JERSEY won the men’s but lost the ladies’ and overall inter-insular event at the De Putron Guernsey Triathlon on Sunday.

Guernseyman Alan Rowe won the race and was just over two minutes ahead of Jersey’s top finisher Tom Perchard as Nick Le Cocq and Dave Snook followed to finish in third and fourth respectively.

In the ladies’ race, Guernsey’s Sam Herridge, who finished tenth in the elite London Triathlon this year, showed her true pedigree as she finished five minutes ahead of any other female with Jersey’s top finisher, Tracey Huish, in fourth (24th overall).

Conditions were close to perfect as the standard distance race began in Pembroke Bay and it was Herridge who was first out of the 1500m swim with Jersey’s Doc Snook in second and five team-mates joining him in the top ten after this stage.

On the bikes Rowe posted the fastest time in the non-drafting 40 km stage which took cyclists along the west and southern coast while Jersey’s Perchard and Snook were impressive on an unfamiliar course.

Nick Le Cocq’s eagerness to negotiate a 90 degree right-hand turn 1 km from the end of the ride almost cost him dear as he found himself skipping over the verge and onto the fourth tee at the L’Ancresse Golf Course much to the surprise of the fourball waiting to tee off! Meanwhile, having closed the gap on the leaders established runner Rowe was unstoppable on the 10 km run, overtaking the leader after about 5 km to post the quickest split of the day and take the win.

Perchard, Le Cocq and Snook put in fine individual efforts to each record sub 2 hr 4 min times and Marc Nicol, on his birthday and still in his first season of competition, put in his first sub 40 minute 10 km run to finish eighth overall.

In the battle of the triathlon club presidents Jersey’s Simon Dowling beat his counterpart Mark Naftel by just two minutes to finish 14th.

Despite being without their Island Games medallists Jersey produced a stirring performance to outscore Guernsey in the men’s section and had all their male competitors in the top 13 places in this category (from 31 starters).

In the women’s section Guernsey dominated as Herridge and team-mate Gail Merrien recorded fast times to keep Jersey’s triathletes from the victory by 45 minutes.