World AG Champs Richard Shephard and Claire Steels win Clumber Park Duathlon

Matthew Bottrill's progress continues with second place - and another bike course record

The Clumber Park Duathlon, organised by One Step Beyond Events on Saturday welcomed quality fields to both the Standard and Sprint distance races as both offered qualification places to GB Age-Group World and/or European Championship events.

The Standard Distance race offered both World (2016) and European (2017) places, while the Sprint Distance provided opportunity to secure a place in the team for the 2017 European Championships.

Following an Age-Group win and sixth place overall at the Dambuster Duathlon recently (report on that HERE), it was also another step on the 'time trial to tri(du)athlon' transition of multiple National TT Champion Matthew Bottrill. After an opening run which would have left him in approximately 70th position, a bike course record (53:13, more than four and half minutes faster than anyone else on a day where barely a hanful of athletes broke the hour), reversed all of that and more - but it was 2014 ITU World Champion (35-39), Richard Shephard who was able to take the win on the second run, where his 17:21 (versus 20:08), was enough to reach the line 1:17 clear of the fast-riding Bottrill.

Matt told us "Really happy with this weekend result, second overall. Running felt much more fluid. So I'm making progress and smashed the bike course record by over four minutes. I'm really happy with today's result I feel like I'm starting to make the transition now. I know there's a long way to go but I'm looking forward to my first triathlon next Sunday at East Leake".

Claire Steels - also a World Champion herself last year in Adelaide - was a clear winner in the women's Standard distance, with the fastest splits in all three disciplines.

Clumber Park Duathlon (Standard) - Saturday 19th March 2016
10km / 40km / 5km (FULL RESULTS)

Clumber Park Duathlon (Sprint) - Saturday 19th March 2016
5km / 20km / 2.5km (FULL RESULTS)