On to the open water swimming triathlons and Jasper, Bella, Billy, Gethin, Lottie, Thomas, James and Millie all made the long journey to Wiltshire. It was a scorching day and praise should go to the parents for their support in that heat! All of them had a super race but big high fives to Thomas (age 15) and Lottie (age 14) who pitted themselves against the adults in the super sprint race. Lottie came away with the fastest female swim time too!
We had 14 athletes competing in this relatively local event. In Tristar 1 there was Jasper, Bella, Phoebe and Darcey. Impressively, Bella had the quickest girls swim time out of 24 competitors.
Rene competed in Tristar 2 and then in Tristar 3 we were well represented with Ben, Patrick, Henry and Jess. Finally Lottie, Orla, Kaitlyn and James took part in the competitive youth race with James being on the podium and having the fastest club member transition time!
This was the first triathlon of the season for the majority of our members and we were represented by Jasper, Phoebe, Jasper, James and Jess. Special mention to Jasper E for completing his first triathlon. We shall be back at this one next year.
Our athletes swopped Sunday goggles for their trainers snd supported a local primary schools off road trail run. Distances for all except our eldest was 5km, and then a step up to 9km.
Finishing positions in this ranged from 3rd place onwards but the emphasis was it was a “fun run”.
8 members of the IOW Triathlon Club went to Woking on Sunday for the season’s opening aquathlon. Competing over four different age ranges and distances they came home triumphant with many podium results.
From the youngest, Darcy Morgan competing in Tristart 1 finishing in 3rd place over a 100m swim and a 1.2km run; in Tristars 3 Henry Morgan finished in 6thPlace, Benjamin Van der Helstraete in 7th and Billy Williams in 9th place over a 300m swim and a 3.2km run. The youths and adults all raced over a 400m swim and 5km run distance – in the Youths Lottie-Rose Van der Helstraete finishing 1st, Orla Gradwell 2nd and Kaitlin Townsend (on her first event with the club) coming in 3rd place and Millie Williams who at 16 moved to the adult category, finished in 2nd place.
A great weekend racing with great results with a lot of high placed swim times over their categories.
Four of our junior triathletes and Simon, one of our coaches, competed in the second Portsmouth duathlon on Sunday 24 March. The distances were longer this time (7.5km – 24.5km – 5km) and with a stronger headwind for the bike section, these hardy triathletes were put through their paces in a field of 263adult triathletes. Simon Pilcher, taking a respectable 5th place himself, said “there was some good pacing on the course and results proved how hard they are all training”. Thomas Horton (14yrs) entering his first mainland duathlon showed his strength on both disciplines finishing in 39th place (1st in under 18); Gethin Hepworth the other male junior and youngest of all of them (13yrs) finishing 101 overall (2nd under 18). Millie Williams, (16yrs) finished 15th Lady and 1st under 18 and Lottie-Rose Van der Helstraete (14yrs) finished 26th lady and 2nd under 18.
Three juniors of our juniors, Gethin, Lottie-Rose and Millie, two coaches, our treasurer & Rob started 2019 the way they mean to go on. For the juniors, competing as the youngest by over six years in their first open road multi-discipline event was quite daunting. Within the under 18’s Gethin Hepworth was first male and Millie Williams 1st young lady, with Lottie-Rose close in 2nd place. They definitely showed the “oldies” their strength and determination even after having to get the 6am ferry! Their coach Simon knocked off five minutes from his previous time finishing in 4th place in an amazing time of 1.02.26, narrowly missing out on 3rd place by .03 of a second in a fabulous sprint finish and Julie Van der Helstraete, competing within a team with Rob Holbrook achieving 2nd overall team. John Hepworth, having the additional pressure of racing his son, put in an immense performance also coming within the top half of the finishers. An amazing result showing their hard training is paying off and showing the adults they are hot on their tail….
Seven members of the IOW Junior Triathlon Club were recently recently very lucky to be given the opportunity to go on a Young Activators Course funded by the IOW Sports Foundation. Their coach, Julie Van der Helstraete said “These youngsters are not only the sportsmen and women of tomorrow but also our next generation’s coaches”. The British Triathlon came over for a day and delivered this course to them – all fully fledged “young activators” now they can assist a qualified coach with coaching sessions and helping other juniors along their sporting paths. As always John Ward, from Fitness at Gurnard, gave the junior tri club his full backing and provided facilities for this course to take place, for which they are extremely grateful.
For all our juniors who have registered for our exciting skills school day with the BTF on 3 August, please can you download these documents (below) regarding the day and let me have back your medical consent forms ASAP? I need them before the day please.
Any questions, especially on logistics as ALL of our athletes need to be taken from the Pines to Northwood, please can you call/email/message me and not just post a message on FB in case I miss it. We will not be able to let juniors move from one venue to another on their own for safeguarding/safety reasons.
Many thanks
Julie
Downloads
BTF Skills School – Athlete consent and medical form
Fourteen of our talented young athletes entered the Rotary Club 5km Dash and Splash from Shanklin to Sandown – encountering a mere 49 groins to hurdle or swim round on the way, some decided swimming was the better option and for some more swimming was done then than in the morning swim session!
The event was won not only in the youth category but overall by our very own James Fletcher and Naomi Holdsworth won the Girl’s category.
Great fun event and slightly resembled cross country!
