Category: Triathlon

Awesome performance from Team Kennet Junior Triathletes at the British trials for European Youth Elite Championships at the Blenheim triathlon today. James Mclaughlin and Sam Hart were competing. Sam swam well coming out with the main lead group, just behind the 2 leading athletes. After the bike they had reduced their lead with only the foot race over a hilly 2,500m to go. With the top 6 going to the Europeans it was a fast paced run as they started up the final hill back towards the palace Sam managed to get into 4th place breaking clear of the rest of the group. This he held to the end securing his first elite GB selection for the upcoming championships in Lithuania. James also had a good race in this highly competitive field coming 30th overall.

Team Kennet u11 Girls took part in the Henley Kids Triathlon and were successful as a team on the day with some 300 youngsters taking part.

Rain Stays Away for the 2016 Newbury Triathlon

Over 350 competitors took to the pool, roads and footpaths around Newbury for the 2016 Newbury Triathlon, organised by the Team Kennet Athletics & Triathlon Club. With the recent rain and threatening clouds overhead, luck was on the side of the competitors, spectators and organisers as the morning remained dry, albeit with a chilly breeze.
Following a 300 yard swim in the outdoor pool at the Northcroft Leisure Centre, competitors embarked on a 22km cycle route through the beautiful villages and countryside to the north of Newbury before finishing with a 5km off-road run which incorporated the paths along the picturesque canal.
An ideal event for all abilities, there was fierce competition at the front end. The race was won by Morgan Jones (Banjo Cycles) in a time of 1:00:42, who beat his team mate and previous year’s winner Lee Gollop by 3 seconds. Nigel Grantham (Pedalon) finished third in 1:02:29. The women’s race was also hotly contested, with Emily Roper coming across the line first in a time of 1:05:12, followed by Naomi Reynolds in 1:06:05 and Victoria Duncan (Durham Uni Tri) in 1:06:08.
Many of the competitors were first-timers, or those coming back from a break in the sport. With lots of support from spectators, everyone was cheered across the finish line and made to feel welcome. As always, the great organisation by Team Kennet and the many volunteers, both from within the club and the local community, made the event an enjoyable one for everyone involved.
Race results can be found at dbmaxresults.co.uk and thanks to Sonja Whatson Photography and BKB Photography for the race photos, available at www.sonjawhatson.com.
The next event held by Team Kennet is the Newbury Duathlon on the 8th April 2017. Team Kennet Athletics & Triathlon Club is a local friendly club, welcoming members of all abilities in athletics and multi-sport events. To find out more, visit www.teamkennet.com

¬by Sonja Whatson

British Triathlon Youth Super Series – Llanelli Triathlon, Sam Hart storms home in 4^th

The Team Kennet pairing of Sam Hart (sponsored by Pedal Potential) and James McLaughlin were in action in the second round the British Triathlon Youth Super Series at Llanelli on Saturday.  This was the first triathlon of the year and the event draws the best elite junior triathletes from around the UK.

The swim was in the North Dock and saw the triathletes start from the beach before running into the water and completing a 400m open water swim.  Sam Hart emerged near the front in 7^th place after a fantastic swim with James McLaughlin emerging close behind in 20^th.

After a swift transition they were off on the bike.  Sam manged to get into a small pack just behind the leaders, whilst James made the next larger pack 15s further back.  The cycle on a 4km closed loop involved 3 dead turns on each lap, making positioning key going into and out of each turn.  As the cycle finished it was clear that with the exception of two athletes who were clear it was going to be an exciting foot race with a large pack of 12 athletes coming into transition 2 together,  James was still in touch with another group 20 seconds further back.

Onto the run Sam set off at a fast pace working his way through the competitive field, and as he returned along the millennium costal path he was clear in 4^th place overall, a place he held all the way to the line, a stunning result and puts him great position for the season ahead.  James also had a great run picking up places and coming home in 17^th, another great finish in his first year in the age category.

