OVERSEAS events were the focus for Warwickshire’s Do3 squad at the weekend as the team competed on a global platform in world championship races.
At the ITU World Triathlon Grand Final in Lausanne, Switzerland, triathletes competed for world titles at both sprint and standard distances. The competition took place on the banks of Lake Geneva with The Alps as the backdrop.
Competing in the sprint distance races, Sara Northover raced for GB at age group and was fourth in her category in a time of 1:12:14. Mel Knight, who represented France, completed the competition in 1:22:36.
Anita Howe took part in the standard distance championships over a 1,500m choppy open water swim, 40km hilly bike ride and tough 10km run. She finished the swim in 30:54, the bike in 1:11:49 and the run in 43:29 with a cumulative time of 2:31:06.
Do3 head coach Dave Knight was on the start line for cycling’s biggest event in Poznan, Poland. Having qualified to race for GB, he took part in the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships over a 151km course in a time of 4:05:33.
In the UK, Ben Phyall and Grant Marshall were in form in East Yorkshire at the Sundowner Middle Distance Triathlon. The 1,900m swim, 90km bike and 21km run took place as the sun set and saw Phyall smashed 25 minutes off his previous time to finish in 5:15:35, with Marshall clocking 5:17:16.
There were other major Do3 achievements at local races including the Phoenix Sprint Duathlon at Ragley Hall where Alison Robbins was third-placed female and first in her age group over the 2.5km run, 23km bike and 5km run.
The Southam Triathlon – a 400m swim, 20km cycle and 5km run – saw several of the squad compete with Jake Louis taking third-placed male (1st under 25), closely followed by Guy Bicknell as fourth male overall and second in his age group.
Sonya Chapman finished second female, Paul Nash first over 55 and Michael Griffiths overcame bike mechanical problems to finish 30th.
Several Do3 athletes tested their mettle at single discipline events including Chillswim Coniston, where Janet Stansfield, Beccy Huntley and Victoria Jeffs took part in the 5.25m endurance swim, the length of Coniston Water, while in Llanberis, Wales, Joe Lee completed the 10km Brutal Swim and was seventh overall in a time of 3:39:37.
The Mad Summer Hare Sportive drew Ian Dickens, Steven Hession, Mark Bozdogan, Neil Bowler, Ben Chatt, Stuart Pryor, Elizabeth Roche and Bogdan Ene to the 102-mile bike course.
There were also personal bests aplenty at Kenilworth Half Marathon, where Claudie Combelas, Pat Poulton, Stuart Mckay, Tim Fenton and John Taplin raced, whilst Louise Beasley ran a great time at Wolverhampton Half in preparation for the European Long Course Triathlon Championships in mid-September.
