ANDOVER triathletes have had a busy weekend and with a long list of success. 

Husband and wife team Gina Graham and Christopher Edwards took on the Eastbourne Triathlon which was also hosting a qualifying event for the standard distance world triathlon championships. 

Unfortunately, the swim was cancelled, and the race was changed to duathlon format which didn’t play to Gina’s strengths.

Gina said: “We were warned before the race that there could be changes to the swim, but they delayed the final decision until the morning itself. So, when we turned up in the morning my swim was reduced to 750m but then due to the swell it got cancelled altogether and turned into a duathlon.

“It was very windy at the top of beachy head hill-chain came off on the first lap of the cycle and then got caught behind a car - which shouldn’t have been there as, it was closed roads, so it got escorted off.

“The cycle was therefore not as good as hoped and then had another 10k to run, needless to say wasn’t my finest hour.”

Gina and Chris will have to wait for the official British Triathlon results before they know if they have qualified.

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Action from Andover Triathlon Club members (Image: Andover Triathlon Club) Closer to home another husband-and-wife team Toby and Naomi Ledger competed in the Hampshire Hoppit which is predominantly an off-road trail race which started and ended at Watership Down and takes in local sections of famous long-distance footpaths including the Wayfarers Walk and Harrow Way and reaches some of the highest points in Hampshire with views overlooking the three counties.

Toby who took on the full challenging marathon distance finished in an excellent time of five hours and seven minutes which was an improvement on his last year’s time.

Meanwhile Naomi competed in the 10k option at the same event and finished in a great time of one hour and 15 minutes and then had plenty of time to cheer her husband Toby over the line.

Toby said that it was a well organised event, good fun and the free beer at the end was an added bonus.

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Charlotte Hayward, a relatively new member of the club, was competing in her second ever triathlon in the Shoreline Triathlon event which took place from Summerleaze Beach in Bude.

Charlotte, who’s a novice swimmer, did an amazing job by taking on a sea swim before completing the cycle and run course and finished in a very credible time of 1.30.01.

Other members of the club including Jeremy Burgess and Helen Daniels headed out to support Mike Copping in his quest to save Whitchurch swimming pool and joined him for a few of his 120 climbs up Faccombe Hill.

Jeremy who joined Mike for his 99th climb through to his 108th said that Mike was still quite chatty and upbeat despite having some grim moments cycling in the dark and the rain overnight!

Mike also had immense support from other local cyclists.