wight tri - Stuart Dyer

Wight Tri atheletes represent Team GB in Switzerland

Wight Tri members and IW Talented Athlete Award members, Stuart Dyer and Glyn Jenkins took on the ITU Age Group  World Standard Distance Triathlon Championships, in Lake Geneva, Lausanne, Switzerland. 

Both Steve and Glyn have represented Team GB several times now but probably experienced one of the event’s toughest races.

Warm weather and wind on the water
The warm weather resulted in the 1,500m swim being non-wetsuit, which doesn’t always suit the poorer swimmers. The swim was made even more difficult due to the wind on the water, forming waves and making it difficult to see the turning buoys.

Glyn Jenkins at the World Standard Distance Triathlon Championships

However, both coped well. Stuart exited the lake in 31:44 and 64th in his 50-54 age group with Glyn in 21st position in the 65-69 category in 38:19.

Onto the bike to take on a tough two lap hilly 40km route along the lake was ideal for Stuart whose strength from his middle distance training helped him make up several places on the bike to enter T2 in 59th position with a solid 1:11:22 split for this hard course. Glyn was finding it harder and lost a few places and completed the bike in 1:22:25, now in 26th position.

Stuart Dyer at the World Standard Distance Triathlon Championships

Stuart continued to make up more places on the two lap 10km run with a fast 45:17 time to finish with an overall time of 2:33:17 and in 53rd from 136 position in the 50-54 age group.

Glyn completed the run in 58:41 to finish in 3:05:43 and 33rd from 53 in the 65-69 category.

Both had another fantastic experience representing Team GB and would like to thank the IW Council and Wightlink for their continued support.

Wight Tri Summer Splash and Dash Series
The last two events in the Wight Tri Summer Splash and Dash Series were held recently.

The first to take place was the Aquabike at the Duver, St Helens with water safety cover provided by X-Isle Sports Bembridge. The choice of one, two or three laps of a 250m swim, followed by either an 8km or 13.5km cycle into St Helens, and around Bembridge.

Steve Dines taking part in Dash and Splash
Steve Dines taking part in Dash and Splash

The Nominated winners all choose the longer swim and cycle course and all were extremely accurate in their estimated times. First was Sean Williams in 36:55, only five seconds inside his nominated time. Second was Steve Dines, nine seconds inside his nominated time of 44:45, with John Gardner only 11 seconds difference, completing the course in 44:49. 

Craig Wilson (35:00) and Jan Fletcher (38:10) were the fasted male and female in the long course event.

Sean Williams taking part in Dash and Splash
Sean Williams taking part in Dash and Splash

The final event was the Aquathlon, held at Dunroamin Beach in Lake, with water cover provided by Wight Water.

A similar format of one, two and three laps of 250m swim followed by one or two laps of a flat 2.5km run to the pier and back.

Father and son,  Marcus and George Johnson took the honours in the nominated event, with Junior member, George finishing closest to his nominated time. George completed the 750m swim and 5km run in 34:52, 8 secs inside his nominated time. Marcus did the same course in 51:41, 19 secs quicker than his estimate. Third place was Steve Dines 20s inside his nominated time of 19:30 for the 250m swim and 2.5km run.

George Johnson taking part in Dash and Splash
George Johnson taking part in Dash and Splash

There were several fast performances with Craig Wilson3(24:18), Sean Williams (34:36) and George Johnson (34:52) all racing for the quickest time. However, with Craig leading out of the swim, he was strong enough to hold off the fast pace of both Sean and George. Nina French swam and run superbly well to be the fastest female in 38:12.

Special mention also to several new members who took part in their first ever Aquathlon. Congratulations to Rebecca Grattage, Liz Cooper, Cath Love, Cherry Owens, Lisa Taylor, Hannah Groves and Steve Ambrose. I hope they all enjoyed their first experience of a multisport event.

Nina French taking part in Dash and Splash
Nina French taking part in Dash and Splash

Wight Tri Splash and Dash Series Winner
With the summer series of events coming to an end, the 2019  Wight Tri Splash and Dash Series Winner was announced.

The winner was Steve Dines who managed to score only seven points from the three best nominated timed events.

Second was Kaitlin Wilson with 14 points and third, Trevor McAlister with 18 points.


Report shared by Liz on behalf of Wight Tri. Ed