<?xml version="1.0"?><rss version="2.0"><channel><title>Off Road & Adventure - Duathlon247</title><link>http://www.duathlon247.com/index.html</link><description>Latest off road & adventure articles from Duathlon247</description><item><title><![CDATA[Race report: Whinlatter Duathlon    - Sunday November 13, 2011]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.duathlon247.com/article_5785.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[7km   Trail Run/18km Mountain Bike/5.5km Trail Run
Clear, crisp autumunal   weather greeted competitors at this years Whinlatter duathlon, just west of   Keswick in the northern Lake District. Despite the   relatively short race distances, Whinlatter is described as &#039;England&#039;s only true   mountain forest &#039;giving a hint as to the severity of   the route and to the amount of climbing that is packed into the relatively short   distances. This year&#039;s race incorporated a brand new   course which proved equally as challenging if not harder than previous editions.   Designed as a &#039;Tour of the Forest&#039; the route made full   use of the stunning mountain location with it&#039;s fantastic network of trails and   jaw dropping scenery.&nbsp;

A strong field lined up for the   start, including former international fell runner and adventure racer Phil Davis   (Team Cyclewise Altura) and   last year&#039;s second place finisher Chris Hope (Keswick Bikes). Competing for the   first time in the solo category, Phil is no stranger   to the event, having won the previous two editions as a relay pair. Strong local   mountain biker and multisport all rounder Philappa   Liles (Keswick) was also back to improve on last year&#039;s third place finish.
The initial 7km run took competitors around   the newly created Masmill Oakwood trail, With superb panoramic views over the   Skiddaw fells and Bassenthwaite Lake nature reserve,   home of the Lakeland Osprey. Content to stay with the lead group for the initial   fast section Phil moved into the lead once the route   started climbing back up the appropriately named &#039;Heavy Sides&#039;. Following a   tough &#039;Off Piste&#039; section Phil entered T1 in 28:05   followed by Michael Pluckrose (Carlisle Tri) in 29:44, then Chris in 31:06.   In the women&#039;s race local international orienteer   Angela Brand Barker (Keswick Bikes) was clearly on form, leading into T1 in   38:21 followed by Nancy Mclean (Border terriers) in   39:56 and Philappa in 39:32.
The 18km mountain bike section incorporated Whinlatters renowned   Blue grade Quercus (latin for oak) and Altura Red trails, a course which becomes more breathtaking as it goes on, in both   senses of the word! Starting with a full circuit of   the Quercus, with its flowing singletrack and gradual climbs, the route then   links onto the Altura South   loop, climbing a series of switchbacks to over 500m amidst the awesome backdrop   of Grizedale Pike. The top of the climb provides   superb views across the peaks of the North Lakes, not to be admired for long as   competitors were faced with a huge rock slab marking   the start of the long descent back to T2.
Newcomer to multisport Graham Stobbs   described the mountain bike course as &quot;a challenge in itself, even without the   run preceding it. The uphills were relentless and not like anything I&#039;ve ever   experienced in my life, even when I was 15 years younger and mountain biking   regularly, it would have been tough. However, the downhill sections were   unbelievable and thoroughly enjoyable. Anyone who   hadn&#039;t studied the course profile was in for a shock as there was one more long   climb to be tackled, which proved the final test of   competitors resolve. As Graham Stobbs put it, &#039;The final climb up the fire break   behind the visitor centre finally did me in and I was   glad to reach the transition area.&#039;
With an incredible display of   strength Phil increased his lead on the mtb section recording 59:56, the fastest   bike split of the day and the only rider to go under   the hour, entering T2 with a four minute lead. Second place wasn&#039;t so clear cut   as Chris had steadily reeled in Michael and both   exited T2 together. 

The final run was a 5.5k circuit made gruelling by the steep and   relentless singletrack climb to the summit of Seat How, one of the highest   points in the forest. Not content with easing up at this stage, Phil went on to   record the fastest second run split coming home a comfortable winner in 1:56:09.   Michael broke clear of Chris on the climb finishing second in 2:01:15, followed   by Chris in 2:03:19. A consistent performance by Anthony Roberts moved him into   fourth place and also first MV50.
Thriving on her strongest discipline, Philippa moved into the lead   on the long switchback climb of the South loop. Recording&nbsp;the fastest bike split among the women (1:20:22) enabled Philippa   to start the second run with nearly a two minute lead on Angela. Philappa knew there was no time to relax on this tough   circuit. At the summit of Seat How Angela had pulled back a minute and now had Philippa in her sights. With just over 2km of mostly   fast descent left, Philippa was determined not to relinquish her lead and held on to win in a time of 2:39:10. This was closely   followed by Angela in 2:40:03, recording the fastest second run in 38:21 and also first FV50!
Carlisle Tri won the team category   With Mark Ryan finishing 10th and David Milligan 28th. The relay category for pairs was won by Morgan Lloyd and Alec   Duffield (Big Bear Bikes) storming round in a time of 1:58:34. First mixed pair was Shonah Dobson and Rich Holland (Cross Club) in   2:17:54.
A big thank   you to Altura cycle clothing, Cyclewise, Up &amp;amp; Running Keswick for providing   fantastic prizes and event support. Also to Whinlatter   Forestry for use of such a fantastic venue and facilities, especially Paul Brown   working tireslelly in the weeks leading up to the   event to ensure trails were clear.
Click here to find out more about High Terrain Events
Men&#039;s results

