Family's tandem treat at anniversary event (From Tewkesbury Admag)

Family's tandem treat at anniversary event

MEMBERS of Worcester Tri Club have once again produced some impressive results.

More than 300 seniors and juniors celebrated the 20th anniv-ersary of the Bishop's Castle Tandem Triathlon.

This unusual event is similar to a standard but with couples competing in a pair. One person completes a 1000m swim at Bishops Castle Leisure Centre before dashing out to their partner waiting with the tandem.

Both then cycle a 35K bike ride up Colstey Bank to Clun, through Clunton, then back to Bishop's Castle via Lydbury North before going back up the fearsome Colstey Bank for a second tim.

The other person then leaps off the tandem to complete a 1K cross-country run through Colstey Wood. The pair then cycle back down Colstey Bank to the finish at the Community College at Bishops Castle.

Michelle and Phil Parsons, competing for the second time in this event on a tandem generously loaned by Vale Cycles of Evesham, won the mixed category in a time of two hours ten minutes and 26 seconds.

That time placed them sixth overall out of the 122 teams with Phil's swim time of 15.23 the eighth fastest and his wife's run time of 48.37, quickest female and tenth fastest overall.

The overall winners of the event were two local men who completed the course in an amazing time of 1.50.19.

However, it transpired that the tandem they were using was the only one of its kind in the world. Made by Litespeed as a special one off project it is used as a demonstration model at shows around the USA and UK and is valued at £10,000. With that kind of machine, they managed to shave seven minutes off their previous course record time and beat their closest rivals by almost ten minutes.

Later in the day, daughters Tegan and Jorden took part in the children's tandem triathlon and, although the event is not officially timed, both performed exceptionally well.

Jorden completed the 200m swim in a time of three minutes and 19 seconds with her sister completing the cross-country and run/assault course in a very quick time. Both girls then cycled the bike course together on separate bikes.

Last Sunday, eight members took part in the Hereford Sprint Tria-thlon - 400-yard pool swim followed by a 15K bike and a 5K run through the town.

The overall winner was Matt Hawcroft from BRAT in a time of 47 minutes and 42 seconds but not far behind him were two of the club's junior members Dan Keen and Rune Dige.

The former finished sixth overall in a time of 50.40 with Dige ninth overall in 52.49 - a time that included the second quickest swim time of the day (5.09).

The youngsters were placed second and third respectively in the junior category with Great Britain junior Garry Hughes winning in 48.29.