Gray, Harfield take duathlon titles

By Cayman Sports Buzz
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Updated: 20 September 2018

Nadine Gray won the women's race for the third consecutive year.

Nadine Gray won for the third year in a row and Patrick Harfield set a new course record as the Cayman Islands Triathlon Association held its 2018 McGrath Tonner Duathlon on 17 September.

Harfield was among the leaders after the first two-mile run starting at Cayman Islands Yacht Club and looping along Yacht Drive to Vista Del Mar and back and then pressed his advantage during the 12-mile bike ride that took competitors along the Esterley Tibbetts Highway. By the time he hopped off the bike and began his final two-mile run, the outcome was a foregone conclusion.

He crossed the finish in 51 minutes 38.1 seconds beating 49 other male solo finishers and well ahead of Ben Creasy’s 2017 winning time of 55:17.9.

Patrick Harfield makes his way to the finish line.

“I’m feeling in really good shape,” said Harfield, who trains other athletes at his Cayman Tri Training business. “I’ve not got much speedwork in me because I’ve got an IronMan (in the US) in just under two weeks. So, I’ve not been doing any short, fast stuff. It’s good to brush away the cobwebs on the short, sharp race.”

He gave insight into his mindset once the race got going. “I was pretty sure that the two guys who came in ahead of me on the run were from relay teams and so they didn’t then have to do the bike, so I didn’t want to push as hard on the first run. I was happy with where I came in there, went out on the bike and it didn’t take long to get into first and keep pulling away with my lead on the bike.”

Jamie Hughes was the second solo finisher.

Jamie Hughes was second in 56:56.7, Jason Trautman third in 57:11.9, Conrad Proud fourth in 58.59 and DJ Evans fifth in 59.20.7. Jerome Ameline was the only other solo competitor to finish in under an hour (59:51.3).

Meantime, Gray held off a field of around a dozen other women to defend her title that she won in 2017 and 2018. She finished in 1:01:59.1 ahead of second-placed Alyssa Dodson in 1:03:22.9.

“I’m pleased because I didn’t know what my form was like and there are a couple good female triathletes out there and I could feel them breathing down my neck, so that’s enough motivation,” Gray told CaymanSportsBuzz.com.

Alyssa Dodson was the second solo female.

Describing the event as hard work but not under hotter than normal conditions, Gray was pleased to pull off a hattrick of wins in the annual event. “I’m delighted, particularly when there’s competition…when there’s other good triathletes out there, you have to work hard. I really appreciate all the other athletes out there pushing me.”

Laura Hicks (1:04:08.7), Marlie du Toit (1:07:42.7) and Michelle Bailey (1:07:55.0) rounded out the top five for the women.

The Oxford University Swimming Club duo of Tommy Lees (run) and Matt Courtis (cycle) were the first team to finish in 53 minutes 50.7 seconds, with only Harfield completing the course before them.

Tommy Lees and Matt Courtis.

Click here for detailed results.

Prior to the start of the race, Cayman Islands Triathlon Association President Trevor Murphy paid tribute to triathlete Geoff Cornwall, who was killed in an accident while riding his bike on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway a few days before the event.