‘I’m really pleased, but I hadn’t expected to do so well at all,’ Clements said.
‘I went to the pre-race briefing on Saturday because I was competing in the swim leg as part of a team (with Nik Le Cocq and Nick Gorrod).
I started to think: “”Shall I?”” I decided I’d go round and give it a go and use the result as the benchmark for my winter training.
But I had a day where everything went right and I felt very strong and, most importantly, my injury wasn’t hurting at all.’ He added: ‘It was hurting a bit the following morning! But I think that’s down to lack of race fitness.’ He said that at no point in the race did he think he might be making a mistake.
‘Going out on the bike after the swim, I was thinking: “”This feels great””, though I was struggling a bit on the hills – lack of training mainly.
Normally the start of the run at the end of the bike ride is quite hard, switching from one to the other, but I felt fine.
I was glad to get back to racing.’ Second-placed James Amy, too, was struggling with an injury, but the 2002 Commonwealth Games competitor was able to maintain his position and finished just minutes behind Clements while Tim Rogers, Island Games team gold-medallist, pushed his clubmates all the way to the line to finish third.
All three are contenders for selection in the 2006 Commonwealth Games, fitness permitting.
In the ladies race Laurence Madier came from behind to beat Natasha Abels, who had been in the lead since the swim, but was overtaken on the run.
A total of 48 triathletes turned out for the event.
Conditions at the start of the swim were quite tough, with many competitors struggling to swim the shortest routes.
Clements soon established a lead but was being chased by Scott Pitcher, Amy and Chris Westcott.
In the women’s event Abels had already established a five-minute lead by the end of the swim.
The bike section was over a 40 km route around the west of the Island, with Clements staying ahead, though Rogers powered through the field and produced the fastest bike-leg of the day.
Amy soon passed Pitcher, who was subsequently locked in battle with Westcott for fourth and fifth places.
As they started the run Clements still led with Amy second and Rogers third both putting the pressure on, but Clements could not be overhauled and won in 2 hours 3.52 minutes.
Westcott took advantage of his superior run to finish fourth, Pitcher fifth and Michael Lucas coming sixth and first veteran.
In the ladies race Abels came under increasing pressure on the final run leg and her three-minute lead was eaten into by a determined Madier.
Third place was taken by newcomer Jenny O’Brien who put in a very creditable performance in her debut at the classic Olympic distance while fourth was Linda Whitelegg, from the UK, who won the ladies veteran prize.
The team race was won by Paul Clements, Nic Le Cocq and Nick Gorrod Race Director and Jersey Triathlon Club President Gary Jones, said: ‘They were not easy conditions out there, with the wind having a significant impact on times.
It was good to see Paul returning from injury and I hope that he, James, and Tim can stay injury-free over the winter so that next season they can gain the qualifying times for the Melbourne Games.’ Full results will be published later this week.
