IN the build-up to the Tetrathlon and Minimus seasons, three Branches of the Irish Pony Club have arranged Winter Triathlon qualifiers.

The first of these was held by the Co Clare Branch last Sunday when, given the underfoot conditions for the run, it was probably just as well that there was no ride phase but, happily for competitors, the sun came out for the afternoon.

The swim phase was held in the morning at the Active Leisure Centre in Ennis, before competitors, and their supporters, moved on for the shoot and run phases at the local showgrounds. Everyone was well-fed during their breaks, thanks to the culinary delights prepared by the volunteers on kitchen duty.

Also thanks to the huge number of volunteers required for an event like this, all three competition phases ran off smoothly. The Co Limerick Branch fared best at day’s end, having fielded three winners viz Alex Barry in the Junior Boys’ competition, where he saw off nine rivals; Archie McCartan, who got the better of 23 other challengers in the Minimus Boys’ section and Laura Foster, who won the 15-runner Fledgling Girls’ Biathlon.

Duhallow’s Caroline Roche, who won the senior girls class at the at the Clare branch triathlon, with club mate Siun Fleming

Junior triathlon

There were 40 starters in the Junior Girls’ Triathlon, which was won by the Ward Union’s Clodagh Reilly, whose sister Ailbhe maintained the winning form for family and Branch, when landing the Minimus Girls’ competition in which 48 IPC members took on the three disciplines. Also down from Area 7, Harvey McCarthy of the Meath Branch claimed the honours in the seven-strong Fledgling Boys’ Biathlon.

The day started with the five-runner Senior Boys’ Triathlon where, on 3,011 points, Offaly’s Tom O’Rourke topped the final scoreboard, ahead of Co Limerick’s Sonny McCartan (2,758), while, in the 14-runner Senior Girls’ competition, the Duhallow Branch’s Caroline Roche (2,688) recorded a narrow victory over Kildare’s Katie Dillon (2,604).

The Co Wexford Branch is holding the second Winter Triathlon qualifier tomorrow in New Ross, while the busy North Kilkenny Branch is staging the third at the Watershed Leisure Centre in Kilkenny on Sunday, March 9th. The IPC Winter Triathlon Final, sponsored by Carr & Day & Martin, is scheduled to take place on Sunday, March 16th, in Athy, Co Kildare.