  
    1
    Phil Davis
    Team&nbsp;Cyclewise Altura
    1:56:09
  
  
    2
    Michael Pluckrose
    Carlisle Tri 
    2:01:15
  
  
    3
    Chris Hope
    Keswick Bikes 
    2:03:19
  

&amp;nbsp;
Women&#039;s results

  
    1
    Philippa Liles
    Keswick
    2:39:10
  
  
    2
    Angela Brand   Barker
    Keswick Bikes
    2:40:03
  
  
    3
    Lizzy   Westman
    Surrey
    2:45:03
  

&amp;nbsp;
Click here for full results]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Excitement building for the   inaugural Eridge Park Duathlon and Orienteering Festival]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.duathlon247.com/article_5784.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[Race preview: Eridge Park Duathlon and Orienteering Festival - Sunday   July 10, 2011
The first   Eridge Park off-road Duathlon and Orienteering Festival takes place on Sunday   10th&nbsp;July and is set to be a fantastic day out with something for   everyone.
Set in   the beautiful grounds of Eridge Park, which is just south of Tunbridge Wells,   participants can look forward to stunning views, challenging terrain through   woodlands, park and trail, and a smorgasbord of running, mountain biking and   orienteering.
&lsquo;This is   a really exciting event for us&rsquo; commented Race Organiser Mark Shaw &lsquo;We are   working with Tunbridge Wells Harriers, organisers of the award winning Eridge   Park 10 and Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon, and also Saxons Orienteering club to   organise the festival. We&nbsp;hope to offer something completely different and   fantastic fun. It&rsquo;s an honour to open and share Eridge Park for this special   event and it promises to be a thrilling day&rsquo;.

Numerous   events are on offer, including an off-road duathlon (5km run, 14km bike, 5km   run) which can be tackled as an individual or relay team, and a choice of 5km or   10km orienteering style trail challenge, which is open to all ages including   juniors.&nbsp;
All   events are open to everyone whether you&rsquo;re a beginner looking for a fun   challenge, a seasoned runner or experienced orienteer wanting to race or just   try something new.&nbsp;&nbsp;Bikes are available to hire and there will be   support and advice from Saxons orienteering club if you&rsquo;re new to   navigation.&nbsp;
Entry fee for the individual duathlon is   &pound;25 (BTF members &pound;22) and includes a t-shirt and electronic timing. Entry fee   for the orienteering trail event starts at only &pound;5.&nbsp;
See&nbsp;www.eridgeparkduathlon.com&nbsp;for   more information and to enter online]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Race report: Newlands Duathlon]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.duathlon247.com/article_5782.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[Race report: Newlands Duathlon 
Sunday   17th April, 2011 - 8km Trail Run /44km Road   Bike / 4km Run
The Newlands Duathlon is establishing itself as one   of the toughest duathlons in the country and this was reflected in the quality   of the field lined up for the start. It is also probably the most scenic,   incorporating running trails around the iconic Catbells fell and a spectacular   cycle route through stunning Lakeland terrain.
  
The initial 8k run took   competitors along an undulating trail at the base of Catbells before a steep   rocky ascent leading to Hause Gate, near to the summit. Top local fell runner   Ben Bardsley (Keswick Bikes) was determined to establish an early lead on this   section but Richard Anderson (Holmfirth Harriers) was hot on his heels and both   entered T1 together in 31:11. Last years winner, Phil Addyman was a further   three minutes adrift at this stage but clearly looking forward to his strongest   discipline on the bike. Leading the women&rsquo;s race and looking very strong was   Rhiannon Silson (Arragons Tri) in 38:15 followed over a minute later by Karen   Poole (Cleveland Tri) in 39:41. With strong local cyclists Philippa Lyles   (Keswick) who finished second at Whinlatter and last years female winner Angela   Armstrong (Carlisle Tri) not too far behind, a fierce battle loomed ahead on the   bike. 

Photos &copy; Sport Sunday
Taking in two Lakeland passes, one of which is the renowned   Honister Pass, with it&rsquo;s 25% gradients, the 44k cycle route was going to test   competitors&rsquo; strength and resolve to stay on the bike. Indeed, after storming   round last year Philip Addyman reported that his speed over the top of Honister   was reduced to 5mph! Whinlatter Pass is the first major climb of the day and is   reached after only three miles on the bike. Climbing up the forested slopes,   Richard was steadily increasing his lead over Ben and was now out in front on   his own. Powering his way along the undulating section past the shores of   Crummock Water and Buttermere Richard had built a three minute lead by the top   of Honister. Karen was steadily eating into Rhiannon&rsquo;s lead and caught her   before Buttermere but knowing that a significant time gap was needed to hold off   Rhiannon on the second run.
After a steep and technical descent down   Honister, the bike route wound it&rsquo;s way through Borrowdale Valley passing   through the hamlets of Rosthwaite and Grange, then along the western side of   Derwentwater and back to T2. With a clear lead established on the bike, Richard   was not going to be troubled on the second 4k run. The battle for second was a   different matter as Phillip, Ben and Mark Roberts ( Manchester Tri) all entered   T2 within a few minutes of each other. Recording the fastest run split for the   4k run, Richard crossed the line in an impressive 2:16:55 smashing an incredible   10 minutes from the course record. Philip battled through for second in 2:23:06   closely followed by Mark in 2:24:46. After a similar display of strength on the   bike Karen built up a four minute lead and entered T2 in 2:24:24 followed by   Rhiannon in 2:28:46. Running solidly Karen held on for the win in 2:50:22   followed closely by Rhiannon in 2:53:51 and Phillipa in 3:03:04, all three   beating last years course record!

Photos &copy; Sport Sunday
The veteran category is always a   strong one and Newlands was no exception. For this reason we combine the male   vet40&rsquo;s with the male open. Phil Addyman was first MV40 and Elaine White   (Wakefield Tri Club) first FV40. First MV50 was Peter Smith (NAV4) and MVet 60   was Tom Palenicek (Staffordshire Moorlands). For the relay category, one person   does both runs the other the cycle. David Prescott and Andrew Eland (Tri   Lakeland) teamed up at the last minute, David was going to do the event solo   before picking up an injury and pairing up, which turned out to be a good   decision as they came through first in the relay category. 
Newlands was   the finale to the challenging High Terrain Events Duathlon Series, a true   test of competitors&rsquo; versatility both on and off road. Competitors needed to   complete three events in the series with Whinlatter, Kielder, Grizedale and   Newlands to choose from. Mark Ryan (Carlisle Tri) was the winner of the Male   category, Louise Wilkinson (Northumberland) was first Female, having won on home   ground at the testing Kielder Off Road Duathlon in January, in the snow! 

