TRIATHLON: Lidbury excels on Fuerteventura (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Cricklade triathlete starts season with a victory

12:36pm Tuesday 17th April 2012 in Sport By Danny Hall, Sports Editor

CRICKLADE’s professional triathlete Emma-Kate Lidbury used a little local knowledge to open her 2012 season with a dominant victory – on Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands.

The Challenge Fuerteventura long distance race at the weekend was held at the Playitas sports resort, where Lidbury was based for her winter training back in February.

Lidbury said: “I was especially delighted to post my first wire-to-wire win.

“I led out of the water in 25.03 (1,900m swim) which gave me about a 90-second gap over the chasing girls.

“I opened the lead up to about four minutes on the bike (2hr 39min for 56-mile course) and then went on to run a 1hr 27min half-marathon to take victory in 4:32.41, about three minutes clear of the runner-up, Britain’s Lucy Gossage.”

Next up for Emma-Kate are the first European 70.3 races of the season: Mallorca (May 12), Switzerland (June 3) then UK (June 17).

“I'm feeling in good shape and excited for another strong season ahead,” she said.

“Huge thanks to my sponsors – online bike retailer Wiggle, Morris Owen Accountants and telecoms firm Virtua.”