Sport
16 November, 2023
Triathletes tested to the limit
The Maryborough and District Triathlon Club conducted the second of its longest event on the 2023/24 club calendar from the Maryborough Sports and Leisure Centre on Sunday, November 12 in excellent triathlon conditions. The event was a long course...
The Maryborough and District Triathlon Club conducted the second of its longest event on the 2023/24 club calendar from the Maryborough Sports and Leisure Centre on Sunday, November 12 in excellent triathlon conditions.
The event was a long course triathlon which also featured a short course option. Course lengths were long course — 400 m swim, 20 km ride, and 4 km run, and short course — 200 m swim, 4 km ride, and 1 km run.
The long course field featured regional triathletes, Ararat’s Sam Jones and Castlemaine’s Lauren Barker.
Both triathletes enjoyed strong performances in the pool with Barker assuming the lead as the triathletes exited Maryborough on the 20 km loop ride out to Craigie, Carisbrook, and back to Maryborough.
With light winds on the day, both triathletes were able to produce outstanding cycle legs (especially in the Craigie to Carisbrook section) as they entered transition for the final 4 km run leg.
Barker continued her strong form on the run leg to cross the finish line in the fastest time of the day (69:17) to win the open female category. Jones also excelled on the 4 km run leg to post the outstanding time of 80:20, being second across the line, and improving by over six minutes on the October time.
In the short course (200 m swim, 4 km ride, and 1 km run) it was an exciting race with some outstanding times on the day. Young Ella Govan showed the benefits of her swimming training as she excelled in the pool to exit to the first transition in first place with Cooper Mark, Sue Blizzard, and Sophie Mark in hot pursuit.
All triathletes enjoyed the ride and run legs and in the end it was Cooper with the fastest time on the day (21:29) to win the under 16 male category, Govan (23:43) in second place overall, and under 16 female winner), Sophie (27:51) open female winner, and Blizzard (29:59) 50+ female winner.
The next club event will be the third consecutive long course triathlon with short course option on Sunday, December 10 from the Maryborough Sport and Leisure Centre. Registrations commence at 9.00am for a 9.30am start.
The long course will be identical in distance, with a 400 m swim, 20 km ride, and 4 km run (so triathletes who have participated in the October and November events can compare their results across all races), and returning triathletes have a longer event to participate in leading into the Christmas break.
The club has also increased the length of the short course option in this event to a 200 m swim, 8 km ride, and 2 km run for short course triathletes to extend their distances prior to the Christmas break as well.