A RECORD number of Forster Tri Club members donned their blue and yellow uniforms to take on the Ironman Australia in Port Macquarie on the weekend.
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Twenty two members as well as former local Nat Heath took to the starting line on Sunday for the 3.8 kilometre swim, 180km bike leg and 42.1km marathon.
In an impressive feat, Heath, who now resides in Clovelly, took out his age group (30-34) to finish with a time of 9:28:08 and an overall place of 19th.
Other standouts were Tuncurry resident Dennis Fitzgerald who finished 8th in his age group (65-69) with a time of 16:13:39, Gerard Ryan from Wingham in 9th place in his age group (60-64) with a time of 13:13:01 and Susan Kirk from Forster finished with a time of 15:21:51 and 7th in her age group (55-59).
Meanwhile, Cundletown’s Richard Sewell was the third person home in his age group (45-49) to finish with a time of 9:36:22 and 28th overall.
Prior to the race, Sewell was hopeful that a time of around 9.5 hours would be enough to book himself a flight for the World Championships – the Hawaiian Ironman in Kona later in the year.
Sewell and Heath will find out in the coming days whether they have been successful.
Forster Tri Club’s Dave Fitzhardinge praised local members for their efforts.
“Many months of training and much time away from families culminated on Sunday,” Fitzhardinge said
“Being such a demanding race some of our members had to withdraw for various issues and while they will be disappointed with not finishing we know the work they have done to get there and to even make it to the start line is an amazing achievement.”
Forster Tri Club members results
Dennis Fitzgerald: 16:13:39, 8th in age group
Donna Bayley: 15:37:51, 31st in age group
Susan Kirk: 15:21:51: 7th in age group
Vanessa Sewell-Croker: 13:21:54 34th in age group
Gerard Ryan: 13:13:01 9th in age group
Lee Sullivan: 13:06:07 150th in age group
Peter Camilleri: 12:56:36 81st in age group
Kristy Aldridge: 12:44:17 26th in age group
Michael Farrow: 12:43:20 130th in age group
Cameron Taylor: 12:13:23 for 32nd in age group
Sonia Kennedy: 12:09:28 18th in age group
Kevin Denniss: 12:08:41 140th in age group
Troy Croker: 11:57:47 and 104th in age group
Simon Gay: 11:12:33 68th in age group
Paul Nixon: 10:50:07 17th in age group
Marc Dorfling 10:37:20 37th in age group
Matthew Watson: 10:03:03 and 18th in age group
Richard Sewell 9:36:22, 3rd in age group and 28th overall.