PACTRAC man Paul picked for a top international elite team

City triathlete Paul Lunn has been selected for a top team targeting World Championship success.

Peterborough Triathlon Club (PACTRAC) member Lunn is one of eight triathletes from all over the world who has been invited to join the Specialized Zwift Academy Triathlon Team for 2019.

The common main of the team members is to qualify for and then podium at the World Ironman Championships in Hawaii in October.

Lunn is no stranger to the event. He finished fifth in 2017 and was third last year and now with specialist backing he’s got his eyes set on trying to step up and take the title this year in the 45-49 age group.

The eight team members will all meet up in San Francisco in mid-May for a team brief, bike set-up and wind tunnel training, kit distribution and photo opportunities.

The team are mentored by British Olympian Tim Don and American Olympian Sarah True.

Lunn said: “I’m super excited to be part of this amazing set-up for 2019. Thanks for the opportunity of a lifetime.”

Lunn will receive full assistance in every department from training to nutrition to kit, in a team of eight talented athletes all with big Hawaii aspirations.

Lunn’s next target is the Virgin London Marathon on April 28 followed by a half-Ironman in Majorca before his trip to San Francisco to meet the team.

The 2019 Specialized Zwift Academy Tri Team is:

Justin Lippert, 26 – Middletown, New Jersey USA

Levi Hauwert, 32 – Melbourne, Australia

Maggie Walsh, 36 – Littleton, Colorado, USA

Natia van Heerden, 28 – Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, ZA

Paul Lunn, 46 – Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, UK

Philipp Herber, 29 – Cologne, Germany

Ruth Purbrook, 29 – London, UK

Yvonne Timewell, 51 – Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada

■ PACTRAC now have three members in the GB Elite squad this year, and now one in an international elite squad.

Nathan Tweedie has retained his place in the GB Elite squad in Loughborough, while Jonathan Oakey and Katie Tasker qualified two weekends ago in the BTF trials at Nottingham University for this year’s Elite Junior Series starting with Llanelli on May 11.

Tasker finished seventh in the Elite Youths race at the National Duathlon Championships at Bedford Autodrome on Sunday.

In windy conditions she completed the course of run 1.5 miles, bike 6 miles and run 1 mile in 34:12.

■ The Scampton Duathlon formed the first event in the 2019 East Midlands Junior Series and nine PACTRACers competed with the best result coming from Anna Blake, who was second in the TriStars race.

PACTRAC results:

Seniors: 23 Andy Corner 74:07. TriStars: 2 Anna Blake 9:07 ; TriStar 1 - 33 Katie Blake 18:55; 54 Josh Moore 21:52; 61 Hannah Coull 25:31 . TriStar 2: 30 Franky Phillips 27:29; 35 Calleigh Coull 27:46 . Tristar 3: 43 Libby Mellor 36:03; 48 Chloe Moore 39:07.

■ Richard Rodriguez of PACTRAC competed in the Grantham Triathlon - his first ever sprint triathlon - and he finished in 32nd place in his age group.

He completed the course of swim 400m, bike 10.25 miles and run 3 miles in 85:13 for 148th place overall.

Paul Lunn in action.