Town six take on Salisbury sprint (From Andover Advertiser)

Town six take on Salisbury sprint

10:11pm Tuesday 2nd June 2009

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Glorious weather greeted more than 250 triathletes at the Salisbury Triathlon last bank holiday weekend where Andover was once again represented well by six of its members of which two were taking part in their first ever triathlons.

The sprint distance race, organised by Concept Sport, forms part of their Fast Twitch series which comprised of a 400m pool swim, 19 mile bike and four mile run. The well spectated event started at the Five Rivers Leisure Centre in the heart of Salisbury where Tony Ebdon put in a great effort to get fastest swim time for Andover, completing the 16 lengths of the pool in 7mins 12 secs with Kieron Parnell close behind recording 7.27.

The bike course took them along the country roads as far as the A303 for a brief glimpse of Stonehenge, heading back into Salisbury along the tough undulating A360. It was Ebdon who once again recorded the fastest bike time for Andover, covering the 19 mile route in 59:14secs. closely followed by Will Symonds in 1.05.10 and Richard Woodley in 1.06.31. The run, which headed up to and around Old Sarum and back via the Stratford-sub-Castle saw conditions quickly heating up and plenty of fluids were being taken on by all. Due to injury, Andover new member and triathlon first timer Sophie Bramble entered as part of a relay team and completed the bike course in an excellent time to pass the baton to her stand-in runner who as a team finished the race in 1.59.42 placing 221st overall.

Kieron Parnell, also taking part in his first triathlon, completed in 1.58.47 (219th) but it was Tony Ebdon who came in first for Andover after once again putting in the fastest run time to finally place him 75th overall with a time of 1.34.17. Will Symonds was soon after in 1.44.49 (156th) followed less than a minute later by Richard Woodley who is continuing his great start to the season with 1.45.28 (162nd). Paul Venus, who was using the event as a valuable warm up ahead of the UK Ironman 70.3 race in a few week’s time, finished in 1.50.12 and 184th overall.

Full story and more pictures in Friday's Advertiser

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