FARNHAM Triathlon Club’s sprint distance championships took place in near-perfect conditions, helping produce two course records and competitive racing throughout the age groups.

A field of 25, with a mix of established and new names, gathered poolside at Farnham Sports Centre for the 750m swim, 15km cycle and 4km run.

James Long has dominated club events for several years, but now has a rival for championship honours in the shape of Oscar Coggins who recently joined the club, having previously represented Hong Kong at junior elite level.

Coggins literally left the opposition in his wake during the 30-length swim, completed in a stunning 8mins 55secs, with Long almost 90 seconds back in second place. Third out of the water was another member of the Coggins family, mum Lynda, who took an early lead in the ladies’ race with 10-46.

Long, however, was in no mood to relinquish his crown and set about reeling in his young rival in the cycle – to Bentley and back on the A31.

With the quickest ride of 23-47, Long had established a slim advantage as the pair set off into Farnham Park for the short but undulating run. Coggins clocked the fastest run of 15-24, but it was not quite enough and Long held on to gain his third consecutive club sprint title by seven seconds with an overall 49mins 35secs, with both going under the previous course record. Long also regained the male veteran award, with Coggins claiming the senior title.

Richard Brooke took third place (2nd MV) a further four minutes back, with Juan Marques in fourth place.

Dom Brooks and John Bennison comfortably retained their MSV50 and MSV60 awards.

Jo Wright, fresh from a world age-group duathlon championship win, found herself over two minutes down after the swim, but used her cycling (26-04) and running (17-13) talents to great effect and broke the women’s course record in gaining a clear-cut ladies’ victory in 56mins 08secs.

Runner-up Lynda Coggins posted an outstanding overall time of 1-00-37 (a female super veteran best) in her first race for the Farnham club.

Third place, and the female veteran title, went to Nick Dennes after a see-saw battle with Karen Masson. Sue Graves took the FSV60 trophy.

Results:

1, James Long, Cat pos 1MV, Total time 49-35; 2, Oscar Coggins, 1M, 49-42; 3, Rich Brooke, 2MV, 53-42; 4, Juan Marques, 3MV, 54-44; 5, Tristan Gee, 2M, 54-59; 6, Paul Manning, 3M, 56-07; 7, Jo Wright, 1F, 56-08; 8, Dom Brooks, 1MSV, 56-20; 9, Paul Scott, 4MV, 59-28; 10, Nick Holmes, 2MSV, 59-35; 11, Lynda Coggins, 1FSV, 1-00-37; 12, Jonathan Griffiths, 4 M, 1-01-35; 13, John Wright, 5M, 1-02-20; 14, Haydn Jones, 3MSV, 1-02-57; 15, Steve Wallace, 4MSV, 1-03-10; 16, Paul Fairclough, 6M, 1-05-53; 17, Nick Dennes, 1FV, 1-08-45; 18, Karen Masson, 2FV, 1-09-40; 19, Helen Collett, 2FSV, 1-09-42; 20, Richard Staton, 5MV, 1-11-25; 21, John Bennison, 1MSV60, 1-12-26; 22, Rafael Dubois, 6MV, 1-12-36; 23, Ros Hook, 3FV, 1-13-44; 24, Sue Graves, 1FSV60, 1-16-35; DNF, Nick Sheppard.

In a busy weekend of triathlon racing, four FTC members took on the Weymouth Middle Distance and came away with an impressive set of results, including first and second in the ladies’ race.

Kelly Thomas led Bryony Cameron-Smith after the wetsuit 1900m sea swim in Weymouth Bay. Then followed a rolling 90km cycle through Dorset where Cameron-Smith took the advantage which she extended with a 1-36-27 half-marathon run around the Lodmoor Nature Reserve to win in an overall 5hrs 10mins 53secs. Thomas recorded 5-23-50 to complete a notable one-two for the Farnham club.

Iain Wheatley placed fifth M45 and Christopher Taylor-Firth took fourth in the M50 category.

FTC results:

Pos 19, Bryony Cameron-Smith, Cat pos 1 F30-34, Swim 39-53, Bike 2-49-52, Run 1-36-27, Overall 5-10-53; 20, Iain Wheatley, 5 M45-49, 39-16, 2-45-34, 1-40-58, 5-11-40; 36, Kelly Thomas, 2 F30-34, 36-00, 3-03-05, 1-42-02, 5-23-50; 47, Christopher Taylor-Firth, 4 M50-54, 36-19, 2-50-59, 1-55-37, 5-35-18.

Bruce Thomas took on the sprint race option of 750m sea swim, 20km bike and 5km run and finished sixth overall (2nd M35) in 1-20-37 (19-23, 38-17, 20-38).

Another ‘half iron’ race over similar distances was held at Holkham Hall in Norfolk. This time with a lake swim, the Outlaw Half attracted a field of 1000, including Farnham Tri members Stuart Skingley and Sandra Letford and Jason Twigg.

Results: 136, Stuart Skingley, 13 M45-49, 41-09, 2-46-42, 1-45-26, 5-18-49; 612, Sandra Letford, 10 F45-49, 43-11, 3-11-08, 2-23-10, 6-23-10; dnf Jason Twigg, M40-44, 36-01, 2-57-52.

Another stately home, Chatsworth House in the Derbyshire Peak District, hosted a sprint triathlon (750m, 20km, 5km) which was the venue of choice for three more FTC members.

Results: 477, Gillian Barrett, 12 F55, 18-31, 50-51, 32-00, 01-45-05; 535, David Barrett, 19, M60, 26-26, 52-11, 34-21, 01-57-38; 477, Claudia Shand, 12, F60, 21-10, 56-23, 35-51, 01-58-04.