PACTRAC’s Paul wins age group in Majorca

Peterborough Area Combined Triathlon Club had 12 athletes travel to Majorca last weekend to compete in the 70.3 Half Ironman Triathlon.

The gruelling event was held over the distances of a 1.2 mile swim in the sea at Alcudia Bay, a 56-mile bike taking in the climb up to Lluc and then a 13.1-mile run over three laps around the coastline and bay.

Paul Lunn had a superb result, finishing 14th overall from a field of 2,628 age group athletes.

There was also a separate race for the professional triathletes, and had they been in the same event, Lunn would have beaten the 2012 Olympic Women’s champion, Nicola Spirig, by one second.

Lunn was 12th in his age group after the initial swim, and took the lead on the bike before half-way, coming into the second transition 4:29 clear of his nearest rival.

He then stormed through the half-marathon run in 1:19:36 to win his age group by over 15 minutes.

This was Lunn’s ninth topthree placing in this event in the 11 times that he has competed. It is also his fifth age group win in a race that he has finished in every year since 2011, although no event took place in 2020.

In his first triathlon of the season, he has started in great shape. Next up will be two more Ironman branded events in his quest to qualify once again for the World Ironman Championships in Hawaii in October.

Other PACTRAC finishers included Sam Chapman, Jonny Hynes, Dave Thorold, Simon Guerin, Chris Pike, John Crowley, Louise Hathaway, Barry Ryan, Richard Pike, Bill Haslam and Sarah Haslam.

Paul Lunn was in great form in Majorca.