Novice Greenfield leads big field home

TRIATHLON continues to grow in Guernsey.

If proof were needed ask any of the 48 competitors who dived into the chilly waters of Rocquaine at 8am on Sunday morning for a 500m swim followed by an eight-mile cycle and a three-kilometre run.

Many of the competitors were entering their first triathlon with a sea swim, following the recent success of the pool based Novice Triathlon last month.

A new novice class, introduced for anyone in their first two years of the sport, together with a number of new junior (over-14) competitors combined with the recent favourable weather all helped to swell numbers for the first of the De Putron Summer Series.

Gail King (pictured) was first out of the water in just over seven minutes, closely followed by Luke Walton and Jon Greenfield.

A group containing Hubert Nicolle, Karina Bowie and veterans Richard Stapley and Mark Naftel followed as the triathletes swam from the base of the slipway at the Pleinmont layby around a buoy in the centre of the bay and into Portelet slipway.

Most competitors swam in wetsuits, peeling these off as they ran up the Portelet slip to the transition area near the Imperial Hotel.