Click here to download the Tribikes.ie Loughrea Triathlon 2012 Sprint Results
	Click here to download the Tribikes.ie Loughrea Triathlon 2012 Junior Results

Tribikes.ie Loughrea Junior Triathlon Report

The youth national triathlon championships took place in Loughrea today, hosted by Predator TC who have become synonymous in recent years with great achievements in junior triathlon. Their success in developing such a strong junior section lies in no small part to the safe and clean open water swimming area on the outskirts of the town. This blue flag awarded waterway with lifeguard in attendance is a hive of activity once the water reaches a reasonable temperature, and often before that for the more eager triathletes.

Over 170 children from all over Ireland took part with children from Belfast, Louth, Kilkenny, Limerick, Midlands, Dublin and the home club of Predator.

The action today played out over four seperate races for U8, U10, U12, and U15. The competition in the U8 & U10 was fierce with the youngsters giving their all over the swim bike and run legs. It was the U12 and U15 races however that provided the most exciting racing and two nailbiting finishes. The U12 race came down to a 100M sprint between Jack McCullough and Aaron Doherty. Only 9 seconds seperated them on the line as Jack took the honors with Doherty having clawed back to lead from the the bike leg. The U15 race saw the top three competitors showing their strengths in each of the three disciplines putting each of them in the lead at some stage during the race. First out of the water was Jonathan Brinn from Predator TC 40 seconds ahead of Steven Diggin of Wicklow TC and 2min 40 sec ahead of Caimin Muldoon also Predator TC for the 350M course. Muldoon gunned the 9K bike and exited first onto the run followed by Brinn and then Diggin. Brinn overhauled Muldoon after the 1.5K turn point and both were passed by Diggin after some great running. Muldoon managed to shadow Diggin to the turn onto the last 100M straight where Diggin Kicked leaving Muldoon with no option but to hang onto his margin on Brinn to ensure his silver medal. All in all it made for exciting racing impressing the large crowd of spectators and inspiring the competitors preparing for the sprint event in the adjoining transition area.

Images by TI Media photographer Ken Murphy here

Images by Predator TC here

Tribikes.ie Loughrea Triathlon Sprint Report

Last year at the Loughrea sprint, the weather gods frowned on race day and played havoc with the swim. This year despite some dodgy looking clouds and threatening gusts, the swim took place in good conditions and the large crowd of spectators remaining from the mornings national youth championships events, saw Aaron O Brien exit the water from a blistering swim that put him a full 3 minutes ahead of the eventual competition for second and third places. This lead proved difficult to claw back for the strong field of previous winners, including Colm Turner, predator Tri clubs Mairtin Grealish, and Galway tri clubs Ruaidhri Geraghty.

O'Brien gave up some time to all three on the bike leg but still went out on the run leg with a solid 90 seconds on Turner and a further 60 on Grealish and Geraghty. O' Brien held his advantage on the run and was followed across the finish by Turner, Grealish and Geraghty in that order. It was a fitting result in that O'Brien is sponsored by Tribikes.ie who stepped in this year to become main sponsor of the Loughrea triathlon. The day wasn't just about the more athletically gifted among us however, with over 311 finishers in total and many of those completing a triathlon for the first time. The Tribikes.ie Loughrea triathlon has become a firm favourite in the calander, renowned for its safe open water swim facility and challenging bike course.