Local lady Lauren's golden end to triathlon career, relays, ultra marathons and a new finish line for GER
Local lady Lauren Steadman ended her Para triathlon career with a gold medal at the European Championships in Vichy, France.
Steadman backed up her bronze medal at the Paris Paralympics earlier this month with a convincing win by over four minutes in the PTS5 category.
The former Paralympic champion from Sawtry will now concentrate on a new sport. She hopes to become the first British woman to qualify for the Winter Olympics in standing cross-country skiing.
Local club PACTRAC were also represented in Vichy with Susie Freeman claiming an excellent fifth place age group finish in a sprint triathlon – her best finish in her sixth appearance for GB.
Clubmate Steve Hope (32nd) also took part in the sprint race, while Sarah Haslam was 19th in the standard triathlon.
ATHLETICS
Peterborough & Nene Valley AC’s senior men placed 50th out of 103 teams at the South of England Road Relays in Aldershot.
Teenager Thomas Preston got them off to a good start, completing the opening leg of the 6km course at Rushmoor Arena in a time of 18:39 to leave PANVAC in 24th position.
The other five team members all ran well, but the sheer quality of the teams around them meant they slipped back into the middle of the pack, although Stuart Haw ran a storming last leg to move the team up six places to 50th.
Times: Thomas Preston 18:39, Steve Wilkinson 21:01, Tobias Goodwin 20:34, Isaac Fell 21:19, Simon Fell 21:37, Stuart Haw 20:04.
ULTRA MARATHON
Darryl Coulter & David Marr of PANVAC run ultra marathons for fun. The two endurance men teamed up at the weekend to compete in the Equinox 24-hour race in the grounds of Belvoir Castle.
Taking it in turn to run laps of the 10km course, the dynamic duo covered 130 km between them in the 24 hours and finished 17th out of the 57 pairs teams.
The race started at midday on Saturday in sunny conditions. Coulter & Marr may not have been lightning fast, but they were kept on their toes overnight as the weather deteriorated with thunder and lightning crashing all around them.
Club-mate Paul Parkin was also at Belvoir, running in a night-time 10km race on an unlit course where the carrying of torches was obligatory. Parkin did well finishing as first over 60 in a time of 50:51.
GER/FROSTBITE
The racing calendar is hotting up with the Great Eastern Run taking place on October 13. The course includes a new finish with runners passing along Bridge Street before crossing the line near the Lido on Bishop’s Road.
The Frostbite League season begins at Priory Park, St Neots on Sunday, October 6.
There is a new race venue this season with the fifth fixture on February 2 taking place in Bawsey Country Park, Kings Lynn. Other venues: Nene Park (November 3), March (December 8) and Hinchingbrooke (January 12).