Nottingham champion Natalie Lawrence (35-39) won gold in the 3rd fastest time overall.

Performance of the day went hands down to Maria Powell. She dominated the field across all 3 disciplines. So completely that her time would have put her within 25 seconds of the win in the 45-49AG contested by those 10 years younger. A marvellous 11th title for the veteran of 23 internationals.

Powell’s experience aside, most of GB’s gold medals went to those returning after significant periods of absence, or completely new to the team.

It’s been 13 years since Natalie Lawrence (35-39) and Dean Kirkham (50-54) last represented Great Britain in a World Triathlon event. Lawrence raced on the elite European Cup circuit until 2010 and had a brief spell as a professional middle-distance athlete too. Four kids later, she’s been working her way back to the top over the last three years including wins at 70.3 Weymouth and Outlaw Nottingham. She now adds the 35-39AG European Title to that impressive post-natal record.

Meanwhile, Dean Kirkham took gold ahead of an ever-strong Ed Buckley in 4th with a previous best international placing of 16th achieved way back in 2010. Top-10 overall at the this years English National Middle Distance Championships was clearly a sign of good things to come!

Natalie Lawrence shared the top step with Nick Drabble (35-39) who won on his first appearance since finishing 7th at the 2017 European Sprint Championships. Establishing himself on the bike, he held off a fast-running Jeremy Pierrat (FRA) to seal the deal.

Terry Johnson (60-64) took the top prize for the first time since Valencia 2021. And there were golds for GB first-timer Sarah Harrison (50-54) and Liz Dunlop (65-69) who added to her aquathlon bronze from Friday.

GB also brought home 4 🥇 8 🥈 and 8 🥉 medals from the European Aquabike Championships on the same day!

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