Thirteen entrants faced an ill wind

THE sun failed to shine on the Guernsey Tri Club's one-off summer duathlon at Rocquaine. Instead, a strong north-north-easterly greeted the 13 entrants for the 8am start.

The course followed the west coast, with the first run over two miles starting at the Imperial Hotel and turning at Griffin's Grotto.

David Holmes, Andy Bell, Ian Scholes and Carl Thomson were together for the majority of the run before Holmes edged away over the last half-mile to give himself an 8sec. gap as he entered transition one. The other three were separated by just two seconds.

Matt Le Huray, Mark Naftel and Katriona Thomson were also locked in a battle, the three covered by a mere 17 seconds.

Leg two, 16 miles on the bikes up to the Houmet Tavern and back, was straight into the wind and was tough going for all the competitors.

Holmes had gone off strongly and increased his lead on the chasing trio but Bell was working hard and by the turn, with the wind on his back, closed the gap early on, passing Holmes as they came into Route de Portinfer.

Bell kept his momentum going and started to open up a gap, which he extended to 40sec. by the second transition. The leading two and Scholes would have expected to see the winter duathlon champ come steaming past them but Thomson was not on his best form that day and never really got going.

Scholes found this to his good fortune as he was able pass Thomson and stretch away from him.

Tom Becker and Hubert Nicole were having a battle royal between them, with only 2sec. separating them in T2, but it was Le Huray who was moving through the field with a 45min. 36sec. bike leg - the fourth-fastest of the day.

Holmes did not let Bell's lead worry him and by the time the two had reached L'Eree Hotel, he had caught the leader.

As the two went over the hill at Lihou, Holmes tried to break away but Bell was able to keep with him, helped a little by the downhill.

As the two started the return run, they matched each other stride for stride, each taking the lead briefly and pushing the other along.

As they reached the one-mile-to-go marker, it was a game of cat and mouse as to who would make the break for the finish.

It was not until the last 200 metres that Bell took up the challenge and sprinted away from Holmes, who was unable to react.

Bell crossed the finished line 6sec. ahead in 1-19-28.

Scholes, who had seen off the challenge of Thomson as the latter retired from the race shortly into the second run, finished in 1-20-17.

Katriona Thomson, however, was made of stronger stuff, finishing ninth overall and being first lady back in 1-36-03.

* The GTC next race is on 10 July at Les Amarreurs, starting at 9.30am.