Castle Coombe Race Circuit once again hosted the BUCS duathlon Championships organised by DBMax race events. The 2mile (1 lap) run, 10mile (5 laps) bike and 2 mile (1 lap) run has become an increasingly popular event since it began in 2010. In its first year 257 competitors lined up to race and it has to 333, 420, 482 and 569 athletes in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 respectively. This year saw the biggest field with 391 men and 178 women taking to the cold but not frozen start line. In all honesty the race was held under pretty good conditions with a wind and the slight uphill offering the challenge to competitors on the bike. The larger field made it a challenge for some performers to navigate through the chicanes and take the best race lines but this didn’t stop athletes from giving it there all and setting some blistering fast splits.
Cardiff Metropolitan University athletes as always enjoy making the trip over the bridge and it was great to see an increase in our team this year with 5 men and 3 women taking on the challenge.
Sam Wade and Deri Stewart both of Cardiff Met running in the top 10 with the other strong athletes such as Richard Horton, Chris Perham, Matthew Wright, James Teagle (all of Loughborough University), Luke Grenfell-Shaw (Durham Univeristy) and Alex Matchett (Bristol University). Ieuan Cooke and Kieran John were well inside the main bunch and settled into a rhythm on the bike, with Adam Jones putting in a consistent performance well inside the top half of the field.
The bike is where this race was blown apart. Liam was off the front and increased his lead by 5seconds after the first lap. Scholar Sam Wade decided to then set to work and was at the head of the chase group after the first lap. Sam set a good pace and came off the bike into T2 in 5th position. Deri Stewart a first year Sports Management student rode very well on his road bike in one of a few non-drafting events he will have completed (he’s use to drafting format races). Ieuan Cooke another first year student (Sport and Exercise Science) had a solid bike backing up his first run to head into the final run in a good position. Kieran John knocked over a minute off his bike time from last year showing that he is getting stronger and stronger, as did Adam Jones.
The final run provided a battle for the podium spots and an exciting finish for the spectators. Liam ran through the line to take first place for the University of Leeds, Alex Matchett secured second place for Bristol University, a well deserved and excellent result for the Medicine Student, and Sam Wade ran strongly to demonstrate his all round ability for the bronze medal. This was Sam’s 4th bronze medal in consecutive years, an excellent achievement for the Cardiff Met student. Deri Stewart battled strongly to the finish along with Ieuan Cooke, Kieran John and Adam Jones to all finish well up the large field with the University securing 6th place.
There were a further two waves with the women heading off into the relatively calm conditions in Wave 2. Hannah Thompson, Jasmine Bowyer and Natalie Taylor were representing the Cardiff Met women, all in their very first duathlon. The ladies did an excellent job on the day, preparing well and mixing it amongst some really fast runners and strong cyclists. On the way back, Jasmine, Hannah and Natalie were already looking forward to their next duathlon after a very consistent performance in all three disciplines by all three women.
Photographs provided by The Triathlon Shop, Bristol.