Members of Southend-based Team Viper Triathlon Club were engaged in an unusual format event at the Duke of York's School in Deal, Kent.

Competitors swam 200m in a pool, cycled five kilometres around the school circuit and ran one kiloemtre of multi-terrain . . . then jumped back in the pool and and repeated the same circuit a second time.

All this non-stop action is a long-established, popular event which always attracts a high-quality field.

This year it included the newly-crowned age group World Long Course Champion, Stephen Bayliss, and no less than half a dozen national potential squad triathletes.

The short distances with lots of change-overs, led to fast and furious action.

Thundersley's Ben Wheeler 19, excelled to get into the top-ten in such company, then joined with three of his senior team mates to race a second time in the team time trial relay, where they won the silver medal, recording the fastest bike and run times.

In the youth event, Ben's younger brother Craig posted the fastest swim, but lost a lot of time when losing the chain on his bike.

However, he fought back tremendously well to grab fourth spot, one behind Viper team-mate David Crichton who finished third racing in his first ever triathlon.

Published Friday, May 30, 2003

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