SUMMER SERIES - EVENT 1 - HIGH SHINCLIFFE 20 MAY 2010
The Summer Series of duathlons got off to a great start last night.A warm dry evening with no wind to speak of meant that the starters could all go out in the expectation of reasonable times - the Winter Series had presented some serious challenges in the weather department!  Allan was away, but Joe Applegarth stepped up to assist in the timing role, Corrina marshalled on the run course, and Neil looked after much of the sign-on process. Thanks to you all. 

There were 21 starters - we won't mention Geoff who managed to forget his running shoes! 15 were from DurhamTri - a great representation from the club, 3 were unattached newcomers dipping their toes in the water - so to speak - along with 1 each from Elvet Striders, Durham University Triathlon and Sunderland Harriers. It was great to welcome home Hilary Ross  - our new European Duathlon Champion fresh from success in the Euro Championships at Nancy in France - a real inspiration, and not just to the girls! We all gathered round to see the medal - Well done Hilary!
The starting groups were organised at 2 minute intervals - smaller groups than previously, but more evenly matched.
First off were Julia Quinonez [DTC] and Emma Detchon [ES] - by the time she passed the start point after 1000m, Julia had already begun to open a gap that would prove difficult for others to close. Next, the 4 minute group came pretty much together, but Louise showed a clean pair of heels to exit transition 15 seconds ahead. The 8 minute group split up: Liz Lamb was back first to transition almost a minute ahead of the others. Further back a dark horse was emerging in the shape of newcomer Philip Stevenson [u/a, 12 min] who posted a quick 13.04 for the first run. Dave Lawson [DTC, 22 min] was cruising with 12.36 for the run, as was George Harden [Sunderland Harriers, 24 min] who stopped the clock in 12.09. But behind all of them the big guns were warming up. Neil Sleeman [DTC, 28 min] posted the fastest Run 1 time, 11.27, taking seconds from the scratch man Daniel Jenkin [DuTri, 32 min]  back on 11.42. It would be interesting to see who could maintain the pressure through the bike and second run....
A clearer picture of how things were shaping up began to emerge as the riders returned to Transition and left on their second run. Julia [DTC, 0 min] was still ahead, but Liz Lamb [DTC, 8 min] had pulled back practically all of that 8 minutes on the bike and left T2 just 45 seconds behind; right behind her was Louise, and then Steve Matthews. Julia was now flying - her second run was almost a minute faster than her first and they wouldn't catch her! But our dark horse Philip Stevenson wasn't slow on the bike [39.19], and he was clearly 'in the groove'. His second run was also faster than his first [13.04, then 12.35] so that Julia only just held him off - by 10 seconds! - and grabbed the 30 points to claim her place at the top of the leader Board in the new League Table. Liz came in 3rd, ahead of Dave Lawson.
In the Scratch standings, Daniel Jenkin [DuTri, 32 min] kept the pressure on throughout: his bike split was the fastest of the evening [31.27], and then he produced a great 10.51 for his second run and a 54.00 total. Neil Sleeman [DTC, 28 min] wasn't far behind with 31.58 for the bike and 11.25 for the second run - but these seconds all add up and he was 50 seconds adrift at the end. Third place went to Dave Lawson [DTC, 22 min] with a great 57.10 total. For the Ladies, Hilary Ross [DTC, 24 min] was first home in 1.01.02 - she'll be looking hard at that Hour target.... Debs Goddard [DTC, 18 min] did an excellent 1.08.54 and Liz lamb was third with 1.10.44.
All of them will spend happy hours poring over the full results to see just how well they did, and plan for the next one....
Full results are HERE

CLUB DUATHLON - SUMMER SERIES - EVENT 2 HIGH SHINCLIFFE 17 JUNE 2010
It was a great evening for this month's duathlon, the second of the Summer Series: almost windless, bright evening sunshine - an evening that offered the prospect of some great times. The field was smaller than usual - some were working, others were saving themselves between racing weekends, some were at the Open Water session at Ellerton, and the University Triathlon athletes were having a Ball! But the 18 starters who lined up were certainly ready to rock and roll. Ian and Allan along with Joe Applegarth were in charge of the stopwatches.

