Return of the British Triathlon Super Series
The British Triathlon Super Series returned to the calendar over the week-end offering high-quality draft-legal races for Britain’s top Senior / Junior / Youth performers Llanelli, South Wales on Saturday (14 May).
Over 300 athletes bathed in the glorious sunshine of South Wales as they began preparation to race the Super Series first event of the calendar year at Llanelli Multisport Festival hosted by British Triathlon.
This was an opportunity for enthusiastic triathletes to compete against other high-performing athletes of their age. There were lots on offer in terms of series points for the overall title of British Super Series Champion and places up for grabs in the selection process for upcoming international championships.
The elite youth started off the proceedings on Saturday morning featuring Britain’s top young performers racing over a super sprint distance of 375m swim, 12km bike and 2.5km run.
Youth
Much to play for in the Youth category as they battled it it out for selection to the team heading to the European Youth Olympic Festival in Slovakia in July.
Deri McCluskey won the Tier 1 Youth Male race to earn maximum points in Youth B, with Alex Dack securing the Youth A victory, after Finley Bruce had won the earlier Tier 2 race.
Youth A athlete Lauren Mitchell continued her impressive start to her debut Super Series with victory in the Female Youth race ahead of Millie Breese, who was the first Youth B athlete across the line.
Mixed Junior and Senior
Next up was the combined junior and senior races over the Sprint distance of 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run distance. The Junior athletes competing for a spot on the team to represent Great Britain at the European Junior Championships in Poland at the end of May.
In the junior and senior male tier 1 race, Connor Bently was the senior winner making his move on the second half of the run to secure the senior win, 10 seconds ahead of Hamish Reilly with Iestyn Harrett third.
Amongst the senior battle and the race for the overall race win, there was also the battle to earn points in the Junior Super Series with Joe Sherman holding off the challenge of Osian Perrin on the run to take the junior win.
In the male junior and senior tier 2 race, senior athlete Thomas Dalgarno claimed the win, crossing the line eight seconds ahead of Henry Bramwell-Reeks, who finished just ahead of Frederik Staal.
Similar to how the other races had unfolded earlier in the day, the battle for victory in the female junior and senior race came down to the run.
Iona Miller was the Senior female winner having the speed and strength over the 5km to claim the race win and the series points, passing Daisy Davies as they ran along the Millennium Coastal Path for the final time, with Davies second and Jess Fullagar third.
Bethany Cook was the first junior athlete to finish, securing maximum points, ahead of defending Junior Super Series champion Lizzy Edge.
Paratriathlon
Paratriathlon was in the spotlight as a prelude of what to expect when the World Triathlon Para Series comes to Swansea in August, with the first of two Welsh stages in this year’s British Triathlon Paratri Super Series.
World and European champion Dave Ellis and his guide followed-up their win at last month’s British Paraduathlon Championships – the first race of the Paratri Super Series – with victory in the men’s PTVI in Llanelli.
Victory in the men’s PTS5 went to Michael Sailsbury, while there were also maximum points for Megan Richter and Finley Jakes who were victorious in the women’s and men’s PTS4 races, respectively.
London 2012 and Rio 2016 Paralympian Mel Nicholls was the women’s PTWC winner in her first paratriathlon event, with Bret Crossley winning the men’s equivalent.
Jack Howitt and Felix Barrow also claimed maximum points in the men’s PTS2 and PTS3, respectively.
What’s up next
The British Triathlon Super Series heads to Leeds on 11th June in the Senior Super Series, with Aquathlon Lochore Meadows the next event for Youth & Junior athletes on 19th June. The British Paratriathlon Championships at Eton Dorney is the next event in the Paratri Super Series on 16th July.
