Sport
11 April, 2024
Good results in weekend duathlon
Providing a range of events for triathletes to experience in its 2023/24 club calendar of events, the Maryborough and District Triathlon Club conducted a duathlon from the Princes Park precinct on Sunday, April 7. The event was the duathlon...
Providing a range of events for triathletes to experience in its 2023/24 club calendar of events, the Maryborough and District Triathlon Club conducted a duathlon from the Princes Park precinct on Sunday, April 7.
The event was the duathlon involving a run, ride and run. Event distances were long course – 1.5 km run, 11 km cycle, and 1.5 km run, and short course - 200 m run, 5 km cycle, and 1.5 km run.
In the short course it was young Ella Govan who set a blistering pace early on the first run leg to establish a lead that was always going to be hard for the field of Matt Cain, Sophie Mark, Jacqui Beer, Kate Cain, and triathlon newcomers Abbey Klemm and Sam Carr to chase down. All triathletes produced strong ride legs however, finishing with the 1.5 km final run leg around the Lake Victoria walking track.
In the end it first time triathlete Carr who crossed the finish line in first place to win the under 16 male short course in the exceptional time of 18:52. Only seconds behind was Govan (19:03) who crossed the finish line next to win the under 16 female short course category, with Matt (19:56) third across the finish line and winner of the open male short course category.
Little separated the four triathletes in the open female short course with Mark (21:05) in first place, Kate (23:05) second place, Beer (23:30) third place, and Klemm (25:32) in fourth place. All triathletes produced strong times for the duathlon format displaying natural ability in the run and cycle triathlon disciplines.
A strong field of experienced and new triathletes greeted the start line at the commencement of the long course with triathlon newcomers Lucas Hurse and Thomas Myers venturing for their first club event in the duathlon.
Club members Josh Britten, Adam Lowery, and Cooper Mark were keen to produce strong performances on the day as well.
As the finish times indicated little separated the five triathletes throughout the event but in the end it was Myers (32:16) who took overall line honours to win the open male category, with Britten (33:29) in second place, Hurse (34:49) in third place, and Lowery (37:48) in fourth place. Cooper won the under 16 male long course in 32:19.
The club has planned two more monthly events for the completion of its 2023/24 club calendar of events, a five km and 10 km Fun Run at the Goldfields Reservoir walking track on Sunday, May 19, and a reverse triathlon from the Maryborough Sports and Leisure Centre on Sunday June 2.