Triathlon
Russell ends season on a high

Buy photos » Helen Russell is presented with her winner's award at the Llanrwst Triathlon by Roy Healy, chairman of Carneddau Triathlon Club, who organised the race. (s)

BROMSGROVE & REDDITCH Athletic Club triathlete Helen Russell ended her season in style with a silver medal at the British Triathlon Relay Championships and a victory at the Llanrwst Triathlon.

Britain's best amateur triathletes assembled at the British Watersports Centre near Nottingham for the British Relay Triathlon Championships, which saw teams of four triathletes compete over 500m swim, 15km bike and 5km run to be crowned British champions.

Russell was racing in the women's race for the Birmingham Running, Athletics and Triathlon Club (BRATS), which earlier this year launched training sessions in Bromsgrove and Redditch.

She was joined by team members Vic Dixon, Rachel Hares and Kate Robson, whose combined efforts saw them take the silver, beaten only by Loughborough University.

Russell went one better in her last race of the season at the Llanrwst Triathlon. In acknowledgement of her Welsh sponsors, the supplements company Elagen Sports, Russell chose to end her season in North Wales.

The race was a sprint distance covering a 400m swim, 25km bike and 5km run leg.

Russell was the second fastest woman over the swim but fastest in the bike and run legs, which meant she was the first woman across the line in a time of 1.12.29, finishing 1 minute and 11 seconds ahead of second placed Gina Riley from Chester Triathlon Club.

Yet again Russell also beat the majority of the male competitors in finishing ninth overall out of 167 competitors.

Once again Russell had a great season which included taking the European Sprint Duathlon and British Aquathlon titles.

She will now have a month of rest before starting her winter training programme under the guidance of her coach Eddie Fletcher from Fletcher Sports Science.

Russell said: "It was great to finish the season with a win. I could not have enjoyed such a good season without my local supporters including Living Well Gym, Bromsgrove Chiropractic Clinic, COOL Pilates in Barnt Green, Bromsgrove District Council and Mint-Ease."

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