2010 BVI National Sprint Championship
An impressive grid featuring no less than five former triathlon race winners lined up Saturday morning for BVI Triathlon Federation’s first national sprint championship over an exciting new course at Soper’s Hole including brand new Chris Spencer designed bike racks and 5 foot monster swim buoys.
Tension on the start line ran high in a wide open men’s event featuring Andrew “Tubes” Thompson, lightning quick on the bike but vulnerable on the run, Adrian “Road Runner” Dale a wing heeled runner, but vulnerable on the swim, Adrian “Transylvanian Express” Copacaneau , the fastest triathlete this side of Romania, Antony “Chorpedo” Spencer strong in the water but vulnerable on the bike, and Owen Waters all round tough hombre.The Ladies event featured fined tuned athletes Sally Blackmore and Judy Haycraft both training hard in anticipation of this summer’s Caribbean Championship whilst the team event paired some strong all ladies teams against determined all male opposition.
Straight from the gun the Chorpedo with perhaps the most predictable “secret tactics” of the year set a ferocious pace in the swim quickly putting distance on the field, with Tubes a solid second, Sally Blackmore, Judy Haycraft and Hannah White tussling for third closely followed by Owen Waters and Kate Henderson with Ray Ng and Adrian Dale slugging it out in the tail pack.
With a quick transition the question was whether Spencer could hold on to his swim advantage on the bike with jet propelled Tubes Thompson in full aerodynamic regalia hot on his heels. The wind blew hard into the faces of competitors as they pedaled into a relentless head wind from Sopers Hole to the Sea Cow’s Bay turnaround.
Orano Andrews put in the fastest bike leg of the day overtaking the tiring Spencer right at the end of the bike leg. Lisa Adamson put in a pacey performance on a welcome return to competition whilst Penny Compton kept the mother and daughter KP Nuts team in the thick of the mix. Michael Fay of Team Ogiers proved too powerful for his bike breaking the crank in the tough upwind leg. In the ladies individual competition Sally Blackmore with a rapid bike leg pulled out a handy lead over Judy Haycraft but could she maintain it in the run.
Tubes Thompson put in the fastest men’s individual bike leg but as the men transitioned to the running leg Spencer still held on to a narrow lead with Tubes in second, the Transylvanian Express known as Copacaneau in third and the wing footed Achilles, Adrian Dale in fourth.
Steve Asson put in the fastest run of the day with a blistering turn of speed securing first place for Team Turbo. Zeb Maclean came home with the second fastest run pushing Team A 2 Z into second with the all ladies line up of Hannah White and Lisa Adamson securing an impressive third. Judy Haycraft put in a scorching run to clawback Sally Blackmore’s lead in the run but ran out of race finishing just a few seconds behind the victorious Sally in the ladies individual.
Fleet footed Adrian Dale clocked the fastest men’s individual run leg but had left himself too much to do after the swim finishing fourth. Copacaneau finished a well paced third, whilst Spencer dug deep to pull away from Tubes Thompson for the coveted first National Championship Title.
Congratulations to all who take part and in particular to Chris Spencer for setting such an excellent course.