Padiham Sports Week introduces triathlon (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Padiham Sports Week introduces triathlon

4:00pm Tuesday 10th August 2010 in

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THEY are used to running, riding and swimming at the annual Padiham Sports Week but not usually in the same event.

The festival of sport is a celebration of everything the town has to offer which was under-lined perfectly by the first ever Padiham Triathlon.

The swimming was held in Padiham Leisure Centre with the cycle section a one lap of the recently opened Greenway.

And the event finished with 1.25km and 2.5km runs in Memorial Park.

The aim was to introduce both young and old to the sport of triathlon and organisers were delighted with the turnout of the town’s first mass participation event.

More than 60 athletes took part in the event and the aim is to make it an annual event under the Sports Week umbrella.

“The Padiham Triathlon was introduced for the first time and was targeting new budding triathletes or individuals who wanted a challenge,” said Darren Wright, Burnley Borough Council’s senior sports development officer whose department helped organise the event.

“We received funding support from Padiham Town Council and money was raised by participants for Pendleside Hospice.

"All in all it was a great day and a real team effort by everyone to organise the event.

“Next year we are hoping it will be bigger and better. Our aim now is to run similar mass participation events designed to get more people active in Burnley.”

The senior event included a 600m swim, 13.5km bike ride and a 2.5km run.

And the inaugural winner was Julian Corfe who completed all three events in a combined time of 42 minutes 27 seconds, just three seconds ahead of his closest rivals Christopher Bodenham.

Corfe was fifth fastest out of the pool in a time of 10mins 10secs with Philip Richardson clocking the fastest swim 9mins 30secs.

Susan Burns, who was first female to finish, was fourth fastest in the pool in 9mins 59secs as she went on to finish an impressive fifth place overall.

Corfe was up to second place overall after the cycle, clocking 23.35 - Rob Dickinson’s 22.31 was the fastest - with Richardson holding a 39 second advantage.

But he tired in the run and while Bodenham was quickest in 8.36, Corfe’s time of 8.42 was enough to take the title by the narrowest of margins.

In the junior section, Elizabeth Greenwood won the girls race ahead of Ellie Glynn in 21.50 and Luke Pickles was boys winner in 24.23 with Dean Moorhouse second.

But the whole purpose of the competition was summed up by the youngest members of the race as four seven-year-olds completed the 200m swim, 4.5km ride and the challenging hilly 1.25k run.

RESULTS Adult - male: 1 Julian Corfe (swim 10.10, cycle 23.35, run 8.42) 42.27; 2. Christopher Bodehham (10.06, 23.48, 8.36) 42.30; 3. Philip Richardson (9.30, 24.03, 15.03) 48.36; 4. Rob Dickinson (16.01, 22.31, 10.12) 48.44; 5. Keith Ross (10.58, 27.42, 11.57) 50.37; 6. Paul Harrison (11.27, 28.30, 11.24) 51.21.

Adult - female: 1 Susan Burns (9.59, 30.05, 9.55) 49.59; 2. Linda Bostock (11.23, 29.15, 11.37) 52.15; 3. Abigail Pounder (8.00, 34.39, 11.28) 54.07; 4. Catherine Kelly (13.34, 29.29, 11.12) 54.15; 5. Kimberley Derbyshire (14.01, 28.28, 13.32) 56.01; 6. Vicky Faller (15.00, 29.55, 12.50) 57.45.

Junior - male: 1 Luke Pickles (3.05, 13.01, 8.17) 24.23; 2. Dean Moorhouse (3.54, 13.29, 7.18) 24.41; 3. Joshua Bellard (4.43, 13.20, 8.17) 26.20; 3. William Bellard (6.40, 13.49, 6.49) 27.18; 5.

Jack Moodie (4.10, 15.36, 7.58) 27.44; 6 Daniel Nutter (4.27, 14.16, 9.06) 27.49.

Junior - female: 1 Elizabeth Greenwood (3.53, 12.10, 5.47) 21.50; 2. Ellie Glynn (3.05, 10.59, 8.11) 22.15; 3. Louise Todd (4.00, 14.19, 9.26) 27.45; 4. Emily Gibbins (4.19, 14.14, 9.21) 27.54; 5.

Katie Metcalfe (3.59, 16.03, 8.35) 28.37; 6 Sarah Jane Nutter (3.51, 14.43, 10.21) 28.55.

Team - 1. Alex Mackenzie, Sara Burns, Duncan Burns (8.00, 27.58, 8.17) 44.15; 2. Matthew Holden, Martin Vernon, Peter Hoyle (9.39, 32.30, 11.21) 53.30; 3. Sorrel Holland, Ann-Marie Lambert, Victoria Parker ( 12.27, 38.15, 10.29) 1.01.11.