TRIATHLON: Carritt third in Ironman Wales (From Somerset County Gazette)

TRIATHLON: Carritt third in Ironman Wales

12:36pm Thursday 27th September 2012 in Sport

TAUNTON-based professional triathlete Joanna Carritt finished third woman at the Ironman Wales event held in Tenby. The tough event had a 3.8km sea swim and a 180km cycle followed by a Marathon run.

Carritt completed the gruelling event in 10hr 12 mins. Three other Somerset RC Triathlon members completed the event with Ed Paul finishing in 11 hrs 20mins, Adam Tuaima in 11hrs 36mins and James Beach in 11hrs 48mins. Caroline Haywood of Somerset RC was second woman home in the Burnham standard distance triathlon.

After a 1,500m Open water swim, 40km Bike ride and 10km run she finished less than a minute behind the winner.

The swim was a tough Open Water swim in the Severn Estuary.

Eight members from the club completed the event: James Paul (8th place) in 2 hrs 18mins; Nick Hawkes (10th) in 2 hrs 19mins; Simon Morris (25th) in 2hrs 32mins; Caroline Haywood in 2 hrs 33mins; Adrian Posta in 2 hrs 47mins; Jason Louis in 2 hrs 48mins; Mark Kurpyta in 2 hrs 52mins, David Thompson in 3 hrs 27mins. Somerset RC Triathlon Club members turned out in force for the annual Langport Sprint Triathlon which was the last event for the clubs’ championship.

The swim was 400m, followed by 20km on the bike and a 5km run. Nigel Callum won the Male Superveteran Prize and was fifth overall; Paul Ganniclift was second Male Veteran; Lorrainne Ayres won the Lady Veteran class with Elizabeth Pye second Lady Vet and Vicky Spearing third Lady Vet.

Sue Bidgood won the Lady Supervet section with Gill Smith second female Lady Supervet.

Total times were: Nigel Callum 1hr 08mins; Paul Ganniclift 1hr11mins; Nick Hawkes 1hr 12 mins; Carl Ward 1hr 13mins; Ian Giles 1hr 14mins; Wayne Hitchcock 1hr 16mins; Nick LeCharpentier 1hr 17mins; Lorrainne Ayres 1hr20mins; Ken Bidgood 1hr 22mins; Elizabeth Pye 1hr 24mins; Vicky Spearing 1hr 25mins; Hywel Thomas 1hr 25mins; Sue Bidgood 1hr 25mins; Cathy Rosewell 1hr 35mins; Gill Smith 1hr 36mins; Tara Robertson 1hr 38mins; Kay Southway 1hr 45mins. n John Ward of Running Forever Running Club completed in The Great Escape, a gruelling multi-discipline event, in 9hrs 15m at the weekend.

The event, which starts at Princetown and finishes at Start Point, consists of a 30 mile off-road bike course, an eight mile kayak and a 14 mile run.

Clubmate Dave Urwin had a comparatively easy time of it despite tackling the New Forest Marathon in wet and windy conditions.

He finished 165th of 577 finishers in a personal best of 3hr 47m 48s.

Other results: James Beach 314th in Ironman Wales. Swim: 2.4 miles, cycle 112 miles, Marathon 3hr 39m 32s. Total time: 11hr 47m.

Richard Staunton: 47th of 306 finishers in the Francis Clark Force 10K at Powderham Castle. Time: 45m 52s.

Simon Gould: sixth in the inaugural Beer Blazer 10K off-road race.

n Two Hydro Harriers represented the club in the first of this winter's Weston Prom Runs last Thursday.

Tom Mellor came eight out of 264 finishers with a time of 29m 10s. James Wright trailed in 233rd in 45m 15s.