Cassandre Beaugrand won the BUCS Sprint Championships title today with a consummate all-round performance. With the racing taking place in waves, when Beaugrand crossed the line it was not immediately certain whether she had won the title. Her victory, though, was duly confirmed afterwards.
Racing for Loughborough University, Beaugrand opened her race with a 4:55 400m pool swim (25m). She followed that with a 36:22 split over the 22km bike course and finished her day with a 17:54 5km run split.
Her run was some way off her 16:38 5km from WTCS Abu Dhabi in March, although judging by the splits of the rest of the field and the men’s race the course may have been a touch long. At the same time, there was no real need for Beaugrand to run at full tilt so there is only so much that can be read into her time.
Her run and swim were the best of the women’s race. In addition Beaugrand’s bike split was an impressive third fastest of the field and she was only 9 seconds from matching the fastest split set by Aoibh Clarke.
When all was said and done Beaugrand took the win by 2 minutes 9 seconds.
The runner-up at Westonbirt House was Tilly Anema of Cardiff Met. Lauren Dickson of Leeds University finished 3rd.
Anema essentially matched Beaugrand in the water with a split of 4:56. However thereafter she conceded time on both the bike and run.
Across the second two disciplines Anema recorded splits of 37:33 and 18:43. Both her swim and her run were the second fastest of the field and, although she ultimately did not quite have enough to match Beaugrand, Anema can take heart from her performance. When she next races at the European Cup in Olsztyn, she will be arrive at the event in auspicious form.
Beaugrand’s win, meanwhile, sets her up well for her next WTCS race in Cagliari at the end of the month.
Cameron Main won the men’s race by a narrow 3 seconds over his fellow Loughborough University athlete Matthew Collins.
Main enjoyed a rapid swim to launch his race and his split of 4:33 gained over half a minute over Collins. On the bike, though, Collins came roaring back as he clocked a time of 31:58. Main, by contrast, could only muster a 33:05.
With Collins in pole position heading onto the run, Main began his charge. He ran a 16:10 5km to sneak ahead and take the win in a total time of 56:49. Collins’ split of 16:45 almost was enough to hold off Main but just fell short.
After combining the fastest swim and run splits of the day, Main’s win was well-deserved.
James Kadziak of Nottingham University came home in 3rd place, 34 seconds behind Collins.
Another notable athlete racing was the reigning world U23 champion Connor Bentley. A Loughborough teammate of Beaugrand, Bentley finished 5th after recording splits of 4:49, 32:50 and 16:44 across the three disciplines.
Moreover the world U23 bronze medallist from last year, Hamish Reilly, finished 19th.
The two leading male performers from the British Junior tests, Lawrence Martindale and Thomas Hattee, finished 16th and 43rd, respectively.
