Louth Triathlon Club athletes land top-10 finishes

Mike Lawlor, Mark Atkinson, Jon Bromfield and Martin Ball headed to Grafham Water, Cambridgeshire, for their race.

Mark and Martin were looking to improve on last year’s times, while Mike and Jon were dipping their toe into the half-iron distance for the first time - 1900m swim, 57.5-mile bike and 13.1-mile run.

The quartet were disappointed when thick fog over the water forced organisers to cancel the swim, a discipline which they specifically train together regularly for and gives them an edge.

But they composed themselves and got on with the job of hammering the bike and the run.

Jon finished third in his age group and a brilliant 12th overall from a field of 608 competitors.

Mark took a massive slice of more than eight minutes out of his previous times across the bike and run leg, finishing 21st overall and fifth in age group, while Martin claimed sixth in his AG and 36th overall with a PB run time over the distance.

Mike, who only took up the sport a year ago, was nearly 10 minutes under his target times overall to cap great day’s racing for the quartet.

Over at the National Water Sports Centre at Holme Pierrepont, Nottingham, the trio of Steve Hunt, Richard Bakehouse, and Den Lynch were also racing for Louth TC in middle distance.

Injured from a crash on the bike, Den struggled with the run, but managed to power on and complete the event, crossing the finish line to cheers from his supporters in 7hr 17min 19secs.

He will return to Nottingham for the Outlaw Ironman distance at the end of July.

Richard finished his race shortly after in a total time of 7.30.13, while Steve, in only his second race at this distance, came out of the swim 15th in his age group.

With a powerful bike leg, taking in Oxton Bank climb, he pushed through to position 10, before finally powering through the run to a fifth-place finish in his age group with a total time of 5.06.18.

Steve hopes to squeeze that time to a sub-five-hour finish when he competes over the distance at the European Championships, in Romania, in July.

To find out more about Louth Triathlon Club, visit their website at louthtriclub.co.uk