FVS TRI S Jackie Perry has become the first club member to represent Great Britain at age group level in the premier Olympic distance. Great Britain had more than 300 of their athletes competing in Lausanne, Switzerland, and were rewarded with a gold meda

FVS TRI'S Jackie Perry has become the first club member to represent Great Britain at age group level in the premier Olympic distance.

Great Britain had more than 300 of their athletes competing in Lausanne, Switzerland, and were rewarded with a gold medal in the elite race (Tim Don).

Having represented GB at age group in duathlon in 2004, it was a great achievement for Perry to qualify in June for the Olympic event at the Rutland Water Dambuster Triathlon given the relative weakness of her swim.

With her weakest discipline coming first, she was only placed 45th after the 1500m swim in Lake Geneva which she completed in 30:02.

Due to the size of the championships, the transition area was huge with a 750m bare foot run from the swim to the bike and a further 750m run before mounting the bike.

Perry (pictured left) was able to gain ground with the ninth fastest transition which still took 7:36 as opposed to the usual couple of minutes.

The technical bike course suited her and she was able to climb to 22nd - passing many of her 18 team-mates in the process - with the 18th fastest bike split of 1-20:09.

Another relatively quick transition meant a 20th slot to start the run and with the 16th fastest run in 46:13 she was able to hold on to 21st.

Reflecting on the best race of her career to date - despite the time being the slowest at 2-48:10 (the winning time being 2-29:04) - Perry is now determined to work through the winter to improve her swim and aim to qualify for the 2007 worlds in Hamburg.

Top veteran triathlete Ian Mackerness took gold in 1-57:54 at the Northampton Olympic. He was fifth overall and his victory was secured with the second fastest bike split overall at 1-02:21.

Times: Ian Mackerness 1-57:54, Mark Robertson 2-22:21, Stephen Hughes 2-35:19.

Anna Priestley raced the sprint distance (750 lake swim/21k bike/6k run) and was 64th overall in 2-01:49.

The poor weather conditions over the weekend meant three end of season races in the south were turned into duathlons for safety reasons.

With the swim leg being replaced by an additional run, James Grierson was 13th in age group at the wind affected South Coast triathlon at Brighton. He completed the 5k run/40k bike/10k run in 2-23:05.

Similarly affected were those that went to Clacton for the weekend. With the possibility of the bike also being cancelled due to wind, the 1500m sea swim was again replaced with a 5k run.

Five brave souls competed in the 5k run/40k bike and 10k run. Ed Manson, Guy Adams, Helen Shulver and Dave Coard all completed the event with Michael Clark retiring on the bike leg with a strained quad muscle after his fastest 5k for years!

Also weather affected was the XTERRA race in the Vale of Neath. The worldwide popular off-road based triathlon was again turned into a duathlon, this time due to rain.

The lake swim was turned into a 2.5k run which was interesting with ankle deep mud in places.

The bike course's early section was so slippery and steep that the bike had to be carried and the whole thing ended with a 10k trail run!

Ian Hobbs said it was the hardest thing he had ever done in his life and was happy with his 3-40 time.

Three members competed at the Garden City 10 mile road race. They were led home by new member Jeff Ryan in 71:17 with Jeremy Prodger recording 72:00 and Chris Suckling 74:31.