GAIL MERRIEN and Alan Rowe took the top veterans’ positions at the Rennes multi-sport festival. They finished fourth female and 10th male overall while fellow Sarnian Ian Scholes also performed excellently, claiming a place inside the top 25 and demonstrating the significant progress he has made over the winter.
The sprint distance race comprised a 750m lake swim, a three-lap ‘draught legal’ 25km bike leg and a 5km run. It featured some of France’s top elite grand prix series competitors and an awesome display of dominance in the women’s category by Tameka Day, one of Australia’s representatives on the World Cup circuit.
A mass start with 170-plus athletes hitting the water together provided a violent reminder of the more physical side of the sport where combating, flailing hands and kicking feet combine in what is often known in triathlon circles as the ‘washing machine cycle’.
A small lead group formed at the head of the field, with a trickle of swimmers strung out behind.
Merrien was the first of the Guernsey trio to exit the water in 16th place, with Rowe only a short distance behind.
A long run up from the lake to the transition area saw Rowe gain a few more places and he took to the road with his bike a short distance behind Merrien.
With a small group just ahead of Rowe, he did not pause to put his feet into his shoes that were already clipped into their pedals, but sprinted to latch onto the group, passing Merrien in the process. Once joined with the group he was able to slip his feet in and set about working with the group of five racers.
Scholes came out of the water in the top third of the field and made great progress, moving through the field on the bike section.
For half of the lap, the road surface left much to be desired with potholes, patchwork tarmac and loose gravel to contend with and placing bike-handling skills at a premium.
Rowe’s group worked well together and caught several riders who had failed to stay with the pace of the group. Meanwhile Merrien was receiving the attention of the motorcycle mounted commissaire’s.
While it was a ‘draught legal’ race where riders can slip-stream off each other, it seemed that women were not allowed to do so from men.
Merrien was yellow carded for infringing this rule and forced to do a stop and go penalty, dismounting the bike in the process.
Rowe’s group entered transition two together and he used his superior running ability to distance himself from the pursuers and in the process clocked the day’s third-fastest run time.
Scholes’ bike performance was particularly impressive as he produced a solo effort for long periods to bridge between groups.
It did little to dent his run performance whereby he continued to move through the field to finish in 24th place.
Merrien ran solidly but conceded two places.
Leading female Day cruised the bike after exiting the water just behind the lead men and produced an exceptional run - the fifth fastest overall.
Laurant Suppi, from the Sable d’Olonne Tri Club, won the men’s race after producing the fastest run of the day.
The Guernsey triathletes returned to La Baule in southern Brittany to join a combined athletics and triathlon pre Island Games training camp.
Article posted on 18th May, 2007 - 12.00am
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