Photos &copy; Sport Sunday
Men&#039;s results

  
    1
    Richard Anderson
    Holmfirth Harriers
    2:16:55
  
  
    2
    Philip Addyman
    Ryton   Tri
    2:23:06
  
  
    3
    Mark Roberts
    Man Tri
    2:24:46
  

&amp;nbsp;
Women&#039;s results

  
    1
    Karen Poole
    Cleveland   Tri
    2:50:22
  
  
    2
    Rhiannon Silson
    Arragons Tri
    2:53:51
  
  
    3
    Phillipa Liles
    Keswick
    3:03:04
  

&amp;nbsp;
Relay pair results

  
    1
    David Prescott, Andrew Eland
    Tri   Lakeland
    2:53:40
  
  
    2
    Sara Barnes, Ian Vatter
    Dig Deep
    3:27:23
  

&amp;nbsp;
Women&#039;s results

  
    1st Female V40
    Elaine   White
    3:47:25
  
  
    1st Male V50
    Peter Smith (Nav4)
    3:07:31
  
  
    1st Male   V60
    Tom Palinecik
    3:32:45
  

&amp;nbsp;
A big   thank you to National Trust for use of their land, Up &amp;amp; Running Keswick and   Keswick Bikes for both providing some fantastic prizes and event support. Also   to Newlands Adventure Centre for use of such a fantastic venue and facilities.   Credit goes to Sport Sunday and Dave Willis Mountain Sports Events for the   photos.
High Terrain Events have incorporated this classic bike route into   brand a new triathlon event to be based from Buttermere village on Saturday   17th September. Distances are 1.5k swim in the crystal clear water of   Buttermere lake, 44k road cycle (Honister is tackled first so it&rsquo;s out of the   way early on!) followed by a 13k trail run around the shores of Crummock Water. 
Full results and details of the   next events can be found at www.highterrainevents.co.uk]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Race preview: Newlands Duathlon]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.duathlon247.com/article_5774.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[8k   trail run/44k road cycle/4k multiterrain run
The Newlands Duathlon is   scheduled to take place on Sunday 17th April and is regarded as one of the   country&#039;s toughest duathlons, involving cycling over two challenging mountain   passes. With last years male and female winners Phil Addyman (Ryton Tri) and   Angela Armstrong (Carlisle Tri) back on the start line the competition is   guaranteed to be fierce.
Based from Newlands Adventure Centre, near   Keswick the event comprises an 8k trail run based around Catbells area, a 44k   road cycle taking in the climbs of Whinlatter &amp;amp; Honister passes, followed by   a further 4k run in the Newlands Valley.&nbsp;The first 8k run takes competitors out   along the Allerdale Ramble, which is a spectacular undulating trail along the   base of Catbells. This is followed by the steep rocky climb up to the col at   Hause Gate midway between Maiden Moor and Catbells. There are some stunning   views across Derwentwater for anyone wishing to help alleviate the pain on this   ascent. From here, the route goes straight across the grassy col leading into a   traversing descent back to T1 at Stair.

The 44k bike course passes   through Braithwaite village and heads up over the forested climb of Whinlatter   Pass, followed by a long sweeping descent to the Vale of Lorton. The route then   passes through Gatesgarth via a stunning&nbsp;section along the shores of Crummock   Water and Buttermere, leading onto the lower slopes of Honister Pass. Starting   with a gradual incline the route winds it&#039;s way up through this dramatic valley,   which is flanked by the imposing sides of Fleetwith Pike. The second&nbsp;part of   this climb is very steep with gradients of up to 25%, finishing with &#039;The Wall&#039;   at the top of the pass. This is a good point to catch your breath, take in some   amazing views &amp;amp; marvel at the old mine workings built into the hillsides   before a steep &amp;amp; technical descent to Seatoller. The&nbsp;final stage of the bike   course&nbsp;winds through the spectacular Borrowdale Valley, turning left at Grange,   then following the road along the western side of Derwentwater &amp;amp; back to T2. 

The second 4k run, shorter &amp;amp; &#039;easier&#039; than the first, heads out   along the minor road to the farming hamlet of Littletown. There&#039;s a final sting   in the tail up the old mining track before finally stretching the legs on the   fast descent to the finish. With spectacular views of the Skiddaw massif in   front it&#039;s worth savouring the moment at this point and feel the sense of   achievement from completing such a challenge. 

The event also includes a   relay category where One person cycles and the other runs. This is open for   male, female &amp;amp; mixed teams and is ideal for specialist runners/cyclists or   beginners who would like to test themselves over a single discipline.
Newlands is also the final counter in the High Terrain Events Duathlon   Series. Unlike the previous three races in which the bike leg consisted of   mountain biking, anyone with aspirations of winning the overall series will need   to prove their ability on the road. Current series leaders are Simon Gibbs   (Wallsend Harriers) and Susan Rigby (Bike Shop Hexham), but with a number of   athletes still in contention both titles are still wide open.
We are   pleased to announce Up &amp;amp; Running Keswick as our main sponsor. They will be   supporting the event with some fantastic prizes, a &pound;10 voucher off running shoes   to all participants and providing free sports nutrition and hydration products   during the event.
The event is suited for all abilities, particularly   those who relish a challenge. So if you are new to multisport come along and   enjoy this friendly and informal event in one of the Uk&#039;s most beautiful   areas.
For full details and online registration visit www.highterrainevents.co.uk]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Race report: Grizedale Off Road Duathlon 13th March   2011]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.duathlon247.com/article_5769.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[Sunshine   greeted the 115 competitors who lined up for the second edition of the Grizedale   Off Road Duathlon organised by High Terain Events. Based in the stunning setting   of Grizedale Forest Park, in the Southern Lake District the event consists of a   6.5k trail run, followed by a 24k mtb, then a further 6.5k trail run. The recent spell of cold weather which   brought a mixture of rain, hail and snow to the region meant conditions on the   trails were going to be tricky. Starting from the Forestry Visitor Centre the   initial 6.5k run took competitors out along a fast undulating section of forest   roads to reach the first climb of the day, a testing single-track section   winding up to Carron Crag, highest point in the forest. Although offering   spectacular views of the snow capped fells, concentration was needed as   competitors then plunged down the rocky terrain made greasy by the recent rain,   working their way back to transition 1.

