THE Wexford Hunt Branch of the Irish Pony Club held its winter triathlon last Sunday, when the swim phase was staged in the early morning at the Apex, New Ross, after which it was on to Kennedy College for the shoot and run.

Unfortunately, by the time it came to the outdoor phase of the competition, the weather conditions were extremely challenging for competitors, supporters and volunteers alike, with few posing for photographs in their running gear.

It’s always good to see that the Verling family continues to enjoy this multi-disciplined sport and, on Sunday, it was the turn of Margaret to strike for the West Waterford Branch. She won the 10-strong Senior Girls’ competition on a total of 2,806 points, having finished second in all three phases.

Bidding to follow up on her victory at the Carlows’ fixture, Leitrim’s Grace Quinn won the swim but had to settle for second overall on 2,742, with the Ward Union’s Clodagh Reilly, who topped the scores in the run, finishing third on 2,732.

There were only five starters in the Senior Boys’ class where, despite winning the swim and run phases, Peter Verling had to settle for the runner-up spot on 2,758 behind the shoot phase winner Darragh Walsh who claimed the honours for the Waterford Hunt Branch on a total of 2,789.

Representing the Carlow Branch, the consistent Ali Hughes won the shoot and the overall 36-runner Junior Girls’ triathlon having amassed 2,839 points. Narrowly beaten into second was Co Limerick’s Martha Buckley (2,815), with Ailbhe Reilly of the Wards finishing third (2,768).

There was a close result also in the 10-runner Junior Boys’ competition where the Killinicks’ Max Doran topped the final leaderboard on 2,952 points, ahead of the Co Limericks’ John Kirby (2,909). The Carlow round winner, Blake Kavanagh, finished third (2,722) for the day’s hosts.

North Kilkenny’s Molly Jean Clarke followed up on her Clare success when winning both the swim and run phases of the Minimus Girls’ Biathalon for a clear-cut victory on 2,276 points. The Carlows’ Darcey Buitelaar slotted into second on 2,010, with Adele Geoghegan of the Kildares placing third (2,020).

There were 52 starters in that class and 19 in the Boys’ equivalent, where there was a win for the Wicklow Branch thanks to the efforts of Benjamin Galligan. He won the swim before finishing second in the run to post a total of 2,208 points. The run phase winner, Ben Murphy, took the runner-up spot for the Island Branch on 2,116, just ahead of the Killinicks’ Scott Doran (2,110).

The girls also outnumbered the boys at Fledgling level, the Ward Union’s Maggie Cooke (1,752), who won at the Carlow round, seeing off 27 rivals on her way to victory, while the Clare winner, Charlie Purcell, who amassed 1,370 points, only had to deal with six challengers.

The very active North Kilkenny Branch is hosting the last of the qualifiers tomorrow in and around Kilkenny City, with the National Triathlon Finals taking place in Athy on Sunday, March 22nd.