Steadman bidding for a fifth European crown in Austria

Lauren Steadman returns to the big competitive arena tomorrow (June 16) for her first race since winning Paralympic silver in Rio back in September.
By The Newsroom
Published 15th Jun 2017, 12:28 BST
Updated 19th Jun 2017, 12:45 BST
Lauren Steadman goes for a fifth European crown.Lauren Steadman goes for a fifth European crown.
Lauren Steadman goes for a fifth European crown.

The 24 year-old from Sawtry will be looking for a fifth European title when she defends her crown in Kitzbuhel in Austria.

Her first European Championship success came in Alanya in 2013 shortly after she made the switch from para-swimming to para-triathlon, and she has dominated the event ever since, winning again in Kitzbuhel in 2014, Geneva in 2015 and then in Lisbon last year.

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She also won World Championship gold in 2014 and 2015 and was a red-hot favourite to continue her winning streak in Rio.

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Katie Tasker finishes ninth in Leeds.Katie Tasker finishes ninth in Leeds.
Katie Tasker finishes ninth in Leeds.

But taking a a wrong turning on the swim cost her dearly and she had to settle for silver behind Grace Norman of the USA.

Now she plans to get back on the winning track tomorrow over the 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run distance.

Then it’s onto the World Championships in Rotterdam at the end of July.

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n Peterborough Triathlon Club (PACTRAC) youngster Katie Tasker was rubbing shoulders with the best in the world in Leeds at the weekend.

Jaap Flikweert won the Oundle Mini-Series race.Jaap Flikweert won the Oundle Mini-Series race.
Jaap Flikweert won the Oundle Mini-Series race.

The Brownlee brothers took centre stage with a GB one-two in the ITU Columbia Threadneedle World Triathlon Championships, but Tasker also had something to celebrate.

She made the top 10 in the TriStar 3 junior event, which attracted some of Britian’s brightest young talent. She placed ninth in 31.20.

PACTRAC also had two members competing in the senior age group races over a course of swim 1500 metres, bike 25 miles and run 6.25-miles.

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Their results were: 294 Paul Jephcott 2:47:02 (age group 9th); 446 Adrian Chambers 3:23:48 (age group 28th).

Katie Tasker finishes ninth in Leeds.Katie Tasker finishes ninth in Leeds.
Katie Tasker finishes ninth in Leeds.

n Jaap Flikweert won the third race in the PACTRAC Mini-Series at Oundle with Peter Harris runner-up.

A total of 21 athletes competed with junior Jonathan Arnold again leading the swimmers out, nearly 50-seconds ahead of Robin Laukaitis.

By the end of the bike leg, both Harris and Flikweert had moved into the top four with Simon Guerin and Laukaitis and a good run saw Flikweert to victory in 54.43.

Laukaitis was third, while Scott Lloyd had the fastest run and moved up to fourth.

Hannah Bassett was the first lady home, finishing in 11th spot in 1:03.11.