Worcester Triathlon Club staged its first event of the season on Sunday at Peopleton with the annual Peopleton Duathlon organised by super veteran duathlete and villager Les Bailey.
The vent attracted a strong field who were a little unfortunate to be greeted with light drizzle for the start of the race at 9am.
The race comprises a reasonably tough 7km run starting at the village hall and winding its way through the village and back again to the hall where the competitors then start the two lap bike course making up the total distance of 29km with each lap returning through the village itself. Finally the competitors face a second slightly shorter 3.5km run finishing on the field aside the hall.
The Mens race was a tight fought affair with the lead changing hands on several occasions throughout the three segments. The eventual winner was Shaw Pye from Amazing Feet Running Club in an overall time of 1 hour 18 minutes and 35 seconds. Second was Luke Moseley 1.19.06 and third Joshua Varney 1.21.38.
Worcester Triathlon Club’s newest member Iain Jennings, fresh from racing the road relays event the day before, produced a great performance to finish fourth in 1.21.49 holding off close friend from Evesham, Danny Harris, who came in 5th in 1.22.08.
Michelle Parsons once again dominated the female field racing as part of her preparations for the Powerman USA event at the end of the month. Michelle confidently left second placed Paula Moseley in her wake at the start of the second run to come home in a time of 1.27.35 with Moseley following in second and Stratford’s Alison Bagnall in third.
Other Worcester Triathlon Club members’ results were as follows:
David Jubb – 1st Junior Male 1.24.51 (9th overall)
Neil Wicks – 10th 1.25.10
Henry Walker – 13th 1.27.08
Richard Gourlay – 16th 1.28.37
Mark Elliott – 1st Male V50 1.28.41 (17th overall)
Neill Crump – 24th 1.30.33
Jim Chalmers – 9th Male Vet 1.33.44 (35th overall)
Kirk Denton – 38th 1.34.52
Duncan Jubb – 12th Male Vet 1.35.26 (42nd overall)
Charlie Carroll – 3rd Male Junior 1.37.16 (50th overall)
Les Bailey – 1st Ultra Vet 1.52.11 (70th overall)
Clearly staging the event requires a great deal of cooperation with the villagers and again this year the local farmers group entered a relay team which swept aside the competition to win the relay category.