The weekend's Duathlon World Championships in Affoltern, Switzerland left Bermuda's Lyn Patchett wondering what might have been as she succumbed to the extreme weather conditions that decimated the women's field.

The female age groups got underway at 7.30 a.m. in 48 degree temperatures and wind and rain that had competitors shivering even before the start.

Patchett produced an excellent first hilly 10km run, entering transition in third place in 38.52. She was just behind Great Britain's Collette O'Neill who is known to Bermuda's triathletes as she won the Island's Shell Triathlon in early July when on a visit.

Patchett had an impressive first 8km lap in 17 minutes and 26 seconds on the very technical and hilly 40km bike course as she past O'Neill and began to open up a gap.

But on the second lap it all started to go wrong as the effects of the cold in the wet and windy conditions left Patchett shivering uncontrollably and barely able to change gear as as her body temperature dropped.

By the last of the five laps Patchett's lap time had dropped to 21.17 and she had fallen back to fourth. She entered transition totally disorientated, stumbling and unable to find her bike rack. After several minutes and despite the pleas of the Bermuda spectators and marshals Patchett left transition on the 5km run and remarkably found the energy to finish sixth in her age group in 2.42.39. Over 30 women competitors failed to finish the race succumbing to the cold.

Patchett showed enough to suggest that she has the ability to take overall honours in her age group at this level of competition and her failure to finish on the podium was a bitter blow after an outstanding season that saw her finish first woman overall at the Canadian Duathlon Championships.

Wrapped in blankets and still shivering an hour after the race she clearly felt that she had some unfinished business and said she was likely to be back at next year's championships.

Bermuda also had two competitors in the mens field and Ricky Sousa was next to go, doing well in a very competitive 40-44 age group.

The quality of the field was reflected in the fact that his 35.43 run time on the hilly 10km first run was only the 24th fastest. Sousa also suffered in the cold on the bike as his chest tightened up and he struggled on the final 5km run. His final time of 2.21.47 was good enough for 26th out of 82 competitors.

The delayed start of the men's 25-29 age group certainly favoured Bermuda's final competitor, Evan Naude, as the sun came out and the temperature climbed significantly.

Naude was well positioned in ninth place after the first run which he completed in a fast 32.46. He fell back on the bike with a time of 1.18.56 - 23rd fastest - but bounced back on the second 5km run as he recorded a time of 18.09. That was sixth fastest and finished a creditable 15th overall in his age group in 2.12.30.