Hitchin-based triathlon club FVS TRI attended the Good Friday Welwyn Hilly 50k TT which attracted a record entry of 142 cyclists. With 48 entries and 42 finishers, the FVS TRI colours were everywhere on the 50k loop from Welwyn through Hitchin and back to

Hitchin-based triathlon club FVS TRI attended the Good Friday Welwyn Hilly 50k TT which attracted a record entry of 142 cyclists.

With 48 entries and 42 finishers, the FVS TRI colours were everywhere on the 50k loop from Welwyn through Hitchin and back to Welwyn.

Featuring top riders from local clubs and sponsored teams, FVS TRI were pleased to be rewarded not only with the largest turnout but also with the third team prize behind Verulam CC who took the first and second team prizes.

Their trio were led by Alex Turner in a personal best of 1-22:30, a return to form with a 13-minute improvement on 2006, top triathlete Steve Harrison (1-23:01) and Mark Racher (1-23:11) who recently returned to the club to focus on the ironman event with coach Gavin May.

Top veteran performance was from Ian Mackerness in 1-23:42 and top female was Penny Wylie in a new best of 1-38:20, more than seven minutes faster than her previous best.

John Burgess made a stunning debut on the course with 1-23:58 which was good enough for 27th in a quality field won in 1-15:14.

Other notable first-time performances were from Robbie Laughton (1-31:00), Mark Shoobert (1-35:44), Mark Robertson (1-36:58), Marc Trussell (1-38:56), Mike Russell (1-39:01), Mark Young (1-39:24), Rob Bester (1:42:24) and senior club member Chris Penfold 1-44:25.

Personal bests were prompted by near perfect conditions from Alex Turner, Steve James, Michael Clark, Bradley Baynham, Ian Hobbs, Penny Wylie and Pete Timmins.

In a sport dominated by male entries, the club were also delighted to field seven of the 11 female finishers.

In a busy Easter, Pete Timmins also went on to race the Belvoir Half Marathon and recorded his second personal best of the weekend with 1-52:41.

Pete Eames was also competing in Welwyn on Good Friday at the Herts Phoenix open track meet.

Eames recorded a best in the 800m with 2:35.1 and also later ran the 1500m in 5:24.3.

Simon Patenall travelled to Fylde in Lancashire to compete in a series of four Easter weekend events totalling the marathon distance.

He was 15th overall and fifth senior male in times of 39:53 for the six-mile Blackpool road race, 21:36 for the 4.2-mile St Annes beach run, 39:18 in the Blackpool cross-country and 68:18 (a personal best) for the Fleetwood 10-mile road race.

Five Fairlands Valley Spartans travelled to Stratford-Upon-Avon to run 'The Pound of Flesh' off-road marathon on Good Friday.

On the undulating course and in beautiful sunshine, Mike Newbitt and Carol Paul took 4-53, Dave Paul 5-33, Michaela Sanders 6-34 and Dave Carter 8-30.

Liz Morgan chose the White Horse event for her first half marathon and she was pleased with her time of 2-29:56.

Andrew Hull recorded the first Spartans 1500m time for 2007 when he took part in the Watford Open Graded event last Wednesday.

He finished the race in five minutes 25 seconds exactly.

Jim Brown was at the Maidenhead Easter Ten on Good Friday and was 133rd out of 998 finishers in 66:45.

Four Spartans were at the Essexwalker Challenge Off Road Marathon on Sunday. Times: Roger Biggs 5-51:28, Michaela and Mark Sanders 6-25:19, Pauline Hardy (15-mile option) 3-37:15.