On a hot and sunny Sunday, 4 members of Wight Tri took on the standard triathlon distance of 1500m swim, 40km cycle and 10km run but in two completely different events.
Jan Fletcher and Darren Cole competed in the tough hilly course of the Offbeat Events Swanage Triathlon with Steve Dines and Glynn Jenkins opting for the highly contested, flat and fast course at the British Triathlon Age Group Championships and European Age Group Qualifying Event at the Liverpool Triathlon.
Both Darren and Jan had excellent races, despite being disappointed with their overall times, but with a sea swim and extremely hilly gradients in both the bike and run courses to finish under 3 hours is exceptional at this event. Darren was an excellent 6th in the 20-29 age category and 28th overall out of the 120 triathletes in a very good time of 2.36.26 with splits of 26.57, 1.15.29, and 50.49.
Jan, in only her second ever standard distance triathlon, finished a brilliant 4th in the 40-49 age group, 13th female and 75th overall in 2.57.28. Exiting the sea in 27.39 and 3rd in her age category and 8th female overall, she then posted the 6th fastest female bike split of 1.23.03, entering T2 in 3rd in her age group and 10th female position. However, the tough run course up Ballard Down, saw her lose a few places with a disappointing run split of 1.01.38 to finish outside the podium positions.

Jan at Swanage.

Further North, Steve Dines and Glynn Jenkins competed against each other in the Vet 60-64 age group of the Liverpool Triathlon. With a flat calm swim, followed by a flat and fast closed road circuit and run circuit around the old Liverpool docks, fast times were expected, although with such a large field of over 850 athletes, any gain was quickly lost in the long transitions.
Glynn exited the swim just 5 seconds ahead of Steve in 30.24 and gained a further 29 seconds in T1. However, a super fast bike split of 1.09.36 saw Steve overtake Glynn early into the bike course. Finishing with a solid run of 50.50, Steve was the first of the duo to finish in 2.41.22, and 16th in the vet 60-64 category and 575th overall. Glynn finished just two positions behind Steve in 18th position in his age group and 607th overall in a time of 2.44.22, with bike and run splits of 1.13.47 and 52.14 respectively.

Glynn & Steve in Liverpool.