Michelle retains European age group crown in style (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Michelle retains European age group crown in style

LAST Sunday's European Age Group Duathlon Championships in Swansea attracted the cream of Great Britain's age group duathletes but unfortunately very few of their European counterparts.

The course was set in and around the docks area and comprised a three-lap 10K run followed by a five-lap 40K bike ride alongside the bay finishing with a two-lap 5K run.

Reigning champion Michelle Parsons of Worcester Triathlon Club started steadily on the first run but soon worked her way into contention with the female leaders recording the seventh fastest female run time of 41minutes and 49 seconds for what transpired to be a 10.5K opening run.

On to the bike and the Evesham girl set about slicing through the field, eventually catching all of the athletes ahead of her including Maddie Horton, who recently was selected to race at the World Half-Marathon Championships for Great Britain.

Not surprisingly, Parsons recorded the fastest female bike split of the day of 1.04.45, quicker it transpired than any of the female elite athletes who raced later.

Although Parsons set off on the second run with an eight-second lead, Horton's run strength saw her regain the overall lead and win the race to the finish.

Parsons did, though, retain her age group category title in a total time of 2.09.25.

Her reward is selection to the elite squad for an ITU points race in Italy next month.

However, before then she has two further titles almost in her grasp.

The first will be finalised this weekend at Marlow Rowing Club where she looks to regain her Concept Two Rowathon Series title.

Then two weeks later, she travels to Carsington Water in Derbyshire for the final race in the British Triathlon Association's National Duathlon Series.

Also racing at Swansea was Pinvin's veteran performer Les Bailey. The Worcester Tri member who claimed a silver medal in his age group in last year's European Championships, repeated the performance with one of his best races of the season.

Bailey is also attempting to win his age group Rowathon Series at Marlow on Sunday.