English and Green complete hat-tricks
BOTH Jack English and Chantal Green know their way around the punchy Reservoir course.
They each completed a hat-trick of some description in yesterday’s replacement fixture – for English his third win on the loop this season, for relative newcomer Green a welcome third road race victory.
Action was initially bound for the intended Island Games course of L’Eree/Coudre but fears of coastal debris blew plans off track.
Quality racing filled the divisions regardless and in a local elite clash over seven laps, Marc Cox played the hunted for much of the race.
Cox broke from a five-man bunch, including an in-control English, to lead clearly through the third to fifth passing of the St Saviour’s Community Centre lap point.
Yet a major turn from time-trial ace Seb Tremlett reeled him in before the bell and it was again wide-open.
Tremlett led out the sprint but English unleashed his characteristic uphill burst for a 1hr 50min. 42sec. finish, a resurgent Cox following 1.7sec. back to relegate Tremlett to third.
‘If there was a course that was designed around me, this would probably be it,’ said English.
‘It’s just punchy the whole time – there’s no long climbs and the uphill sprint with the tailwind is super quick, so it suits me down to the ground.’
Young Josh Saunders pipped veteran Tony Bleasdale at the post of the Division Two race.
In the third tier, the compact but powerful Green also enjoyed the inclined sprint.
She and Danielle Hanley had to work hard mid-race to close down the male front-runners of the division, yet the former triathlete’s strong finish put her 10sec. clear after five laps.
‘I enjoyed that course,’ said Green.
‘I decided on the fifth lap just to make a break by the back of the Reservoir as I thought if I leave it to here, it’s too short.’
Teenager Hannah Brehaut, who kept in touch until near halfway, took third woman.