Photos &copy; Sport Sunday

It promised to be a tough competitive race   which was proven in the men&rsquo;s category, as Harry Coates (Craven   Energy) stormed round the run in 27:11, building up a 2 minute lead over Mark   Ryan (Carlisle Tri) in 29:27 closely followed by Neal Crampton (Crosstrax)   29:33. In the women&rsquo;s race, local athlete Rennell Brennan (mtbmarathon.co.uk)   was first back in 37:08 and determined to improve upon her 2nd place   finish last year. However, with the likes of Susan Rigby (Bike Shop Hexham) who   finished second at the Whinlatter Duathlon in November only 19 seconds behind,   it wasn&rsquo;t going to be easy.
The 24k mtb route incorporated the full North   Face Red graded mountain bike trail featuring technical rocky sections,   switchbacks, berms &amp;amp; boardwalks and would prove to be a real test of off   road ability. An addition to this year&rsquo;s route included an exhilarating descent   dropping through the forest towards Coniston Lake. However, &lsquo;what goes down,   must come back up&rsquo; and this was immediately followed by a strength sapping climb   up to Hawkshead Moor.

Riding strongly up to this point and still   maintaining his lead, Harry suffered a slow rear wheel puncture. Making the   decision to continue without fixing the flat proved costly as the remaining   sections were a drain on the energy reserves. Neal Crampton, a previous winner   of the Kielder 100 mile MTB race, now moved into the lead and came into   transition in 1:44:04, recording the fastest bike split of the day 1:13:23.   Harry was next in 1:47:22 but was now closely followed by a strong looking   Steven Brennan (mtbmarathon.co.uk) 1:48:51 and Michael Pluckrose (Carlisle Tri   Club)1:48:55. 
The race still looked to be wide open as the   final run section took the competitors back up to Carron Crag and would prove to   be a test of who had the most energy left. Steven blasted up the climb passing   Harry just before the summit to now move into second place and recording the   fastest second run 31:08. However, Neal demonstrated an equally strong second   run and took a convincing win to cross the finish in 2hrs 16mins, looking   incredibly fresh. Next was Steve in 2:21:05 and first MV40 followed by Harry who   held onto 3rd place in 2:22:53. Anthony Roberts (Skinfit UK) finished   an impressive 8th place overall to win the MV50   category.

The women&rsquo;s race was no less competitive with   Renell leading all the way to win in 2:59:58 followed by Susan in 3:02:49. Third   place went to Susannah Goddard 3:10:58 (WXC Mountain Biking).

Photos: Women&#039;s open winner Rennell Brennan and men&#039;s open winner Neal Crampton. &copy; Sport Sunday
The relay category was won by Guy Martin   &amp;amp; Chris Sanderson in a time of 2:28:37. Guy being a dab hand at mountain   biking as well as a famous face, he currently has a series on BBC 1, &#039;The Boat   That Guy Built.&#039; Second relay and first mixed pair was Janet Prier &amp;amp; Martin   Andrew (Run 3) in an impressive time of 2:31, not far behind Guy and Chris and   beating last year&rsquo;s winners Helen &amp;amp; Jean Claude Van Der Veken   2:40:18.

The Team prize was won by Carlilse Tri Club   consisting of Michael Pluckrose (4th), Mark Ryan (7th)   &amp;amp; Ian Pipes (21st).
This year&rsquo;s additional section added onto the   mountain bike course meant the event was even harder than last year&lsquo;s, this was   summed up by competitor number 74, Jayne McGrath who said she had completed   three marathons and this was by far the hardest event!
Richard Bowley &amp;amp; Lisa Grandcourt took   their 6 month old Springer Spaniel on both run sections with Richard collapsing   to the ground at the end, his Springer sat on top of him! 
Simon Gibbs (Wallsend Harriers) maintained   his lead in the overall series after consistent performances in all 3 events so   far. Susan Rigby (Bike Shop Hexham) is now leading the female category over   earlier leader Louise Wilkinson following her two 2nd placings. However, next   event is the Newlands Duathlon, where competitors will be swapping mountain   bikes for road bikes, cycling over the tough mountain passes of Honister and   Whinlatter. With a number of athletes still in contention and just needing a   third counting event this will prove an exciting series finale.
A big thank you to Up &amp;amp; Running Keswick and Grizedale Bikes for   both providing some fantastic prizes and event support. Also to Grizedale   Forestry for use of such a fantastic venue and facilities.&nbsp;Credit goes to Sport   Sunday for the&nbsp;photos.