Team Kennet Duo have a strong showing at the British Duathlon Championships

Two of the Club’s Junior Triathletes competed in the British Elite Youth Duathlon Championships.  Sam Hart and James McLaughlin, were competing at the Windsor Duathlon, which took place in the Great Park.  This race was also the first event in the British Triathlon Youth Super Series for 15 and 16 year olds.  The high class field from all over the UK had 60 entrants, meaning that racing was going to be fast and furious.  The first leg was a 2.5km run up and down the royal mile.  Sam Hart had a great first run setting off on the cycle leg in 7^th Place just behind the lead group.  James in his first year in the age group had a solid first run coming home in the main pack in 31^st place.  Sammy’s form continued on the 10km bike round a loop that took in the Copper Horse Statue, he battled with the 5 other athletes in his group before setting out onto the run course with them again in 7^th place; after a final swift 1.25km run he held his position coming 7^th overall in 32:44.  James meanwhile was having a fantastic bike leg working his way through the field to 14^th place by the time he left transition 2 and began the last run, he fought hard and came home in 16^th place overall (the third highest athlete from the lower year) in 33:29.  Both boys have had a shown great promise for the triathlon season ahead.

It was probably around 7 am on Sunday morning on the 13th September, when the four Team Kennet triathletes looked at each other, and wondered why each had decided to compete in this year’s Weymouth event. After a week of tracking the weather forecast, we looked out to sea with a sense of relief. The sea was calm-ish, with small waves lapping the pebbly shore. The clouds had broken slightly, and the chilly mornings of the week before replaced by a milder, although damper feel to the air.

Apprehensive thoughts were quickly thrust aside as John was first off, as a registered Team GB athlete, in the second wave, following the professional triathletes in the first wave. As John cut through the waves, the hooter went for the third wave, and Sean, Chris and Bart set off on the 3.8kilometre course. The swim course left the shore, completing a triangle of 1.9 k, followed by an Australian exit, across an ouchy pebble beach and back into the sea, to complete a second lap. By this point, the sea was a little rougher, and sighting the buoys became quite a challenge. The enormous jellyfish swimming underneath added some more excitement, although by that point, my interest in sea life diminished slightly, as I fought the swell and undercurrent to stay on course.

Next was the 180 k “fast and flat” cycle along the rolling Jurassic coast, according to the race blurb. Now, I don’t wish to sound like a pedant, but…either the event team were somewhat carefree with their adjectives, or I cycled a different course. Anyway, differences aside, the cycle did provide some very pleasant views of Dorset (so I am told). Bart and John stormed the ride in just under, and just over 6 hours respectively. Sean and Chris focussed on allowing John and Bart to feel superior, by measuring our efforts to a mere 6:30….the things you do for your team.

After the warm up came the marathon, along the promenade and through the beer zone of Weymouth, 4 and a 1/2 times. As the afternoon wore on, the weather turned. The sea was now a wintry scene of high tide waves dashing the rocks, and gale force winds whipping the sand off the shore. It was hard to believe this was the same seaside town we had left hours before. The run was hard: the loops meant we could all see the effort etched into our faces, as we passed each other time and time again. The support was great, not least of all Team Kuijten (all in matching T shirts), the Bird family, Alison Hall, and Leslie Marriott, who had no choice but to be there to celebrate her wedding anniversary with John, albeit sporadically every lap.

At the close of the day, all 4 TK triathletes came home in stunning times, and thoroughly enjoyed the well organised and, yes, Challenging Course.  Bart came home in a tremendous 11:01, John was close behind in 11:22, Chris sneaked under 12 hours in 11:58, and Sean competed the set in 13:37.

Click here for time breakdowns

Team Kennet’s Carolyn Craik took part in the Ironman 70.3 UK triathlon on Sunday at Wimbelball Lake in the Exmoor National Park, winning the Female 50-54 category and qualifying for the World age group championships in Austria at the end of August.

The race started with a 1900m lake swim which Carolyn completed in 33:06 followed by a tough two lap course totalling 90Km in the heart of the National Park which she did in 3:30:39 and finally a 21.1Km run over a 3 lap mixed terrain course which she did in 1:49:09 giving a total race time of 6:01:18.