Thursby-Pelham wins Northwest Duathlon

The first run started at a blistering pace, and a lead pack of seven athletes pulled away from rest. On the second of three laps, Letterkenny AC athletes Brian Thursby-Pelham, Sean Mc Fadden, and Triangles Eamon Colhoun upped the pace and stringed out this group. Thursby-Pelham (pictured centre) lead into the first transition after posting a fantastic 10:05 split for the 2 mile run, and had a 30 second lead on to the windy bike course before Colhoun and Mc Fadden followed. Race favourites Colm Quigley and Chris Sandy were next to head out on the bike a minute down on the leader. Jarleth Fearon led the male vets into transition, but a quick change of shoes meant “Old Hand” Frankie Dunlop was to take the lead before the bike leg got under way. Roisin Lynch led the womens race out of transition.

With strong winds on the cyclists back, high speeds were posted round the Slab road, but they had to battle into a very heavy head wind all the back home from Burt chapel. A great effort on the bike leg meant that Northwest Triathlon Clubs Colm Quigley and Chris Sandy passed Thursby-Pelham before the second transition. With Quigley, Sandy and Thursby-Pelham only being separated by a total of 8 seconds heading out on the last leg of the run, it made sure there was going to a very exciting finish to the race.

Thursby-Pelham produced another brilliant run and was able to pull away from Quigley and Sandy, and won the race in 44:58. Quigley finished second in 45:31, and Sandy completed the top three in a time of 46:48. Elsewhere in the race, Eamon Colhoun led the Junior race back home from the bike leg and continued to extend his lead over Omagh’s Lorcan Healy (55:15) on the second run to finish in an excellent time of 48:43. David Lynch took third junior slot on his first attempt at the sport. Frankie Dunlop had a very solid bike leg and continued to pull away from fellow vet and training partner Jarleth Fearon on the second run to stop the clock in 51:41 and take the Vets crown. Fiona Tracey produced an excellent bike split to take the lead from Roisin Lynch, and lead the Woman’s race home to take the title.