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Home / News / Age-group success in Auckland

Age-group success in Auckland

GE Great Britain team wins 23 medals at ITU Aquathlon World Championships

Issue ID: December 2012

The GE Great Britain Triathlon team enjoyed a good warm up for the Barfoot & Thompson World Triathlon Grand Final in Auckland, New Zealand, with success in the Aquathlon event.

Richard Stannard won an elite silver medal, whilst the Paratriatlon and GE Great Britain Age Group team won 22 medals.

Stannard, the defending champion, couldn’t live with Slovakia’s Richard Varga on the swim. Varga, who was first out of the water at the London 2012 Olympic Games, established almost a 30 second lead ahead of the 5km run and was never caught. Stannard finished comfortably ahead of Serbia’s Ognjen Stojanovic, who won the bronze medal.

The Paratriathlon squad claimed six Aquathlon world titles and a further four silver and one bronze medal. Britain’s defending Paratriathlon world champions all look to be in good form ahead of their events on Monday.

The GE Great Britain Age Group team won two gold, two silver and seven bronze medals. Gold medal winners were Mike Trees and Caroline Whittaker.

Beverley Childs, 55, from High Wycombe, who won bronze in the 55-59 age group, said: “It’s brilliant, I wasn’t expecting it at all.”

Childs is competing at her 16th world champs and it was the third time she had competed in the aquathlon. She said of the course: “The swim took me by surprise and the headwind on the run just took you away.”

Louise Bardsley, 32, from Reading, who won silver in the 30-34 age group, said: “I’m quite shocked really. I never expected it as I normally need the bike and the run to catch those who come out of the water ahead of me.

“My strategy was to go as hard as I could on the swim. It was so choppy, people were swimming over me. Then I went as fast as I could on run. I had no idea where I was – it was a surprise to be announced as a silver medallist.”

The triathlon events take place this weekend, with Jonathan Brownlee aiming to win the ITU world title on Sunday.

Results

Elite Men

1. Richard Varga SVK 28:33

2. Richard Stannard GBR 29:34

GE Great Britain Paratriathlon Results

Paratriathlon Male TRI-6

1. Iain Dawson GBR 26:58

Paratriathlon Male TRI-5

1. Matthew Emmerson GBR 24:57

Paratriathlon Male TRI-3

1. Steven Judge GBR 27:25

2. James Smith GBR 27:44

Paratriathlon Female TRI-6

1. Melissa Reid GBR 28:41

2. Charlotte Ellis GBR 29:47

Paratriathlon Female TRI-4

1. Faye McClelland GBR 25:38

2. Lauren Steadman GBR 26:34

3. Clare Cunningham GBR 27:10

Paratriathlon Female TRI-1

1. Karen Darke GBR 25:45

2. Jane Egan GBR 28:46

GE Great Britain Age Group Results

60-64 Male AG

2. Graham Plews GBR 39:10

55-59 Female AG : Results

3. Beverley Childs GBR 44:18

50-54 Male AG : Results

1. Mike Trees GBR 32:10

3. Paul Jennings GBR 33:10

50-54 Female AG

1. Caroline Whittaker GBR 37:49

35-39 Female AG

3. Susannah Clark GBR 37:57

30-34 Male AG

3. Daniel Plews GBR 31:25

30-34 Female AG

2. Louise Bardsley GBR 32:15

3. Christine Lutsch GBR 33:07

25-29 Male AG

3. Neil Eddy GBR 31:21

20-24 Male AG

3. Michael Birchmore GBR 32:31

GE Great Britain Paratriathlon Results

Paratriathlon Male TRI-6

1. Iain Dawson GBR 26:58

Paratriathlon Male TRI-5

1. Matthew Emmerson GBR 24:57

Paratriathlon Male TRI-3

1. Steven Judge GBR 27:25

2. James Smith GBR 27:44

Paratriathlon Female TRI-6

1. Melissa Reid GBR 28:41

2. Charlotte Ellis GBR 29:47

Paratriathlon Female TRI-4

1. Faye McClelland GBR 25:38

2. Lauren Steadman GBR 26:34

3. Clare Cunningham GBR 27:10

Paratriathlon Female TRI-1

1. Karen Darke GBR 25:45

2. Jane Egan GBR 28:46

Profile image of Matt Baird Matt Baird Editor of Cycling Plus magazine

About

Matt is a regular contributor to 220 Triathlon, having joined the magazine in 2008. He’s raced everything from super-sprint to Ironman, duathlons and off-road triathlons, and can regularly be seen on the roads and trails around Bristol. Matt is the author of Triathlon! from Aurum Press and is now the editor of Cycling Plus magazine.