42 wiltsglosstandard.co.uk Thursday, April 19, 2012

WGYOU PLAY IT, WE SCOVERspIT ort starts here Edwards oils Lidbury’s sunshine wheels in Dallas start in Canaries

STEVE EDWARDS went ‘off-piste’ at the CRICKLADE’s professional triathlete Emma- weekend in his bid to run 500 sub-3hr Kate Lidbury used a little local knowledge to 30min marathons before his 50th open her 2012 season with a dominant victory birthday in November, writes Danny Hall. – on Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands, writes Edwards, from Moreton-in-Marsh, has a Danny Hall. It was the home-based schedule, which has been The Challenge Fuerteventura long distance put together with almost military preci- triathlon at the weekend was held at the wrong sion. Playitas sports resort, where Lidbury was based However, he made a slight detour over for her winter training back in February. Lidbury said: “I was especially delighted to time to the weekend when he was invited to give post my first wire-to-wire win. I led out of the a talk by his sponsors Mannatech at their party, lads water in 25.03 (1,900m swim) which gave me annual US convention in Dallas. about a 90-second gap over the chasing girls. “As luck would have it, the Dallas “I opened the lead up to about four minutes on THERE CAN be no joy in life with- Marathon took place on the same the bike (2hr 39min for 56-mile course) and out despair in life. A paraphrase of weekend so I had to run in it, of course,” then went on to run a 1hr 27min half-marathon the quotation from French novel- said Steve. to take victory in 4:32.41, about three minutes ist Albert Camus, maybe, but it “I finished well within my target time clear of the runner-up, Britain’s Lucy Gossage.” contains an eternal truth. with 3:18:38, which I was pleased with Next up for Emma-Kate are the first European Swindon Town boss Paolo Di considering the humid and warm condi- 70.3 races of the season: Mallorca (May 12), Canio is the living embodiment of tions. that phrase at the moment. Switzerland (June 3) then UK (June 17). In his first managerial post, he “I also finished in the top 20 (19th) out “I’m feeling in good shape and excited for is five points clear at the top of of 690 finishers and took the second another strong season ahead,” she said. League Two with three games to prize in my age category. “Huge thanks to my sponsors – online bike play. He has claimed that this “So, now there just another 18 Challenge Fuerteventura Triathlon winner Emma-Kate Lidbury retailer Wiggle, Morris Owen Accountants and year has been the most satisfying marathons to go.” celebrates with mens’s race winner Rasmus Henning telecoms firm Virtua.” of his entire career. And yet on the eve of a poten- tially wonderful achievement, his mother Pierina passed away last Friday, just weeks after the death of his influential dad Ignazio. Paolo returned from his moth- er’s funeral in to learn that Rosco’s Robins make many of his players were out on a drinking binge into the early hours of Sunday morning. The squad may legitimately feel that only an extremely unlikely conflation of results can now prevent them from being promoted. it four out of four They may also have wanted to ‘wet the baby’s head’ after stand- the Bees, with Ed Kennett on a double- in captain Alan McCormack’s 54 partner gave birth to a daughter point tactical ride, were heading for a Swindon captain on Saturday afternoon, causing Bees 39 potentially game-changing 8-1 until Hans Andersen him to be a late withdrawal from SWINDON made it four wins in as team-mate Kenni Larsen’s bike also Picture: Ian Lewis the 1-0 victory over Plymouth. many Elite League meetings this sea- packed up. But their job is not yet done and son with an impressive 54-39 win over Instead of going into Heat 11 leading it was perhaps no coincidence Coventry at the Abbey on Monday. by one point (32-31),the Bees were that they turned in arguably their A bumper crowd, no doubt attracted seven points adrift at 35-28. poorest display of the season by the massive reduction in admission Then the Robins turned on the after- when being beaten by Aldershot prices for the clash which was tele- burners and topped off a stylish victo- on Tuesday evening. Any more vised live on Sky Sports, were sent performances like that could see ry when Andersen and home buzzing by a solid all-round teamed up for a maximum over Chris the title that they have so richly Robins display. deserved over the first 42 match- Harris