A group of 6 headed off first - Mick Traynor, Steve Matthews, Peter Brooks with Louise Billcliffe and Julia Quinonez [all DTC] along with unattached Neil O'Brien. One of the features of the Run course is that the first small loop takes the runners past the starting point again after about 1km, so the spectators - and othere athletes - get an idea of who's going well early on. Roz Layton [DTC, 2minutes] had just set off when Julia came through, followed by new man Neil. By the exit of Transition 1 Roz's 15.02 was beginning to reel in that front group, but she was herself coming under pressure from another new man Michael Graham [u/a, 6m] with a 12.39.

Further back, the fast guys [and Hilary!] were beginning to get moving. First into T1 of that scratch group was George Harden [Sunderland Harriers, 16m] with a cracking 11.24 for Run 1 - he needed to take time out of his group and 70 seconds here was useful. Chasing him in were Graham Bradshaw [12.36] and Jerry Lloyd [12.41], just ahead of Hilary Ross [12.58], all DTC. The Bike segment was clearly going to be the battleground. At the front, Neil O'Brien [u/a, 0m] had taken time from everybody close to him with a solid 37.00 ride. Peter Brooks [DTC, 0m] was going well with 38.55 for the bike to put him in 2nd. place, 30 seconds ahead of Roz Layton [DTC, 2m], but Julia Quinonez and Steve Matthews [both DTC, 0m] began to lose ground here. Michael Graham [u/a, 6m] Liz Lamb [DTC, 6m], Richard Fearnside [DTC, 8m], Adam Khalil [DTC, 10m] and George Harden [S'land Harr, 16m] were putting in solid bike performances, all under 40 minutes. But a little further back Ed Garrett [Durham University CC, 14m] was slicing through the field. Only Phil Hatzis in his Course record ride has gone quicker - 28.45. But on the night Ed's 29.38 for the bike was 2 minutes quicker than Graham Bradshaw. And Graham was already over 3 minutes faster than his previous best on the bike section. Ed was also taking big chunks of time out of the rest of the 16 minute group - over 4 minutes from Jerry and Hilary, over 7 minutes from George - and moving the top of the Scratch standings at the exit of T2.

Out on Run 2, Neil O'Brien continued to pull away from his immediate chaser Peter Brooks, though Roz had him in her sights by the finish - her fast R2 time [14.04] took her to within 14 seconds of catching Neil who had been leading on the road from early in the Bike section. Just behind her Michael Graham [u/a, 6m] was going well on Run 2 [12.52] and closed to within 30 seconds, finishing 3rd on the night.

In the Scratch standings, the 16 minute group were doing some great times, along with Ed Garrett [14m]. George Harden did 2 brilliant runs [11.24 and 11.01] - both of them the fastest of the night - and just need to get the Bike time down a little to get under the magic hour target. 60 minutes is just sitting there George, waiting for you.....!

4 athletes did get under 60 minutes on the night and now join a select group of people who have that distinction on this course. Jerry Lloyd and Hilary Ross had a real ding-dong battle throughout the evening - Jerry was 17 seconds faster on Run 1 [12.41 to 12.58], Hilary snatched back 5 seconds on the bike [34.07 to 34.12], but Jerry pulled away again on Run 2 [12.09 to 12.39] to grab 3rd place. His 59.02 and Hilary's 59.44 are great times - well done to you both! and Hilary becomes the first woman to get under 60 minutes on this course: now there's a challenge for the University girls! Ahead of them Ed Garrett [DUCC, 14m] did very respectable runs [13.50 and 13.33] but put in a scorching bike section, the only one to go under 30 minutes on the night with 29.38. This took him to 2nd. place in the Scratch standings with 57.01. 46 seconds in front of Ed, Club chairman Graham Bradshaw was being very fast and super consistent. His runs [12.36 and 12.01] coupled with a great 31.38 for the bike brought him home in 56.15, over 4 minutes faster than his previous PB - excellent!

After the second event in the Summer Series the Points Classification shows Julia Quinonez leading on 54 points [30+24]. Liz Lamb and Louise Billcliffe are joint 2nd. on 48 points [Liz 28+20, Louise 25+23], Peter Brooks is 4th. with 46 points [20+26] and Steve Matthews is 5th. on 40 points [26+14].

And Hilary won the bottle of wine in a repechage!

There are 2 events left in the Summer Series, July 15 and August 19. Hope to see you there.

Results.XLS  HERE

Results .PDF HERE

NEXT EVENT JULY 15.