More Medals for Pembs Juniors at the Welsh Tristar Triathlon Championships

9th July 2006

Report by Les Watson

The long trip to North Wales for the Welsh Tristar Triathlon Championships proved worthwhile for the Pembs Juniors as they picked up 5 podium positions. The result was particularly pleasing against a number of unknown untravelled athletes from the north of the country. Sadly three of the entered Juniors were unable to compete due to illness. Todd Watson did not travel but Liam and Claire Fitzpatrick-Smith made the long journey in the hope that on the morning they would be well enough to compete but unfortunately this was not to be.

The event was well organised and well run and was conducted on a time trial basis. This made it difficult for those spectators (me) not bright enough to time the swim interval to know relative positions during the race! The bike course was an interesting combination of grass, path and road (and dog poo……..well done Cara!) together with some challenging inclines. The run was entirely on the stadium athletics track.

Without Liam there was no representation in the Tristart event. The Tristar 1 race covered 150m swim/2km bike/800m run and our pair of Sam Withers and Cara Watson both had excellent races with particularly strong runs to finish the event. Samuel was the more successful as he finished in third position 34seconds ahead of 4th place to take the Welsh Bronze medal. Cara missed out on the medals but finished in a plucky 5th place.

Megan Withers made it a Withers double whammy in the girls Tristar 2 race of 250m swim/4km bike/1.2km run when she put behind her the difficulties of recent events and took a well deserved Silver medal. Kate Matchett came through in 8th place but disaster struck for Meghan Good who came off the bike on a steep, wet, grassy decent. She willingly jumped back on but the machine was broke and her race was over. Joe Lloyd was once again unlucky not to be in the medals after a fine race finishing in 4th position just 4 seconds behind the Bronze positon. Bad luck Joe.

The Pembs boys once again dominated the 300m swim/6km bike/2km run Tristar 3 event with Alex Matchett, after a goggle troublesome swim, putting in a strong bike and his usual superior run leg to take the Welsh Title 1:09 ahead of second place. Luke Cornish and Jake Watson had their usual battle for placings behind Alex. The challenging bike course suited Luke more than Jake and he put in his best bike performance of the season to take 60secs out of Jake. But an almost equally fine effort on the run saw 56secs regained by Jake but not quite enough to deprive Luke of his well deserved Silver medal. Jake took Bronze completing the Pembs 1,2,3 with the boys 37secs ahead of their next rival. Tom Lloyd worked hard on his first event back from injury (fractured wrist) and came home in 8th place.

Pembs results as follows:

 

Tristar 1 Boys	Time	Place
Sam Withers	14:33	BRONZE

 

Tristar 1 Girls	Time	Place
Cara Watson	16:49	5th

 

Tristar 2 Boys	Time	Place
Joe Lloyd	23:10	4th

 

Tristar 2 Girls	Time	Place
Megan Withers	22:35	SILVER
Kate Matchett	29:10	8th
Meghan Good	crashed

 

Tristar 3 Boys	Time	Place
Alex Matchett	29:36	GOLD
Luke Cornish	30:45	SILVER
Jake Watson	30:49	BRONZE
Tom Lloyd	37:18	8th