Clear blue skies, very little wind, and fantastic sunshine provided excellent racing conditions for the first F3 event at Dorney Lake for 2008. Ben Mason and his events team had been up since the crack of dawn to ensure the 100+ duathletes had a safe, fast course for some brilliant racing.

Shortly after the start of the main race, a group of around eight athletes headed by Votwo’s Rob Bowles broke away from the pack as they turned around the first of two opening laps. A few athletes dropped slightly off the pace as Declan Doyle and Bowles pushed the pace. Another Votwo athlete, Doug Hall, was running through the faster starters closely followed by quick bikers Richard Brady and Alex Wake.

Onto the bike and the front runners had around 30 seconds advantage over the rest of the field. With nobody wanting to push the pace, this lead to the strong bikers; Hall, Brady, and Wake making the most of the fast conditions and taking control of the front of the race after the end of the second lap. Over laps four and five Brady and Wake pushed on, with Doyle hanging in there, putting distance between the Votwo boys Hall and Bowles.

Through the second transition and out on the run Brady and Doyle set off like they had stolen something and set about working together to create a lead over the rest of the field. With first place going to Doyle in 1:06:02, and second place to Brady just 20 seconds behind, Bowles chased down both Hall and Wake with a fine piece of paced running to take third place. Wake hung onto fourth followed by a fast finishing Hall in fifth.

In the women’s race, Kerri Renshaw showed a clean pair of heels over both disciplines. Recording the fastest run and bike splits to take the win in 1:16:44, with Ingrid Hansen taking second and Emily Procter in third rounding out a competitive women’s race.

In all 71 duathletes made it around the course, and with the weather the way it was, it felt like summer was just around the corner!