Photos &copy; Sport Sunday
Full results and details of   the next events can be found at www.highterrainevents.co.uk
Men&#039;s open results

  
    1
    Neal Crampton    
    Crosstrax
    2:16:10
  
  
    2
    Harry Coates    
    Craven Energy
    2:22:53
  
  
    3
    Matt Heywood   &nbsp;
    &amp;nbsp;
    2:31:07
  

&amp;nbsp;
Women&#039;s open results

  
    1
    Rennell Brennan  
    mtbmarathon.co.uk
    2:59:58
  
  
    2
    Susan Rigby 
    Bike Shop Hexham
    3:02:49
  
  
    3
    Susannah Goddard
    WXC Mountain Biking
    3:10:58
  
]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Kielder Off Road Duathlon 2011]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.duathlon247.com/article_5763.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[The inaugural Kielder Off Road Duathlon kicked off on the 9th   January and proved to be a true winter event, with fresh snow on the ground and   a chill to the air. The sun made an appearance and served to heighten the feel   of being transported to Scandinavia in this vast forest landscape. Based from   Kielder castle, former hunting lodge to the Duke of Northumberland, this was the   perfect venue to stage the event and provided a backdrop like no other. With a fresh covering of overnight snow settling onto the   frozen hard packed layer, the route was shortened slightly from the original   distance but proved no less arduous in the conditions. 

Photos courtesy of Rebecca Hughes:  The Start
Starting from the castle gates the first run was a testing 6k   route which took competitors onto the lower slopes of Deadwater fell before   returning back to transition at the castle. With a   fresh covering of overnight snow settling onto the frozen hard packed layer the   route was shortened slightly from the original distance but proved no less   arduous in the conditions. Starting from the castle gates the first run was a   testing 6k route which took competitors onto the lower slopes of Deadwater fell   before returning back to transition at the castle.
First back was Gary Grounds (Bike Traks) in a time of 21:36   followed by Andrew Higgins (Northumberland Fell Runners) in 22:22 and Phillip   Addyman (Ryton Tri) in 22:42. In the women&rsquo;s race Victoria Fawcett from Stockton   was first back into transition in 29:22 followed closely by Joanne Caruthers in   29:27 and Louise Wilkinson in 30:14.
The   mountain bike stage followed the recently completed Blue graded trail, however   due to the conditions it was more white than blue! With a further heavy snow   shower descending on the cyclists Paul Beckett from Manchester describes his   take on this section, &#039;I actually think the snow added an extra level of   extremism to the event, drafting behind each other along the fire roads in tyre   width channels in the snow was awesome!&#039; Matthew   Jones (www.killerkielder.co.uk) was forced to look sideways as the driving snow   relentlessly pounded his face. 
Phillip Addyman   took the lead on this 16k section recording 57:16 and the fastest bike split   overall despite having to create a line in the snow that everyone else could   follow. However, with two strong runners close behind there was no time to relax   coming into T2. The womans race followed a similar fashion, with local girl   Louise clearly thriving in the conditions &#039;The weather just made it even better&rsquo;   and blasting round the bike route in 1:14:48.

Photos courtesy of Sport Sunday and Rebecca Hughes:  cw l-r. You never know what you&rsquo;ll see out there! 5th Female Jody Nichols enjoying every minute! 
The second 7k run took competitors onto the route of the old   railway line and across Kielder Viaduct, passing over the spectacular frozen   landscape of Bakethin Reservoir nature reserve. Thinking the route followed the   same course as the Borderer fell run here, Philip took a wrong turn leaving   Andrew with a two minute lead over a fast running Gary. The latter part of the   run climbed steadily back into the forest making use of the forests extensive   network of trails before a strength sapping section across an open field. With   the towers of the castle in sight above the trees the finish appeared   deceptively close as Andrew and Gary exited the trees together to slog it out in   the last few hundred metres. Sprinting up the Castle drive Gary crossed the line   two seconds clear to win in a time of 1:49:57 and recording fastest run splits   of the day. Stephen Magrath (Heaton) finished 3rd in a time of 1.56.26.
Despite   a good lead going into the second run Louise knew there was no time to ease back   and enjoy the scenery as Joanne and Victoria exited the transition within a   minute of each other and were determined to close her down. Louise clearly had   enough in reserve and held on to win in a time of 2:22:42 recording 34:11 for   the run and finishing 33rd overall. Joanne stormed   round the run in an impressive time of 30:24 closing to within a few minutes to finish in 2:25:54.   Victoria finished strongly in 3rd position and was first   FV40.
James Dickinson (One Life Biking) finished an impressive   4th   overall in 1:58:35 to claim the MV50 title.   A youthful looking Trevor Bryant from Galashiels was first MV60 describing his   experience of the race as &#039;a friendly event that offered a wonderfully wintry   challenge.&#039;

Photos courtesy of Sport Sunday and Rebecca Hughes: cw l-r. Along the Forest Drive; The lead group; Kielder Castle 
With first three to count in the team competition, Simon Gibbs led   Wallsend Harriers to victory finishing 5th overall in 1:58:43. Relay pair Jonathon Reid and Michael   Chambers (team NBS) won the relay category in 2.29.26.
The spectacular conditions really added to the uniqueness of this   event, indeed many competitors crossed the line with big grins after &lsquo;playing in   the snow!&rsquo; Kielder formed the second race of the newly created High Terrain   Events duathlon series. Following on from their consistent performances at   Whinlatter in November, Simon is the current male series leader with Louise   heading the female category.
Next up is Grizedale March 13th, finishing with Newlands on April17th. For   those looking for a further challenge the Kielder Ultra is set for June   26th. Visit www.highterrainevents.co.uk for further details.
Overall male results

  
    1
    Gary Grounds  (MV40) 
    BikeTraks
    1:49:57
  
  
    2
    Andrew Higgins    
    Northumberland Fell Runners
    1:49:59
  
  
    3
    Stephen Magrath 
    Newcastle 
    1:56:26
  

&amp;nbsp;
Overall female results

  
    1
    Louise Wilkinson    
    Northumberland
    2:22:42
  
  
    2
    Joanne Carruthers   
    &amp;nbsp;
    2:25:54
  
  
    3
    Victoria Fawcett   (FV40) 
    Stockton 
    2:29:27
  

&amp;nbsp;