and Nicholls in the last. es of the term snatched away Skipper Hans Andersen was at his SWINDON: Hans Andersen 14+1, from them by Shrewsbury. brilliant best with an unbeaten 14+1 Simon Stead 10+2,Peter Kildemand 9, Di Canio has preached disci- score, but everyone contributed valu- 7+1,Nick Morris 7, Troy pline and professionalism from able points. Batchelor 5+1,Robin Aspegren 2+1. the outset and has never Peter Kildemand kept up his spectac- COVENTRY: Eddie Kennett 10+1, wavered. One can only imagine ular scoring at reserve with nine points Chris Harris 9+1,Kenni Larsen 6, from three completed rides – and he the volcanic eruption the squad Aaron Summers 4+2, 4, faced on his return. was leading in his other race when he 4, 2. Four players, who played on crashed. Saturday, lost their places in the Andersen said: “I’m really pleased, a Sky Sports Elite League Tuesday starting line-up and there good score for myself but more impor- Swindon Robins 50 could be further repercussions. If tantly for the team. I were a loan player thinking my “I’m just getting back to enjoying my King’s Lynn Stars 43 future contract with Swindon was speedway again. It’s like a new start FORMER Swindon star Mads a shoo-in, I might not be feeling so Kornleliussen returned to the Abbey in comfortable now. for me with a new club and this team is really good. style with a four-ride maximum – but At least Gillingham FC and the it wasn’t enough to stop his old club Kent police having now settled “I felt good on the bike and I thought their differences, meaning the it was a good effort by the whole team. banking maximum Elite League points game on Saturday does not have Hopefully, we can keep it going now from the meeting last Thursday. to be played behind closed doors. we go into some away meetings.” No.1 suffered a host Instead, 1,400 travelling fans can The meeting produced some fine rac- of problems, but this was compensated celebrate possible promotion or ing for the fans and the TV audience. for by a double-figure haul from his the title win there, although the The turning points were in Heats 9 race partner Nick Morris and another big party will be reserved for the and 10. Coventry were heading for a 5- spectacular show from Peter final home game against Port Vale. 1in Heat 9 until the leader Scott Kildemand at reserve, the Dane miss- Two further asides. According Nicholls’ chain came off. In Heat 10, ing out in just one ride. to The Sun we now have much cooler music celebrity fans than Jamie Cullen with the revelation Cooke struggles that darlings of the indie rock scene, The Black Keys, have in watched Town this season, their Powell lands GP3 drive with tour manager being a diehard fan. JAMIE COOKE,Britain’s World And what do you know about will be moving up to the turbo charged car last week, and is now excellent pedigree in karting and junior Junior Champion from Shipton prolific non league striker Bill GP3 Series this season with Status Grand preparing for the first race in Barcelona on single-seaters. Oliffe, finished 25th at the third Hunt of Essex Senior League side Prix after securing sponsorship. May 13. Alice said: “I am delighted to “We’ve already seen she has good abili- Modern Pentathlon World Cup of Witham Town, who reportedly The 19-year-old former Cotswold School sign with Status for this year’s GP3 Series. ty as well as an excellent approach. She the year in Hungary on Sunday. scored a hat-trick recently when student joins the support “I have only had one test in the car, so I is an excellent addition to the team.” His GB team-mate Sam Weale, a being watched by Town scout? series after three seasons’ racing in the will be the least experienced driver, in All GP3 races will be shown live on the Beijing 2008 Olympian, came home UK in the Formula Renault 2.0 category in terms of seat time in the car, but I am Sky Sports F1 Channel. in 19th place. conjunction with Manor Competition. going to give it everything to get some The 2012 GP3 Series title will be fought Britain’s No.1 Nick Woodbridge In 2010, she won the BARC Formula good results this year.” out at eight Formula One Grand Prix failed to qualify for the final. The action now moves on to Renault title. Status GP team principle, Teddy Yip circuits across Europe, including the new Russia, where World Cup 4 gets Alice had her first test in the 280bhp added: “Alice comes to Status GP with an addition of a round at . underway in Rostov this morning (April 19).