A look back at North Wests Achievements in the 2013 IRC

2013 IRC Report

Well we did it!

Just in case you have been in out of space or not been on any of the BTF, Tri-England or Tri 247 websites since last Saturday it gives me great pleasure to announce that the North West are now the IRC British Champions.

WOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO

It all started early on Friday morning this year. We travelled as a team with all the athletes, parents and coaches via on an executive bus. We met at 8.45am at the Lanacshire Manor Hotel, Skelmersdale for a 9.30am departure to Eton Dorney. We used this opportunity on the coach to build team spirit. On arrival at Eton Dorney at 2pm we were allowed to recce the swim and bike courses. The training sessions went well and I felt a good vibe throughout the camp. This continued throughout the day and into the evening at the hotel we had booked for everyone. We had a team meal and race briefing at 7pm on Friday evening. I have to say that the athletes approach was 100% professional. They were asked to give 100% for the race and to be focused.

On Saturday we all had breakfast together loaded the coach then set off to Eton Dorney. On arrival the team bike mechanics started to assemble/check the bikes. I asked to leave no stone un-turned, which they didn’t – they found a thorn in Matthew Willis's tyre, which if they had not changed this, could have cost Matthew his win and the Region the Championship, so it just goes to show why we need a good support crew.

The races started with T2 boys this year. The races were set off within 7 mins of each other making for fast and furious hour and 15 mins of racing.  Marcus Dey (NW) was 1st out of the water. He went out on the bike and came into T2 in 2nd place before quickly regaining the lead on the run which he kept on extending which gave him chance to celebrate with the crowds when running in for the final few metres of the race  - this got us off to a great start with solid performances from Shea Hannam (16th) and Matthew Holliday(22nd ) out of 33. Our points total had already started to build.

The next race was T2 girls. Lauren Cooley (NW) was 1st out of the water and came back in on the bike just retaining that lead.  She dropped a couple of places on the run and came in in 3rd place with a storming performance. The race for 4th, 5th and 6th was probably one of the best finishes I have ever seen to a junior race with Ffion Ashton (NW)  Amy Monkhouse (NW) and Molly Shermer (West Midlands- who races a occasionally in the NW series), were running together with 200m to go. It was anyone from the 3 and this was the fight for 4th place remember! All 3 athletes where shot, they had broken each other. With their faces grimacing, Ffion found something extra in the final 100m and Molly just pipped Amy on the line to take 5th . All three girls collapsed in a heap when finishing. With the T2 girls finishing 3rd , 4th and 6th for the NW, the points really were rolling in!

T3 Boys where next up with Sam Wardle (NW) Alistair Thomas (NW) and Matthew Willis (NW) coming out in the lead pack in the swim. On returning back to transition Sam and Matthew were in 3rd  and 4th respectively. Sam gave everything, Mathew turned on the turbo's and caught Tyler Hutchinson from Yorkshire and Humberside who was leading the race with 500m to go. It was neck and neck with 100m left - they went for a sprint finish which Matthew won. It was truly a fantastic run to come from 4that the start to win it. Just for your notes Matthew and Alastair will still be in T3 next year so they were racing against athletes 12 months older than them. Sam held on to 5thand Alistair came a solid 18th .

T3 girls saw great performances from Anna Hulme (5th), just 2 second behind 4th , Charlotte Waddington (10th – who lost her timing chip on the swim) and Emily Barker (28 - who was also a year younger than most of her opposition).

I have to say that all the athletes gave it 100%  - they did what was asked of them and they showed great maturity well beyond their years.

At this point I knew we had a chance of winning and when the results where announced, which was one of the most nerve racking times of my life, we had won it by 6 points over Yorkshire and Humberside with the West Midlands in 3rd trailing us by 100 points .

I am in no doubt the team spirit generated by the extra training sessions, staying in the same hotel, travelling together and a great support team were all key to the North West being successful . I think one of the biggest influences on our success is the strength of the North West Junior Series. We have such a massive base of competitors which has given me the chance to pick from the best athletes. It now goes to show that we are developing and naturing some of the best athletes in the country and I think next year we will see a lot of athletes from outside our region using, and competing in, the NW series to measure how they compare against the countries best triathletes.

The hard work for defending what we have won has already started so bring it on.

This Team would like to dedicate the win to the memory of Paul Taylor the man who gave me the opportunity to coach the team a inspiration to all coaches and athletes in the North West 

Regards

Andy Rawley

IRC Team Manager 

2013 North West Region IRC Team

The team for the 2013 Inter Regional Championships has now been chosen and I would like to congratulate everyone on making it into the the team to represent the North West at the Inter Regional Championships.This is reward for all the hard work and performances across the 2013 season. For me, as Team manager, it's been the hardest job by far picking the team as the standard is so high this year which is great to see so well done to everyone. Andy Rawley - IRC Team Manager

2013 North West Region IRC Team

T3 Boys

• Sam Wardle
• Matthew WIllis
• Alastair Thomas

T3 Girls

• Anna Hulme
• Charlotte Waddington
• Emily Barker

T2 Boys

• Marcus Dey
• Shea Hannam
• Matthew Holliday

T2 Girls

• Lauren Cooley
• Ffion Ashton
• Amy Monkhouse