Chilham Castle Duathlon 2011
The Chilham Castle Duathlon returned to Chilham Park near Canterbury, Kent, for it's second running, and this year it attracted some of Britain's top duathletes.
The unseasonally hot temperatures made for some incredible racing, with the course records for both men and women being well and truly smashed.
There was a very strong field of age groupers in the men's race, with Ashley Howes returning for a second year, and Jon Bond and Nick Kinsey, all highly respected athletes, competing for the title.
The event started with a challenging 10K cross country run in the grounds of Chilham Park before the duathletes head onto local roads for a 40K bike, which included an uphill section for nearly 13K at the start of the ride to sap the legs. Then the duathletes returned to the park for the final 5K run.The men's race panned out in style. Ashley Howes, Larkfield AC, entered T1 in just under 40 minutes, with Jon Bond of Team Solo hot on his heels in 40.14. Nick Kinsey, an eight-time competitor at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii, and a Tri UK sponsored athlete was just 45 seconds back on the two leaders.
The biting 13K uphill start to the bike section tested the riders' legs, but there was plenty of flat and fast downhill for the competitors in the remainder of the 40K. Howes had dropped back slightly on the bike, but Kinsey had pushed hard and had a bike split of 1.05.44, just behind the fastest split of the day, which went to Stephen Castle in 1.04.10
Kinsey is an incredible triathlete, and produced a run split of 20.42 for the last 5K. He overtook Bond and came across the finish line in 2.08.37 smashing the previous course record by four minutes. Bond followed just one minute behind in 2.09.38. Howes held onto 3rd place, coming home in 2.14.35.
The ladies race was a duel between Nicola Groom, Larkfield AC and local triathlete Victoria Kenny of Tri Spirit Team. The ladies battled it out on the first 10K with Groom leading by two minutes at the first transition. But Kenny made a big fightback on the bike, pulling back those two minutes on the bike and both ladies entered transition almost neck and neck.
Heading into the last 5K, Groom managed to extend the small gap she had, finally crossing the line in 2.29.12, destroying the previous course record by eight minutes.
Kenny, racing her first ever duathlon, finished second in 2.32.28 despite receiving a 2-minute penalty. Erica Martin, Brighton Phoenix Tri came home 3rd in 2.38.07. All three ladies smashed the previous records.
The mixed team event was won by Tri Spirit Team members Jo Maher and Trevor Bridge. Bridge completed the bike section in an impressive 1.07.11, which helped secure a winning time of 2.23.07.
Many of the competitors were racing a duathlon for the first time and found the hot conditions even more of a test. The triathlon spirit held true with the eldest competitor John Brown in the 70-74 age group finishing in a great time of 3.31.32.Event organizer Liz King of Tri Spirit Events, said: "We had hoped for good weather, but we could not have predicted it feeling like summer at this time of year. This is a tough course, and the heat made it all the more difficult for some competitors, but it clearly helped most duathletes to go faster.
"We hope to hold a shorter event alongside the standard distance duathlon next year, which will offer an additional choice for those who would like to have a go."
Top 3 Men|
Chilham Castle Duathlon |
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1st |
Nick Kinsey - Tri UK |
2.08.37 |
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2nd |
Jon Bond - Team Solo |
2.09.38 |
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3rd |
Ashley Howes - Larkfield AC |
2.14.35 |
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Top 3 Women |
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1st |
Nicola Groom - Larkfield AC |
2.29.12 |
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2nd |
Victoria Kenny - Tri Spirit Team |
2.33.28 |
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3rd |
Erica Martin - Brighton Phoenix |
2.38.07 |
Chilham Castle 5k & 10k
Tri Spirit Events also offered a 5K and 10K run separately in the afternoon, which was well received by the runners who took part.
First home for the men on the 5K was Rolf Schatzmann in 22.46, followed by Adrian Waters in 23.34, and third place went to Kevin Dowling in 29.59.
The ladies' event was hotly contested for second and third, with Kerry Walker beating Julie Bradford into third place by just two seconds, with 28.41 and 28.43 respectively. But the ladies winner Georgina Twist was streets ahead of the rest of the field, coming home in a fabulous time of 24.47.
The 10K was a gruelling challenge for many with the temperatures soaring in the afternoon, but the top times were still very impressive.
Torren Peakman of Deal Tri Club was the men's winner, with a blistering time of 47.28 for the course. Daniel Blowman finished second in 47.41, and Alan Bennett came home in third place in 49.18.The ladies' 10K was won by Kathy Lockwood in 1.01.38, followed closely by Louise Sarah Pomeroy Dash of Deal Tri Club in 1.02.04, and Katie Marchant finished third in 1.07.14.
King added: "This was the first time we have put these events on at Chilham Castle, but the feedback we got was very positive. We plan on making the 5K and 10K much bigger events next year."
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Top 3 Men |
Chilham Castle 5k |
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1st |
Rolf Schatzmann |
22.46 |
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2nd |
Adrain Waters - Thanet Road Runners |
23.34 |
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3rd |
Kevin Dowling |
29.59 |
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Top 3 Women |
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1st |
Georgina Twist - Ashford AC |
24.47 |
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2nd |
Kerry Walker - Invicta East Kent AC |
28.41 |
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3rd |
Julie Bradford - Tri Spirit Team |
28.43 |
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Top 3 Men |
Chilham Castle 10k |
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1st |
Torren Peakman - Deal Tri |
47.28 |
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2nd |
Daniel Bowman |
47.41 |
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3rd |
Alan Bennett - Bexhill Runners |
49.18 |
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Top 3 Women |
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1st |
Kathy Lockwood |
1.01.38 |
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2nd |
Louise Pomeroy-Dash - Deal Tri |
1.02.04 |
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3rd |
Katie Marchant |
1.07.14 |
