Athletes tackle tough race
Cold winds on Sunday morning saw athletes and spectators alike doing coffee runs to keep warm at the second race of the Trinity Sports Triathlon 2018/2019 season events.
True to form, the Trinity Sports Triathlon and Duathlon took to Germiston Lake on Sunday, for the second race of the 2018/2019 season.
The event incorporated the Central Gauteng Triathlon Championships.
What the organisers did not count on, however, was a surprisingly cold morning and a risk of athletes possibly swimming in a bacteria infected lake which meant all swimming portions were cancelled.
“Due to the contamination of the water by faecal coliform bacteria in the water, no swimming will be added to the races today,” said Werner Smit, a Trinity Sports Triathlon announcer.
“We experienced cold winds this morning but it is great weather to run in.
“We’re here to enjoy ourselves, we also have two veterans, Phil van der Leeuw and Piers Pirow, joining us who have been part of the races for over 20 years.”
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Though there was no swimming, the young junior’s duathlon (for children between the ages of eight to 11), mini duathlon (for children between the ages of 12 to 15), the sprint duathlon (inclusive of junior and para-athletes) and standard duathlon (for athletes 20 years and older) all went off without a hitch.
The mini duathlon comprised of a 2.5km run, 10km bike and 1.25km run and Storm Jordan came in first place, completing the race in just 35 minutes and 57 seconds.
He was followed by Mia Amonda van der Veen who reached the finish line in 37 minutes and four seconds.
Divan de Vries followed her closely, and bagged the bronze medal, by finishing his race in 37 minutes and 31 seconds.
The standard duathlon saw athletes complete a 10km run, 40km bike and 5km run.
Rudolf Naude reached the finish line in one hour, 54 minutes and 23 seconds, taking the top position.
Just over a minute later, Grant Wilesmith came running through the finish line completing his race in one hour, 55 minutes and 16 seconds.
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In third place, finishing the race in one hour, 55 minutes and 46 seconds was Bryan Difford.
Eulali Gouws was the first woman across the line, in a time of two hours 16 minutes and 30 seconds. She was followed by Gabriella Gioia, in a time of two hours 18 minutes and 49 seconds and Lynette Cronk came third in a time of two hours 19 minutes and 17 seconds.
The last race of the day was the sprint duathlon.
Christiaan Stroebel completed the race, comprising of 5km run, 20km bike and 2.5km run, in one hour and 11 seconds.
Stroebel had a one minute and 19 seconds lead ahead of Caleb Anton van der Veen who came in second in one hour, one minute and 30 seconds.
Jarryd Horn scurried past the finish line in an hour, two minutes and 40 seconds.
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