Crosland victory on Mont Variouf course
Last Sunday saw the third out of the four-race De Putron Fund Management Duathlon Series of the Guernsey Triathlon Club taking place on the Reservoir course in St Saviours.
Unlike the other three races which involve relatively flat, non-technical coastal terrain, this one incorporates a challenging and hilly course on both the bike and run sections.
Starting at Mont Variouf school, the course takes in a scenic off-road run around the reservoir, followed by an undulating two-lap bike circuit, finishing with a further run around the reservoir before returning with an uphill sprint back to the school.
With some absences from the start line – due to clashes with a Velo club road race and the GIAAC Church-to-Church run – the turnout was 36; slightly down on previous races of the series.
The first run was a closely fought battle between David Crosland, Tristan Robilliard, Dan Smith and David Dyke, with Robilliard coming into transition first, followed very shortly by Crosland and Smith.
Once out onto the bike section of the race, Crosland soon pulled ahead of the other two.
“Because I had ridden the course the day before I knew where to push on and where to spin an easier gear, but due to the twisty nature of the course I had no idea of where the others were or how I was faring
“I just kept my head down and pushed as hard as I could whilst saving something for the last run,” he said.
Meanwhile, James Gower capitalised on his biking strength on the hills to pass both Robilliard and Dyke and close the gap on Smith, finally pulling ahead on the last hill leading up to the second transition.
By the start of the second run, Crosland had established a comfortable lead and, despite struggling with an epic stitch, went on to win in a time of 1 hr 09:12.
However, the real race was now on for second place with Smith and Gower, both strong runners, fighting it out on the final run around the reservoir. Perhaps still tired from the inter-insular cross-country in Jersey the previous week and suffering from cramp, in the end Smith had to settle for third. Gower took a well-deserved second place as a result, just two minutes behind Crosland, in what arguably represents his strongest performance in a club race to date.
The women’s race saw Nikki Neal take first place in 1 hr 19:13, with Viki Marr in second place with the latter showing particularly good form in the bike leg of the course. A strong swimmer, Viki looks set to do very well in the forthcoming triathlon season.
The final and longest duathlon of the series on Sunday 1 April will start at Pembroke with a 3 mile run-20 mile cycle-3 mile run format. With the best three out of four races to count in the final divisional standings the outcome is by no means certain and thus promises to be an interesting morning.
2.5 mile run, 16 mile bike & 2.5 mile run.
Sign on begins at 7:15am until 7:45am, Race starts at 8:00am sharp.
Click to see Run Route Map Anti-clockwise 1st lap, Clockwise 2nd lap.
Click to see CYCLE ROUTE MAP 2 laps of route
