The Porth Eirias Aquathlon hosted the Welsh Aquathlon Championships on Saturday, as 60 competitors raced over a 750m sea swim and flat 5km run in warm and sunny conditions.
The swim was a two-lap course and began with a mass run-in start from the beach. After a quick first lap the race lead belonged to Michael Lewis (Torfaen Tri). However, he was closely followed by a chase pack of Youth and Junior athletes in Sam Johnson (GOG Tri), Rhys Davies (Pembrokeshire Tri Club), Nathaniel Harries (Cycle Specific) and Laura Sharp (Cadence Tri Club).
On the second lap the lead group started to splinter and it was Lewis and Johnson who broke clear to establish a 20 second lead on the chase pack heading into T1.
Laura Sharp maintained her position through the second lap of the swim and took a commanding lead onto the run in the Female overall race, with Victoria Cole (GOG Tri) in 2nd and Junior athlete Rhiannon Kämink (Colwyn Bay AC) in 3rd.
The run was a flat 5km out and back along the promenade. However, blustery conditions and an exposed course made for an additional challenge after a sapping run up the beach to get to the transition area.
In the Men’s race Michael Lewis (Torfaen Tri) recorded the fastest run split of the afternoon (17:16) to stretch away and win the overall competition. Sam Johnson’s strong swim meant that he finished 2nd, while Oliver Blake ran through from 6th out of the water to take third spot overall.
In the female race the order at the finish line remained the same as it was coming out of the water. Laura Sharp (Cadence Tri) extended her lead further to win in 32’25, with Victoria Cole (GOG Triathlon) in a strong 2nd position in 34’51. Meanwhile, Rhiannon Kämink recorded the fastest run split (20:21) to run away from the chasing pack and cement 3rd position overall. All three also won their respective Welsh Championship categories.
Behind the overall top three the battle was still on for Welsh Championship medals in each age group, with some great racing and fast finishing throughout as participants battled an uphill finish to the gantry on the roof of the Porth Eirias building.
Medals in each category were as follows:
| Category | Gold Medal | Silver Medal | Bronze Medal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Youth Male (15-16) | Rhys Davies (Pembrokeshire Tri Club) | Nathaniel Harries (Cylcle Specific) | Eden Potter (Menai Track and Field) |
| Youth Female (15-16) | Laura Sharp (Cadence Tri Club) | ||
| Junior Male (U20) | Sam Johnson (GOG Triathlon) | Sion-Kelly Williams (GOG Triathlon) | |
| Junior Female (U20) | Rhiannon Kämink (Colwyn Bay AC) | ||
| Senior Male | Michael Lewis (Torfaen Tri Club) | Owain James (Pedal Cover) | John Connelly (Betsi Runaways) |
| Senior Female | Victoria Cole (GOG Triathlon) | ||
| Veteran Male (40-49) | Dale Williams (Brecon Tri Club | Tim Burnett (GOG Triathlon) | Gareth Bowyer (GOG Triathlon) |
| Super Veteran Male (50-59) | Mike Pfeiffer (Brecon Tri Club) | Chris Wynne (GOG Triathlon) | Paul Algieri (GOG Triathlon) |
| Super Veteran Female (50-59) | Margaret Ludden (Buckley Runners) | Bridget Ripley (U/A) | Marilyn Hunt (SYTri) |
| Vintage Veteran Male (60-69) | Paul Bennett (Port Talbot Harriers) | Colin Hunt (Wrecsam Tri Club) | Ian Laing (Wrecsam Tri Club |
| Super Vintage Vet Male (70-79) | Roger Kiernan (Padarn Tri Club) |
Congratulations to all medallists and to everyone who took part and made it a great race:
Full results can be found HERE
Updated National series standings will be online shortly.
Thanks to GOG Tri club for fantastic race organisation and to all marshals and volunteers who made the event happen on the day.
The final national championship race of 2017 will be the Sprint Distance Championships. This will take place on 6th August at the Tuska Sprint Triathlon and will also be the concluding race in the Welsh National Series.
