Sunday 26th February saw the first Welsh National Championship of the season take place, as 90 competitors took part in the Welsh Cross Duathlon Championships at Pembrey Country Park.
With Storm Ewen closing in throughout the day, competitors battled both the inclement weather as well as a challenging course at an event which provided some fantastic races.
The Welsh Championship event took place over the Standard Distance for all age groups except the Youth category, who battled it out over the Sprint Distance. Athletes took on either an 8km (standard) or 4km (sprint) run, which featured an 800m section on the beach and some challenging sand dunes.
Next up was a 12km (sprint) or 24km (standard) mountain bike featuring single track sections which allowed the skilled mountain bikers in the field to gain time on their rivals. The final run was contested over a shorter out and back section for the sprint competitors (2.5km) or one lap of the first run course for the standard distance.
First across the line in the sprint race was Welsh Academy Athlete Tomos Nesham, who took the lead on the bike and finished in 0:57:17.
In the Welsh Championship race for the Youth Male category, Joe Reardon was first home in 1:07:20, with Sam Ryland and Rhys Davies a close 2nd and 3rd respectively.
The standard distance saw an intriguing race at the front, with the lead changing hands several times between the run and bike sections. In the end the first person across the line was Gareth Payne in 1:57:07, closely followed by Callum Hughes and Lewys Hobbs.
The winner of the Welsh Championship in the Senior Male category was Simon Cole, from GOG Triathlon, who clocked the fastest run splits of the day to take home the Welsh title. Stephen Corbyn and Paul Slade took second and third respectively
In the Senior Women’s race, Samantha Toop took home the Welsh title with a time of 2:25:54.
In the Veteran’s category Clair Davies (Pembrokeshire Triathlon Club) and Simon Moore (CRP Triathlon) were the Welsh Champions, with Vicki Jones winning the silver medal in the women’s race and Rhys Thomas and Richard Brady claiming silver and bronze respectively in the men’s competition.
Simon Osborne took home the Welsh Title in the Male Super Vet age group in 2:08:16, with Martyn Hughes Dowdle and Martin Davis 2nd and 3rd. In the Vintage Vet Men’s category it was Anthony Fidow who claimed the gold medal, in 2:34:40, with Colin Hunt in second.
Welsh Triathlon would like to thank all the volunteers and officials who made the event possible, and also all participants for a fantastic first National Championship race of 2017.
The next event takes place on 9th April at the Harlech Duathlon, which hosts the Welsh Sprint Duathlon Championships.
To be eligible for a championship medal you need to be a valid member no later than Wednesday, 5pm, in the week before the race.
Full results from Sunday’s Cross Duathlon can be found HERE:
