VETERAN triathlete Richard Melvern from FVS TRI won the bronze in the 60-64 age group in the world championships in Vancouver in an event that was devastated by poor weather conditions. Early competitors in the Olympic event had their sea swim cut short i

VETERAN triathlete Richard Melvern from FVS TRI won the bronze in the 60-64 age group in the world championships in Vancouver in an event that was devastated by poor weather conditions.

Early competitors in the Olympic event had their sea swim cut short in the cold Pacific Ocean but as weather conditions deteriorated, the ITU officials had little choice but to abandon the traditional swim/bike/run and replace it with a duathlon format of 3k run, 40k bike and 10k run.

Richard completed the revised course in 2-00:03 to add another age group medal to his collection.

Mike Bridge also represented Great Britain in the 25-29 age group but no official result is available yet due to all the weather problems.

In the sprint age group world championships at the same venue, Martyn Hynes was first Brit home in the world sprint 25-29 age group finishing fifth in a time of 1-14:36 and only an agonising 18 seconds off bronze position.

This event was held earlier in the week and was not so badly affected by the weather.

Greg Evans completed the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon which as the name suggests is a race which starts with a swim across the notorious stretch of water which surrounds the former prison in San Francisco.

He completed the 1500m swim in freezing water, gruelling 18-mile bike and eight mile off-road run in 3-00:43 to finish 597th from the 2,000 starters.

Bradley Baynham and Penny Wylie both competed in the Weymouth Middle Distance event using it as preparation for Ironman Switzerland later in the summer.

In contrasting temperatures, the freezing cold swim was offset by the really hot run!

Bradley had to repair a puncture but still finished in a time of 5-32:29, just seconds behind Penny in 5-32:13 who won the 45-49 age group.

Kerri Renshaw was third female at the second Bedford Sprint Event sponsored by Trisports Letchworth.

This was in a time of 1-09:07, winning the 30-34 age group ahead of Suzy Hawkins who was second in 1-12:53. Brenda Bozwood won the 60-64 age group in 1-33:09.

First home for FVS TRI overall was Simon Patenall in a time of 1-07:50 for 12th overall and third in 40-44 age group.

Others were Ed Manson 1-15:50, Dil Wetherill 1-19:05 for his first triathlon, Simon Douglas 1-19:46, Tim Smith 1-24:00 also in his first triathlon event, Alyson Sprawson 1-30:35, Kevin Bradley 1-33:02 and Meli Fletcher 1-40:38 who both went wrong on the bike course.

Sam Tophill was second female in the Wantage Ultra Triathlon, especially long to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the race.

She finished in 4-34:30 for the 1600m pool swim, 70k bike and 17.5k run.

Simon Hall was sixth overall for the standard event of 800m swim, 35k bike and 11k run in 2-06:05.

Drew Lowrie and Graham Perry competed in the St Albans Triathlon finishing in 1-15:06 and 1-25:39. Richard Thomas also completed but had the misfortune of being sent the wrong way by a marshal along with 20 other competitors finishing 10 minutes off the pace with 1-24:22!

Richard Easterbrook and Pete Hodgson competed in the Blenheim Sprint Triathlon finishing in 1-28:23 and 1-31:25 for the event based in the grounds of Blenheim Palace.

Gavin May recorded a new personal best on the A1 for 50-mile cycle time trial with 1-54:41 finishing sixth overall in the event organised by Finsbury Park CC. Tim Somers finished in 2-28:44.

In midweek, Mark Robertson was first home for the club in the Stevenage Cycling Club evening 10 in a time of 24:47 for the sporting course.

Other times: Tim Smith 26:17, Drew Lowrie 28:00, Suzy Hawkins with a course pb of 28:20.

Tim Gilbert completed the St Albans Half Marathon in a time of 1-31:12 and Mark Malone completed his first half-marathon in 1-51:58.