Tri Team Wessex based in Winchester have had huge success recently in Age Groups races

The Tri Team Wessex senior members had an outstanding 2016 season. The club had ten senior members participating in National, European and World Championships across multiple distances and race formats, this represents a 100% growth over 2015. At the international championships the ten represented Team GB. Their ages ranged from 21 to 60.

These accomplishments are no mean feat. To qualify for a place with Team GB Age Group at the European and World Championships they will have qualified as one of the top twenty athletes in the UK. 

Their accomplishments (Age Group results) in 2016 were:

• National Duathlon Championships: Bill Reed 7^th
• European Duathlon Championships (Germany): Katy Toms 10^th (6^th GB) and Marie Kille 10^th (8^th GB)
• European Triathlon Championships (Portugal): Mel Marsh 20^th (13^th GB), Carol Francis 9^th (6^th GB) and Richard Ferre 30^th  (15^th GB)
• World Duathlon Championships (Spain):  Emily Slavin 10^th (4^th GB and Pre-qualified for 2017 World Champs) Katy Toms 13^th and Bill Reed 11^th (4^th GB and Pre-qualified for 2017 World Champs)
• European Long Distance Triathlon Championships (Poland): Katy Toms – Silver Medal (1^st GB)
• World Aquathlon Championships (Mexico): Pete Matthews 32^nd  (6^th GB)
• World Sprint Triathlon Championships (Mexico): Ben Saunders 29^th (9^th GB) and Pete Matthews 22^nd (6^th GB)

The senior team have demonstrated excellent attitudes towards Triathlon and other sports that they’ve participated in over the past 12 months. They have acted as role models to other members by demonstrating what can be achieved by taking a positive attitude to their training plans and sessions. They have also inspired others to target qualification in 2017. Achievements like the ones cited above are not easy and certainly not taken for granted.  Fair play is a critical element of complicated sports such as Triathlon. With three disciplines to embrace during a race it can be easy to fall foul of the rules. It’s something that the team have taken seriously during the year. None of them were penalised in any of their races.

If you have a success story to share with our region please contact jengranger@britishtriathlon.org