The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Lunn stars in Hawaii and there’s podium joy for Hope in Majorca
Peterborough Triathlon Club (PACTRAC) members have been starring all over the world.
Three racers were in action in Majorca at the weekend, two more flew the Peterborough flag in Hawaii and another competed in Turkey.
Tristan Matthews, Steve Hope and Rory Suckling took part in the Challenge Peguera Triathlon - a half-Ironman distance race in the south-east of Majorca.
That involved a 1900m swim in the sea, a 56-mile bike ride in the hills around Es Capdella and Calvia and a 13.1-mile run round the town of Peguera.
Matthews was the fastest of the three PACTRACers, finishing 117th overall in 5:02:49, but it was Hope with most to celebrate.
He placed second in his age group to make the podium in a big international race for the very first time.
He said: “I’ve come fifth a few times in big races at home and won my age group in a number of local triathlons since turning 50, but this was another step up.
“Last year I came ninth in my age group in Peguera, but realised that with a better race I could get close to the podium.
“This year I knocked 16 minutes off of my time, didn’t run out of energy and came second. I’m delighted.”
PACTRAC results: 117 Tristan Matthews 5:02:49 (age group 18th); 261 Steve Hope 5:31:23 (age group 2nd); 517 Rory Suckling 6:17:39 (age group 74th).
Roger Canham competed in his ninth consecutive Ironman World Championships in Hawaii where he was joined for the first time by clubmate Paul Lunn.
Athletes have to qualify for this gruelling event where you have to tackle a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile run in temperatures of 34-35 degrees.
Canham is normally in the top 10 in his age group but with a broken collar bone curtailing his training this year he finished 55th.
Lunn starred on his debut at the event taking fifth place in a tough age group, finishing only six minutes off the top spot.
PACTRAC results: 106 Paul Lunn 9:25:02 (age group 5th); 915 Roger Canham 10:50:39 (age group 55th).
Dave Patmore-Hill competed in the Gloria 70.3 Half-Ironman triathlon in Turkey (swim 1.2 miles, bike 56 miles, run 13.1 miles) and finished ninth in his age group in a great time of 4:52:41.
In so doing Patmore-Hill qualified for next year’s World 70.3 Half-Ironman Championships in South Africa.
And that was a massive achievement given that he is at the top end of his age group and will move into the next five-year bracket next year. All of the hard work and training has paid off.
He said: “I’ve always wanted to race in South Africa. Coming off the bike, I was in 16th, so I had to have a decent run time, and I’ve worked on this over the last few weeks. I had the third fastest run in my age group.”
PACTRAC had two age group winners closer to home. Jim Fell and George Prodrick both won their age groups in the Bedford Autodrome Duathlons (sprint and standard distances respectively) to qualify for the European Championships in Ibiza next October.
PACTRAC results
Sprint Distance ( run 3 miles, bike 12.5 miles, run 1.5 miles): 231 Jim Fell 76:50 (age group 1st). Standard Distance (run 6 miles, bike 25 miles, run 3 miles): 147 George Prodrick 3:00:24 (age group 1st).