Pride of Dorset earn 18 medals (From Dorset Echo)

Pride of Dorset earn 18 medals

8:52am Wednesday 8th July 2009

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DORSET Pentathletes captured a huge haul of 18 medals at the third event of the World Tour Biathle in Weymouth.

The talented team entered 20 athletes into the spectacle and they came up trumps, winning nine gold medals, four silver and five bronze.

The biathle age groups start at 10-and-under and go up to the Masters section with the distances for each discipline being changed accordingly.

In the first event of the day, girls and boys’ 10-and-under, Hannah Marklew (Weymouth SC) took part in her first open water biathle race and produced a superb performance to come fourth with Zoe Gowers (West Dorset Warriors) claiming first.

Meanwhile, there was a Dorset one, two, three for the boys with Drew Sanson finishing ahead of runner-up Callum Mullins (Warriors) and third-placed Luke Bassett (Weymouth SC).

There was more success for Dorset in the girls’ 12-and-under with Bethan Whittall (Weymouth SC) continuing her winning ways ahead of team-mates Rebecca Bowles in third, Victoria Halford (Warriors) in fifth, Elizabeth Hood (Ferndown) in sixth and Margi Chitty in ninth.

In the boys’ section, the club pulled off another one, two, three with Hugh Ireland claiming the victory in front of second-placed Oliver Mullins and Harrison Yarnold. Jonathon Greenwood came fifth and Bradley Mullins finished sixth. All five boys are Warriors.

Not to be outdone by their male colleagues, the girls’ 14-and-under team went one better for Dorset with total domination of the top four.

Danielle Burry (Ferndown) took the gold medal ahead of Laura Chitty (Warriors), Dervla Ireland and Kathleen Rafferty (Poole).

Christopher Perham (Tornadoes of South Dorset) was also victorious in the boys’ section, claiming the win by a massive 16 seconds.

The Masters race saw Nick Ireland continue his great form by capturing first place in the men’s 40 plus. He was closely followed by Andrew Whitall in third while Linda Chitty came second in the women’s 40 plus.

The final races of the day saw Tornadoes Tom Crew and Niall Laming take part in the boys’ 18-and-under race. Lamming won gold by 43 seconds with Crew coming home in fourth.

Meanwhile, in the girls 16-and-under, Melissa Courtney finished first ahead of club colleague Africa Mason (Poole AC) in third.

Dorset coach Mick Flaherty said: “This is a great result particularly ahead of our preparations for the National Championships at Salford Quays in August, which will be used as a selection process for the British team for the World Championships in Monaco the following month.

“Twelve members of the club will also be competing in the European Championships for Britain on July 12 in Italy.

“All these events are self funded so if there are any potential sponsors out there who would be interested in sponsoring an athlete or the team then please send an e-mail to flaherty121@aol.com”

Flaherty went on to add: “I would like to thank the Sea View Chinese Restaurant for hosting the post-race meal and prize-giving, the Weymouth Canoe Lifeguards who provided safety cover and Kevin Good and his team at the Weymouth Beach office for all their support.”

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