1st Male V50


  
    James Dickinson 
    One   Life Biking 
    1:58:35
  



Team


  
    Wallsend Harriers
  




Relay Pairs


  
    Jonathon Reid/Michael Chambers
    NBS
    2:29:26
  

&nbsp;
Click here for full results
&amp;nbsp;
A big thank you to Simon Banks from Kielder who put in an immense   amount of effort to ensure the event went ahead. Everything from initial course   design at the outset to setting up the transition area in a snowstorm at 8pm on   Saturday evening, then re spraying direction arrows on the trails at 4:30am on   Sunday morning after his efforts the previous day had been covered by the   overnight snow. They obviously make them hard up in Kielder!
Many thanks to the Forestry Commission and Kielder Partnership for   allowing the event to go ahead in this stunning location. Also thank you to our   sponsors, Up and Running, Hagloffs and Purple Mountain who provided some   fantastic prizes.
Lastly thank you to photographers Sport Sunday   (www.sportsunday.co.uk) and Rebecca Hughes (www.thehouseofhues.com) for   providing us with some fantastic pictures.]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[ASICS MudMan Proves More SnowMan]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.duathlon247.com/article_5760.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[Race report: ASICS MudMan - 2nd race of the ASICS Off Road Race Series
Saturday 4th December 2010 saw the second of the   ASICS Off Road Race Series take place at the MOD training ground at Camberley,   Surrey.
The event, MudMan, should have been renamed SnowMan due to   the adverse weather conditions, but that didn&rsquo;t stop over 350 athletes turn out   to race the duathlon or 10km trail run.
The snow still lay thick on the ground between the pine trees   as Heartbreak Ridge went from packed ice to slush, making the terrain tricky to   predict for the racers.
Following an impressive line up of GB athletes at the WildMan   event the field were joined by off road experts Jim McConnel and Colin Dixon,   both out to ruin Jez Cox&rsquo;s hopes of winning all four races in the   series.

The 10k trail runners were first to set off, followed by   another big turnout of canine runners. Winner of the WildMan 10k David Hellard   came in first again in 43.58, setting himself up as the man to be beaten this   series. Ross Muir came in just behind in 44.43 with Darren Bird in 44.45. 
The top female finishers were Madeline Clements (51:27), Kate   Robson (52:10) and Fiona Strouts (53:24).
The duathlon saw a hard fought first leg, as they went out on   the bike Jez Cox was forced to retire leaving the rest of the field to battle   against not just themselves but also the snow and ice that made the bike leg one   of the hardest yet.
Jim McConnel came in overall winner in a time of 2:01:37   followed closely by Colin Dixon in 2:02:43 and Paul Davies in   2:03:01.
Jim was pleased with his performance saying &ldquo;Today went   really well for me and I&rsquo;m really happy to have come out and done the   performance that I did. This is my winter training for the 2011 triathlon   season.&rdquo;
Jim continued by saying &ldquo;Jez Cox and I both live around the   corner from each other, I am keen to push him in the next two   races&rdquo;.
Jez Cox said of his forced retirement &ldquo;I obviously was   leading the series going into the race and my aim today was to try and win   because I want to win the series and wanted to win all 4 races if I could.   Coming off the first run I was in second plane to Colin and unfortunately   heading out on the bike I had a mechanical as my chain kept slipping off and had   to retire.&rdquo;
The female field were   hot on the heels of the men with Freya Bloor finishing in 2:18:17, Fay Cripps in   2:26:30 and Gilly Banks in 2:39:10.
Freya Bloor, who   usually competes in triathlon said &ldquo;this was winter training for me, it was   really good fun, so hard but good.&rdquo;
The next race in the   ASICS Off Road Race Series is IceMan on 22nd January 2011 in Frimley,   Surrey. Places are still available, log on to www.humanrace.co.uk for more information   and to register.
Men&#039;s 10k trail results

  
    1
    David Hellard
    43.58
  
  
    2
     Ross Muir
    44.43
  
  
    3
    Darren Bird
    44.45
  

&amp;nbsp;
Women&#039;s 10k trail results

  
    1
    Madeline Clements
    51:27
  
  
    2
    Kate   Robson
    52:10
  
  
    3
    Fiona Strouts
    53:24
  

&amp;nbsp;Men&#039;s MudMan Duathlon results

  
    1
    Jim McConnel 
    2:01:37
  
  
    2
    Colin Dixon
    2:02:43
  
  
    3
    Paul Davies
    2:03:01
  

&amp;nbsp;
Women&#039;s  MudMan Duathlon results

  
    1
    Freya Bloor
    2:18:17
  
  
    2
    Fay Cripps
    2:26:30
  
  
    3
    Gilly Banks
    2:39:10
  

&amp;nbsp;]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Race report: Whinlatter Off Road Duathlon]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.duathlon247.com/article_5759.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[5.6k trail run/15k mtb/5.6k trail run
The second Whinlatter Off Road Duathlon took place on Sunday 14th November with 195 competitors lined up for this challenging event.
Fortunately the weather remained settled after storms battered the area earlier in the week with winds of 85mph recorded.
The event is situated in Whinlatter Forest just west of Keswick at the top of Whinlatter Pass. This is a true mountain forest park with superb views over the Northern Lake District fells and with a network of trails and purpose built bike routes is proving to be a classic location.
Despite the relatively short distances this is a very testing course with over 4,000&#039; of
  ascent.
The race was won by Borrowdale fell runner Nick Fish who led throughout the whole event despite coming under pressure from Keswick Bikes pair Chris Hope and Andrew Wrigley. Nick built up a lead after the first run which climbed to the summit of Seat How at 525m the highest point in the forest, before returning back to the changeover at Cyclewise.

