THREE athletes from Malvern Triathlon Club tested their skills in the Ironman UK event in Bolton.
It challenges participants to a 2.4-mile open water swim, a 112-mile cycle and a full 26.2-mile marathon.
The bike and run routes on the course were hilly, and the weather was a mix of sun and rain.
Neill Williamson, competing in the men’s 55 to 59-year-old age group, had to withdraw during the bike ride.
Rupert Needham, in the men’s 45 to 49-year-old section, completed the challenge in 14hrs, 8mins and 4secs while Chris ‘Grubby’ Grubb – in the men’s 40 to 44-year-old category – finished in a time of 10hrs 38mins 23secs, which gained him third place.
Three of the club’s triathletes took part in the Ironman Staffordshire 70.3 event – a 1.2-mile open water swim, a 56-mile cycle, and a 13.1-mile half-marathon.
Andrew Rickard, competing in the men’s 45 to 49-year-old category, completed it in seven hours, ten minutes and 52secs which included a stoppage when a fellow competitor crashed – he showed true sportsmanship to help.
Stephen Clarke raced in the men’s 50 to 54-year-old age group and finished in a time of six hours, 12mins and 51secs.
Arguably the most impressive performance came from Vikki Sivertsen who, competing in the women’s 55 to 59-year-old age group, took first place in her category with a time of five hours, 44mins and 13secs.
