Manx Tri Club

A small Manx Tri Club contingent travelled to Bala at the weekend to contest the European Qualifying Standard Distance Tri.  This is a regular favourite for Manx triathletes, on a generally flat course which has produced some fast times in the past.  Competing in a field of 559 were Lynsey Elliot, Christine O’Shea, Wendy Sandford and Antony Bell-Scott.

Conditions were perfect for racing, with the early mist on the lake clearing to give a bright sunny day with little breeze to speak of.

Antony Bell-Scott completed the race 2 hours, 2 minutes and 2 seconds, but later has a 2 minute penalty added for drafting, which he vigorously disputed!!  This placed him 5^th in AG.

Lynsey Elliot achieved a new Personal Best time, finishing in 2 hours 24 minutes and 15 seconds, placing her 7^th in AG.

Wendy Sandford had a solid race, to finish in 2 hours 35 minutes and 52 seconds, 11^th in AG.  Christine O’Shea also raced well, to finish in 2 hours, 38 minutes, 5 seconds, placing her 19^th in AG.

Paul Swindale was meant to be competing but had to withdraw after breaking his toe in his mount line incident at the IOM Tri champs a week earlier.

Antony and Lynsey both achieved Island Games consideration times.

Well done to everyone who took part today over both the Sprint and Standard Distance races.

Read the final results here.  A full report will follow

A very big thank you to all the Marshals who made the event possible.  To Steve Shimmin for a lively and entertaining commentary. To Graham & Sue Hughes from Manx Timing Solutions for the timekeeping. To Red Scaffolding for the ramp. To Shane Martin from Greenmann Springs for the Water Station. To St. Johns Ambulance for the 1st Aid Cover. To Simon & Mike Reid from MannSail for the Kayak Water Safety cover and for permission to use the Lake.  To Ramsey Town Commissioners for the Barriers and Ramsey Police with their assistance with the event.  To Ramsey Rugby Club for the use of the Club House and finally to our sponsors Microgaming for helping to stage the event on this scale.

There were a number of lost property items at the end.  If you think that any of these may be yours, please contact Juan Kinley on 486938 and he will arrange for their return:

Ladies Pink and’ Black Muddy Fox’ (cycling / running jacket).

Kids grey ‘Next’ hooded top (aged 9yrs)

Grey ‘Giro’ Rift cycling helmet

‘Lacoste’ Blue jumper with light blue horizontal stripes (Men’s Large)

 Speedo Goggles

Wetsuits

It is looking likely that wetsuits will be optional. The Lake temperature was measured twice yesterday. In the morning it was 17°C and in the late afternoon it was 18°C.

The thresholds for a 1500m swim are 22°C, at which wetsuits are forbidden and 14°C, at which they become mandatory. It is unlikely that these thresholds will be exceeded before race day but the final decision will be made then.

Congratulations to Rob Parker (now 6 time Ironman finisher) and his mum, Di Parker and to Martyn Edwards, both 1st time Ironman competitors, who all completed the Copenhagen Ironman event on Sunday 24th August.  Sounds like the weather conditions were very changeable and very challenging.  Rob came home in 12:40:14 / Martyn in 12:54:16 and Diane in 15:54:16.  Amazing effort by all of them.

“Ant Bell-Scott and Paul Swindale did the Salford standard distance at the weekend, in similar conditions to the Liverpool race, with heavy winds on the course and bouts of heavy rain, making a six lap bike course quite a challenge.

Despite advertising the course as fast, this is sadly not the case with a no overtaking area on the bike and a slightly long swim, however both IOM athletes performed strongly with Antony Bell-Scott powering through to take 8^th out of over 450 athletes, in his first triathlon in nearly two years, in a time of 2.15.46 and Paul Swindale taking 1st in Age Group & 14^th overall in a time of 2.19.33

http://www.tdl.ltd.uk/race-results.php?event=1750

Jill Bunyan & Steve Kennaugh competed in their first half iron distance event in Marlow on 20th July. Luckily the heatwave abated slightly before the start of the race but roadworks meant that the bike course had more hills in than expected. Final times were 5.48.57 (4th in age group) and 5.23.11 respectively.
The pair are now looking forward to IM Barcelona.

The IoM and Manx Tri Club were very well represented at Liverpool Triathlon, which was also the British National Championship Standard Distance event. 

Congratulations have to go to all 18 Manxies who took part, 10 guys and 6 girls in the Standard distance and 2 in the Sprint distance events.   The big question on the day was whether the aftermath of hurricane 'Bertha' would reach the NorthWest - the answer was YES!!  It was horrible (although it was actually the Elite Races in the afternoon that suffered the worst of the weather on this occasion, rather than the Age Groupers).

