Accrington swimming club launches triathlon section (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Accrington swimming club launches triathlon section

5:41pm Tuesday 23rd October 2012 in Sport

Pioneer 79 Amateur Swimming Club is making a splash in the world of triathlon.

And the club, based at the new £1.5m pool Accrington Academy, has transferred its pool success on to the road and bike.

The club has entered two competitions recently, making its debut at the Fleetwood Junior triathlon and then entering the Skipton Junior Triathlon.

A total of 12 athletes, aged from eight years to 17-years-old entered the Fleetwood event which included 50-400m swim, 1.5-10km cycle and a 1-4km run depending on age group Competitors who took part were: Connor Makin, Thomas Gilroy (Youth), Libby Shephard, Ellie Ward, Laura Hanson, Charlotte Cootes, Dylan Gregg, Thomas Baynes, Ben Makin, Caitlin Armstrong, Sophie Thomson and Lucy Brady (Junior) In the youth section, Connor Makin finished second overall with Thomas Gilroy third. The younger competitors were divided into age categories T1-T3 (youngest being T1). In the T3 category, Thomas Baynes finished second with Ben Makin fourth.

In the T2/T1 categories, due to having more than three competitors in each, Pioneer entered the team event. In the T2 category, Ellie Ward, Dylan Gregg and Charlotte Cootes finished 3rd overall while in the T1 category, Thomas Baynes, Ben Makin, Caitlin Armstrong and Sophie Thompson came away with 2nd place. The club then sent five youngsters to take part in the Skipton event.

Lucy Brady, nine, entered the Tri Starter event and was second placed girl after a50m swim, 750m ride and 500m run.

In the T1 class for nine to 11 years, Jacob Waddington was 25th in his class after a gruelling bike ride and run.

Sophie Thompson and Caitlin Armstrong finished ninth and 12th respectively in the girls section after a fascinated personal duel while Libby Shepherd, competing in the T2 class (12-14 years) as 13th overall and sixth girl.

Club wins grant

PIONEER 79 Swimming Club has won a £5,000 grant after winning The Mall Blackburn’s Champions campaign.

The club beat Salesbury School and Ramsey’s Ace Kickboxing Club to the prize after town centre shoppers got the chance to vote for their winner.

In a campaign that ran from February to September, every shopper who spent £20 in The Mall Blackburn received a token to cast a vote.

Pioneer 79 received an incredible 13,087 votes while Salesbury School and Ramsey’s Ace Kickboxing notched up 9325 and 6868 respectively.

Each of the runners-up were awarded £300.

Pioneer’s prize will be used to expand its popular Learn to Swim Programme.

Stuart Rogan, Vice Chairman and co-ordinator of the Land Training Programme at Pioneer 79, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have won The Mall Champions campaign and have received overwhelming support from the public from day one, for which we are extremely grateful.”