The National Club Relay Championships 2010

Holme Pierrepont Water Sports Centre in Nottingham was the location for this weekends racing. Hosted by race organisers, One Step Beyond, The National Club Relay Championships attracts clubs and teams from all the Uk and offers a great opportunity for Triathlon clubs to pit themselves against their fellow members.

Due to the popularity of this event and to fit in the 450 teams, the day is split into morning and afternoon racing, with female and mixed teams in the morning and predominately male and other mixed teams in the afternoon.

Conditions were far from ideal, as the heavens opened and heavy rain poured down for the whole of 500 mtr lake swim. Which meant by the time competitors were out on the bike the tarmac was water logged and very slippery. The rain carried on intermittently throughout the 9mile bike and eased slightly just in time for the 5k run.

This annual event is always a popular race with Team Cherwell and with the 11 teams randomly picked earlier on it's a great fun packed day with the added air of competition. It was hard fought race and despite Team Shaw, consisting of Heidi Shaw, Jack Butler, Annie Butler and Mark Smith leading all the way up to the second leg of the run they couldn't stave off the strong running abilities of Jacqui Harper's team, who took the lead and were the first team home for the club in 3hrs 43mins and 23 seconds and 153th overall. Or, Katherine Birch's team who saw Darren Alexander finish the 5k run in a storming 19mins 19seconds which achieved the fastest run split from the club and saw them finish in 3hrs 49mins and 178th overall.  All teams did exceptionally well and despite the rain it was another fabulous weekend of racing.