LAST weekend was an important one in the Triathlon calendar with the first of the 2004 Madeira World Championship Age Group Qualification races being held in Milton Keynes and Salford, Manchester.

Lee Perry, of Team Tri UK Gatorade racing at Salford, the venue for the 2002 Commonwealth Games triathlon, was the first to secure qualification by virtue of finishing 12th overall and fifth in the 30-39 male age category.

Perry had a difficult swim discipline finally exiting the water in 22 minutes and 41 seconds for the 1500m.

The 40K bike section brought him back into touch with the leaders and his customary fast 10K run finish pushed him up into 12th spot overall.

Teammate Anthony Wilson, competing at Milton Keynes in the 20-24 age category, continued his excellent recent form by finishing second in his age group in an overall time of 2.04.41.

This placed him 36th overall and comfortably ensuring a place in Madeira.

The Peopleton man produced impressive swim and bike sections before finishing the 10K in a little over 37 minutes.

Phil Parsons was also racing at Milton Keynes on Sunday when he was disappointed to finish in an over-all time of 2.07.02 placing him 59th overall and 11th in his age category.

Parsons will now attempt to qualify at one of the next two qualification races at Gullane in Scotland or Bala in Wales.

In last Sunday's Bredon Triathlon, other local triathletes competed over the slightly different 1200m swim, 50K bike and 10K run course.

David Granger from Norton completed the course in an overall time of 2.28.05 to finish 22nd overall, while Paul Courtenay of the Prison Service Tri Team finished just behind Granger in 23rd (2.29.05).

Next weekend sees the second outing this season for 'Team Michelle'.

The three local ladies will be competing in all three team races at the London Triathlon.

On Saturday they will be racing first in the Super Sprint Team Event and then later the same day in the Team Sprint Relay - an event they won last year.

They then return to action on Sunday in the Olympic distance Team Relay.

This year's event has attracted up to 6,000 competitors across the six senior race categories and, for the first time, will also feature a range of junior races.