Les Quennevais 31/01/15
The Jacksons Junior Duathlon at Les Quennevais on Saturday was round three of the Tristars winter series. Cold conditions greeted the young triathletes but it turned out to be a successful morning for two families. While Will Atkinson took the honours in the boys’ Tristars 3 event younger brother Tom won Tristars 2 with sister Elizabeth winning the girls’ category in Tristars 1. Meanwhile Libby Hart tasted victory for the third time in a row in Tristars Start with big brother Charlie first across the line in the Tristars 1 category.
The Tristars Start race was started proceedings with competitors tackling a 400m run, 1.5km cycle and a final 400m run. With little time to spread out and strong determination on display, this category is always a close affair. With little to choose between a group of athletes after the first run it was the bike which saw Libby Hart, Emily Le Gros and Tyler McGlinchy emerge at the front. There was little to choose between the girls through the final transition e McGlinchy set off in pursuit a little further back. McGlinchy caught and passed Le Gros and then Hart, the latter fighting hard all the way to the line but unable to hold off McGlinchy who took first place overall. Hart, pipped on the line, still had victory in the girls race ahead of Le Gros in third. Elsa Wanless ran well to make up time on the run and take third in the girls’ competition. Next home for the boys were Jacob Mauger and Ruairi Boxall who could not be separated in a dead heat after a sprint for second place.
In Tristars 1 Freddie Lucas set the pace on the run once again Charlie Hart managed to keep the deficit to a few seconds. Elizabeth Atkinson had her usual strong run coming into transition nearly 30 seconds ahead of Hannah Worth. Hart dominated the bike leg to build himself a reasonably comfortable cushion going into the last run, while Luke Holmes surprised spectators by coming off the bike ahead of Lucas. Holmes, suffering with cold hands, struggled to change shoes in the final transition giving Lucas the chance to get back with him as they headed out onto the run but Holmes surprised Lucas with a gritty determination over the final 800m run to rebuild the gap and take second place. In the girls’ race Worth cycled well but could only make up a handful of seconds on Atkinson who was left to run to a relatively comfortable victory.
Tristars 2 and 3 raced together, with the younger group completing one less lap on the cycle leg. Will Atkinson set out fast, leading the group round the first 1.5km run, but the girls’ in this age group were in good form and Lily McGarry managed to keep the deficit to just four seconds. Next in was a small group including second boy Harvey Butler, second girl Adele Maher and leading Tristars 2 competitor Thomas Atkinson. Onto the bike and the girls took charge, racing into a commanding lead with Maher taking over first position as McGarry attempted to minimising the gap. Last week’s Tristars 3 winner Harley Cadoret was also fast on the bike overtaking all of the boys and running as high as third position.
As the younger Atkinson brother came in at the end of his ride he had closed the gap on big brother Will, who still had another 1.5km lap to complete, and given himself a comfortable run to Tristars 2 victory ahead of Jonty Butler, who pipped Dan Roderick to the silver.
As the leading Tristars 3 completed their cycle Maher had managed to eke out a lead of around 20 seconds over McGarry and despite losing time changing shoes in transition and a few more on the run she was able to do just enough to hold on for victory by just four seconds. Meanwhile the oldest of the Atkinson competitors repassed Cadoret on the run to take third overall and first boy, Cadoret held on for third in the girls’ race and Archie Swain took second in the boys’ race following a typically strong bike ride.
The race organisers would like to thank all parents and coaches who turned out to help on what was a very cold morning.
Category winners:
Tristars Start - Libby Hart, Tyler McGlinchey
Tristars 1 - Elizabeth Atkinson, Charlie Hart
Tristars 2 - Thomas Atkinson
Tristars 3 - Adele Maher, Will Atkinson
