The 4th South Manchester Triathlon took place on Sunday, 20th September, and saw nearly 500 competitors cross the finish line.
Based at the Wilmslow Leisure Centre, the event attracts both novices and experienced triathletes as well as a large number of spectators.
The 400m swim took place in the indoor pool whilst the bike leg covered a distance of 24.2 km around Wilmslow and the scenic roads through Ashley and Mobberley. The race finished with a mostly flat 6.3 km run along Wilmslow's quiet, leafy roads taking in views of the River Bollin. This was the same course as Wilmslow Triathlon held in May and a lot of triathletes were looking to see how they had developed over the season.
Paul Hawkins was second fastest in the water and took the lead on the cycling leg, securing the winning title in a time of 1:05:33. Brian Fogarty of FITT took second place in 1:06:38, ahead of Matt Barnes of Manchester Triathlon Club who crossed the finish line in 1:07:09.
Julia Anderson dominated the women's field after an exceptionally fast swim and held on to the lead, claiming the win in 1:22:45. Runner up Lorraine Hopley of Rossendale Triathlon Club finished in 1:23:53, ahead of Kate Mills of Knutsford Triathlon Club who secured third place in 1:24:24.
A lot of athletes were raising money for The Christie charity, the Official Charity Partner for the South Manchester Triathlon.
Race Director Simon Hill commented: "The South Manchester Triathlon and the Wilmslow Triathlon are amongst our most popular events, with hundreds of triathletes racing in Wilmslow at the beginning and at the end of the season each year. The sprint distance makes the event accessible for athletes of all levels, and we are proud to say that this is one of the most popular and most fun events on the triathlon calendar, featuring a great atmosphere and fantastic support for the competitors.
"A big thank you to everyone who took part, and to all our sponsors, partners, volunteers and marshals who contributed to the success of the event."
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
I can understand why cyclists would want to avoid potholes rather than risk injury or damage, I hope the council keep repairing the surfaces. Then more people can enjoy cycling safely in our neighbourhood even if a few motorists have to drive slower.
The problem I have with cyclists is that they ignore road rules and ride around in 'pods' of 6-10 so you have no chance of safely overtaking them. They stay in double/triple file, talking to each other, taking no notice of other road users.
"Last Sunday we had cyclists around Wilmslow for over 7 hours!" Gosh, There are cars in Wilmslow 24/7, 365 days a week! During rush hour 5 days a week there is really heavy polluting traffic, not helped we learn this week, by certain European car manufacturers! We need to walk more, cycle more, use public transport more and drive less to be fitter and less intolerant of other more vulnerable road users. Even on Sundays.