The bad weather didn't stop the Team posting some fantastic results and fortunately everyone on the team finished safely and without any incidents.  The full results can be found below, but here are a few of the headlines:

• Andrew Nash who retained his form to finish in under 2 hours (1:59:50) - 7th in his Age Group and 17th overall (from 683)
• Juan Kinely who won his Age Group in 2:08:02 to become British Age Group Champion 2014 and finished 79th overall
• Sam Brand completing his 1st Standard Distance in 2:04:45, with a fantastic run split of 33:35
• Karen Shimmin finishing 6th in her Age Group in 2:25:11
• Hannah Howitt finishing 4th in her Age Group
• Jospeh Ricciardi finishing 2nd in his Age Group in the Sprint race in 1:07:07 with the fastest bike split of the day (6th overall from 215)
• Rebecca Storrie winning her Age Group and finishing 20th overall (from 215 inc men)

Of course, we can't just mention the racing as Bertha didn't really set in until later in the day -  the team and their 19 strong loyal support group then travelled home on the 5hr SeaCat journey in a Force 8!

Standard Distance                                                                        Sprint Distance

Andrew Nash        1:59:50   (7th in AG from 67)                          Joseph Ricciardi   1:07:07  (2nd in AG from 6)

Sam Brand             2:04:45  (9th in AG from 37)                           Rebecca Storrie   1:13:18  (1st in AG from 1)

Juan Kinley            2:08:02  (Gold Age Group Medal)

Russ Collister         2:13:12   (16th in AG from 77)

Nigel Quaye         2:13:32   (22nd in AG from 80)

Kirstian Cowin      2:14:04   (23rd in AG from 80)

Chris Crellin          2:14:38    (12th in AG from 70)

Mark Nash            2:18:44   (30th in AG from 67)

Karen Shimmin     2:25:11   (6th in AG from 14)

Hannah Howitt     2:30:26   (Bronze Age Group Medal)

Wendy Sandford  2:36:18  (8th in AG from 15)

Amber Carridge   2:41:06  (12th in AG from 14)

Frank Harrison       2:41:35  (49th in AG from 70)

Christine O'Shea   2:42:48   (10th in AG from 16)

Jessie Carridge        2:45:59   (13th in AG from 14)

Chris Mallon          2:50:04   (59th in AG from 77)

Congratulations to Nigel Quaye who completed his first Ironman Event - Ironman Switzerland last weekend in a fantastic time of 10hrs 36m.  Other than having a very long T1 (over 7 minutes) for forgetting/ losing his sunglasses, everything else went really smoothly. He had a strong swim, then he managed to hold a steady pace throughout the bike leg. Nigel has always been a strong runner and felt comfortable starting the run section, completing his marathon in 3hrs 50m.

Joseph Ricciardi was also back in action, competing at the London Junior Elite Sprint event on 3rd August, where the Age Group is 17-19 yrs.  Joseph finished an excellent 11th in a time of 1:11:01

London also hosted it's Standard distance course, where Paul Swindale took 3rd place in the M45-49 category in 2:10:19 (68th overall from 4598) and Jon McGowan finished 10th in 2:15:10 (171st overall).  Mark Dietrich, now a London resident, finished 33rd in the M35-39 category in 2:12:32

       Best of Luck to Andy Nash competing in the Commonwealth Games Triathlon event, and to all the rest of the Isle of Man Team for a great Games in Glasgow

Joseph Ricciardi moved up from Sprints to complete his 1st Standard distance event at Sutton Park in Birmingham on 20th July, and managed to come home 1st in his Age Group and 8th overall (from 325).  Hannah Howitt was also competing at the Standard distance, but was very disappointed to suffer a twisted knee on the bike leg and wasn't then able to complete the run.

Meanwhile, Mario Ricciardi started his venture into Individual Triathlon with an excellent 2nd place in Age Group and 11th overall (from 46) in the Super Sprint race at the same venue, finishing in 43:37

Congratulation also go to James Wright, who made his Ironman debut at Bolton finishing in a very credible time of 11:46:45 and placing him 53rd in Age Group and 255th (from 1900+)

Port Erin Bay was the venue for another Sea Swim at the weekend.  Congratulations to Hannah Howitt, who wasn't just 1st Lady, but was 1st Overall in the 2.2 km event.  Joseph Ricciardi was the 1st Male, and Illium Parnell was the 1st Junior.

Off Island, Karen Shimmin and Andy Page travelled to a Long Distance coaching course in Wales in preparation for Ironman Wales which takes place in Sept.  The course included a 2.4 mile sea swim, which Andy completed in 54 mins & Karen just 1 min behind in 55 mins.  The following day took in a 112 sportive around the IM Wales bike course, which Andy & Karen both managed in under 8 hours and then on the last day there was the option of a 1/2 Marathon and a Full Marathon.  Andy completed the 1/2 in 1hr 47 and Karen did the full distance in 3hr 45mins. 

Well done to Russ Collister who was 1st in Age Group and 8th overall (from 274) at the Foremarke Hall Sprint Triathlon in Derby.  A really friendly, well run event in a nice setting, but with a tricky bike course and an off-road run.