Leader Nick Fish on the run leg, by Rebecca Tatham. Phil Davis, Cyclewise traversing Seat How and Chris Steele, by Stuart Holmes.
Local riders Chris and Andrew pulled back some time on the 15km technical mtb course which included the full North Loop of the Altura Trail, a red graded trail involving switchbacks, berms, drop offs &amp;amp; ledges. This was followed by a testing steep climb on wide forest trails before finishing with a rapid singletrack descent back to the transition.
All three riders came in to transition within a minute of each other. However, once onto the second run Nick again increased his lead to win in a time of 1:44:47 narrowly missing out on Ricky Lightfoot&#039;s course record of 1:43:12.
First MV40 was Mark-Horsley Frost from in 1:53:58 finishing 6th overall, closely followed by Greg Mcnally from Manchester Fire and Rescue in 1:54:40.
The woman&#039;s race was dominated by British and Irish Mountain Running Champion Victoria Wilkinson who smashed the course record in a time of 1:55:16 and finishing 8th overall. This was despite puncturing on the last few miles of the bike. Victoria also recorded the second fastest run split overall on run 2.
 Marie Louise Ridley won the FV40 in 2:26:30. Ruth Fletcher from Northumberland the FV50 in 2:52:25 and was the only competitor who managed to climb a deer fence!
The Relay Pair category was once again won by Chris Steele and Phil Davis of Cyclewise in a time of 1:34:54 taking 44secs off their previous time. In the Mixed Pairs category Kate Whittaker and Mike Wallis in a time of 1:58:04 
First Female Relay Pair were Helen Brownlie and Kate Simpson in a time of 2:17:12.

First female, Victoria Wilkinson. Smiles all round.  By Stuart Holmes
Results

  
    &amp;nbsp;
    Men&#039;s Open results
    Women&#039;s Open results
  
  
    1
    Nick Fish (Borrowdale Fell Runners) 1:44:47
    Victoria Wilkinson 1:55:16
  
  
    2
    Chris Hope (Keswick Bikes) 1:48:48
    Susan Rigby 2:13:14
  
  
    3
    Andrew Wrigley (Keswick Bikes) 1:48:48
    Philippa Liles 2:15:58
  

&amp;nbsp;

  
    &amp;nbsp;
    Men&#039;s V40 results
    Women&#039;s V40 results
  
  
    1
    Mark Horsley-Frost 1:53:58
    Marie Louise Ridley 2:26:30
  
  
    2
    Greg Mcnally 1:54:40
    Mandy Faint 2:31:13
  
  
    3
    Jamie Hutchinson 1:58:56
    Ann Bristoe 2:44:34
  


  
Men&#039;s V50 Women&#039;s V50

  
    &amp;nbsp;
    Men&#039;s V50
    Women&#039;s V50
  
  
    1
    Nick Butterworth (Weaver Valley CC) 2:15:39
    Ruth Fletcher 2:52:25
  

&amp;nbsp;

  
    &amp;nbsp;
    Relay Pairs
  
  
    1
    Overall
    Chris Steele/Phil Davis (Cyclewise) 1:34:54
  
  
    2
    Mixed Pair
    Kate Whittaker/Mike Wallis 1:58:04
  
  
    3
    Female Pair
    Helen Brownlie/Kate Simpson 2:17:12
  



This was the first event in the newly created High Terrain Events Duathlon Series.
Next event is at Kielder Forest on 5th December. Further details can be found at www.highterrainevents.co.uk]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Merrell TuffMan report]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.duathlon247.com/article_5704.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[Merrell TuffMan Duathlon and 10km RunSaturday  6th February 2010
Pippingford Park, Nutley, East Sussex 
The fourth and final event in the Merrell Off-Road  Series was the culmination of an exciting winter series of mountain bike  duathlon and trail run events organised by Human Race.  A brand new venue  in East Sussex and a super technical course greeted both the duathletes and  runners for what would turn out to be a gruelling race.
The Merrell TuffMan had promised to be &amp;lsquo;tough&#039; and it  certainly lived up to expectations. The new course had been designed to be more  technical, especially on the bike and with sections running along the side of  the lake, it was a challenge for cyclists just to keep their bikes upright and  avoid sliding into the water.  The 10k trail run, was simply a mud fest  and had challenging,technical twists and turns to keep everyone on their toes. 

The World Record Holder of &amp;lsquo;10 marathons in 10 days&#039;  (brathaychallenge.com) Adam Holland (Votwo) was the &amp;lsquo;surprised&#039; winner of the  10km run and thrilled with his performance &amp;lsquo;I didn&#039;t expect that at all!&#039; he  exclaimed.  Only seconds behind him in second position was David Hellard  and Mike Page in third place.  First lady was top triathlete Fiona Moorhead-Lane  who declared it to be &amp;lsquo;hilarious and loads of fun!&#039; with Yseult Whitaker in  second and Carys Mills in third for the ladies.  The canicross runners  with their dogs were back in action with Mark Dunbar, running with Norman and  Ringo, taking first place.
In the duathlon however, all eyes were on the supreme  Colin Dixon who already had three wins out of three under his belt in the  series&amp;hellip; could he make it four out of four?  But XTerra pro Sam Gardner and  newcomer Tim &#039;Macca&#039; McDowell along with the ever present Jim McConnel and Paul  Davies, were all on the start line to see if they could give him a run for his  money.   Dixon was sadly forced to pull out however after one lap of  the bike with technical difficulties and McDowell suffered a &amp;lsquo;race ending&#039;  puncture. This left Gardner, McConnel and Davies to battle it out for the  win.  The hugely experienced Gardner put the hammer down though and pulled  away leaving the rest in his wake, to take the win with a great performance. 
McConnel took second place with Davies in third.  &amp;lsquo;Gardner was supreme on the bike today&#039; said McConnel &amp;lsquo;and he&#039;s in great form  at the moment. I&#039;m really happy with second place though and now off to XTerra  Portugal which will be fantastic. Thanks to Human Race for an excellent series  it&#039;s been great fun&#039;.
&amp;lsquo;It was perfect conditions for me today&#039; said Gardner  &amp;lsquo;I love racing in the mud and the course was ideal for me too. These events are  perfect sharpeners for the XTerra circuit. I&#039;m off to Saipan in a few weeks to  try and retain my title, and really looking forward to a great season&#039;. 
For the ladies it was the ever improving Fay Cripps  taking her second win of the series and an impressive 40th place  overall, with Claire Weldon in second and Elizabeth Wilson of clapham chasers  in third.  Team Hoof It took the honours in the relay to score their  fourth win out of four.
The TuffMan marks the final race in the Merrell Series  for this winter. However more off-road fun will be back in November &amp;ndash; check out www.humanrace.co.uk for more  details. 
Next up from Human Race is the Lucozade Sport Race Your Pace  Half Marathon on 28th March at Dorney Lake, enter online at www.humanrace.co.uk.

  
    Pos
    Men
    Women
  
  
    1st
    Sam Gardner (Berkshire Tri Club) 1:52:57
    Fay Cripps 2:35:47 
  
  
    2nd
    Jim McConnel (driventotri.com) 1:58:20 
    Claire Weldon 2:42:55 
  
  
    3rd
    Paul Davies 2:05:07 
    Elizabeth Wilson (Clapham Chasers) 2:52:26 
  

&amp;nbsp;

  
    Pos
    Men
    Women
  
  
    1st
    Adam Holland (votwo.co.uk)
    Fiona Moorehead-Lane (Planet-X) 50:23 
  
  
    2nd
    David Hellard 40:52 
    Jane England 55:02 
  
  
    3rd
    Mark Dunbar 42:18 
    Yseult Whitaker 57:07 
  


]]></description></item><item><title><![CDATA[Race report: Merrell WildMan]]></title><link><![CDATA[http://www.duathlon247.com/article_5694.html]]></link><description><![CDATA[The Merrell WildMan kicked off the year in style for Human Race Events with the toughest event in the series so far.

Taking place at a brand new venue in Hankley Common, Nr Guildford, the event was the third in the Merrell Series and saw a record number of runners and duathletes keen to test their winter fitness. 

With three different race distances (6km, 10km and 16km) for the trail run, and a mountain bike duathlon which could be tackled as an individual or team relay all on offer, there was something for everyone.

The Army Training Ground in Surrey proved itself to be a seriously tough venue, with a rough and rugged route designed to test even the fittest athletes. The snowfall of previous weeks had made way for extremely challenging conditions underfoot, with copious amounts of mud and even waist deep water in places.

The 6km run was won by Dan Lewington in 38:51 proving how tough the hilly course was, with Alison Osmond taking the win for the ladies in and excellent 41:27.  

In the 10km run it was David Bottjer who took overall honours in 38:32. He commented &lsquo;That was exhilarating, but incredibly hard! I haven&rsquo;t really run properly for a while so it was a big surprise to win. It&rsquo;s the first time I&rsquo;ve done a Human Race event and it won&rsquo;t be the last&rsquo;. First lady was GB and top age-grouper, Joanna Swallow of Bath Amphibians Tri Club in a superb 43:20.

The 16km run was a combination of both the 10km and 6km events and went down well with competitors who enjoyed the challenging single loop course. It was won by Robert Tansey in a superb 1:07.32 with former Oxford rower Claire Weldon taking the win for the ladies in 1:18.24. Graham Cotterell and Paul Johnson from Southampton RC both took part in the 16km run &lsquo;it was stony, muddy and hilly and you were lucky if you could stay upright&rsquo;, they agreed &lsquo;but it was really nice just having one loop and not having to run laps&rsquo;.

The WildMan Duathlon was the main event of the day, with over 160 athletes lining up for what could well be their biggest challenge of 2010. The 12km hilly run was quickly followed by one of the toughest mountain bike events on the calendar &ndash; 20km of sand, mud, hills and water &ndash; causing even the leaders to have to push their bikes through the most challenging sections. The final 6km run really was the sting in the tail to top off the toughest event of 2010 so far.

Colin Dixon, one of the UK&rsquo;s most experienced off-road duathletes, was in stunning form, pushing the first run hard and took the win in 2:18.07 with Jim McConnel from DriventoTri hot on his heels in 2:20.27. Paul Davies, in his first race back from injury, took a well deserved third in 2:23.16. First lady in the duathlon was Gillian Banks in 2:54.21 with Charlotte Maurissen of Evolution Tri Club in second. Top mountain biker Genevieve Whitson took third overall, with the fastest bike split of the day for the ladies. Team &lsquo;Hoof It&rsquo; took their third win out of three in the team relay in 2:29.40.

&lsquo;That was the sandiest course I have ever been on in my life&rsquo; commented DriventoTri&rsquo;s Jim McConnel, &lsquo;I think it&rsquo;s the most demanding of the whole series to be honest. Now I&rsquo;m looking forward to a nice cup of tea&#039;. Paul Davis was of a similar opinion &lsquo;It was hard&rsquo; he said &lsquo;probably one of the toughest events I&rsquo;ve done.&rsquo;

Matt Sinnett, a triathlete from Maidenhead, was taking part in his first ever off-road event &lsquo;I wanted a challenge&rsquo; he said &lsquo;and the WildMan certainly lived up to my expectations.&rsquo;

If you missed out on all the fun this time, it&rsquo;s not too late to get in for the final event of the Merrell series. 

The Merrell TuffMan is coming up in only two weeks time and some last minute entries are still available. The TuffMan takes place at the stunning Pippingford Park in East Sussex on Saturday 6th February and is the final event in the Merrell Series, offering both a trail run and off-road duathlon which can also be tackled as a relay team.   

Can Colin Dixon make it four wins out of four at the TuffMan? With Sam Gardner racing this time, Jim McConnel set to push him hard and Paul Davies looking in great form, it promises to be a superb finale to the series.

Don&#039;t hang about entries will close on Saturday 30th January. Enter online at www.humanrace.co.uk 
]]></description></item></channel></rss>
