Domestically, the British Triathlon Super Series has provided triathletes with the opportunity to experience high level, competitive racing since it first began as the Corus Elite Series back in 2007.
The Super Series has become the proving ground for elite triathletes who have gone on to represent Britain in both short course and long course triathlon including two-time Olympic Champion Alistair Brownlee, Olympic Champions Georgia Taylor-Brown and Alex Yee, as well as long course stars Holly Lawrence and David MacNamee.
Here we take a look at three of British Triathlon’s current World Class Programme athletes who raced their way through the Super Series.
Alex Yee
A double Olympic Games medallist, Alex Yee’s triathlon journey started out in the Inter-Regional Championships where he finished in 16th back in 2011. In 2013, a year on from being inspired by the London 2012 Olympic Games, he made his Super Series debut finishing sixth in the youth category. The following year he stepped up to the overall series podium finishing second.
He raced twice in 2015 as a junior in the Super Series and made his international debut finishing second at 2015 Holten ETU Triathlon Junior European Cup. In 2016 he raced another two times in the Super Series while becoming Junior World Champion.
His involvement in racing at a domestic level began to decrease, but the experiences stood with him as he moved onto the senior international stage. Since his senior elite debut in 2018, he has gone onto become one of the sports standout stars, winning World Triathlon Championship Series races across the world as well as a silver and gold medal the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Yee was the first male athlete selected by Team GB for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Sophie Coldwell
As a senior athlete, Sophie Coldwell has gone from strength –to-strength and in 2023 claimed her first World Triathlon Championship Series win, standing on the top step of the podium in Yokohama.
The basis for that win was set years ago in the British Triathlon Super Series as a youth athlete. In her debut season in 2010 she finished fourth overall and was on the podium on three occasions. The following year she won four of six races to be named overall series winner.
Coldwell made her debut as a junior athlete in 2012 and finished fifth overall, claiming two race victories in the process. She also debuted on the international stage finishing fourth at 2012 Quarteira ETU Triathlon Junior European Cup before helping the British team win a bronze medal at in the women’s youth relay at the European Championships.
In 2013 she was the top junior again domestically, and raced in the senior series as well, even securing a bronze medal in Liverpool. 2014 saw her continue her domestic success, winning the series again for a third straight time and excelling on the international stage with a gold medal at 2014 Geneva ETU Triathlon Junior European Cup.
She moved up to seniors in 2015 and was on the top step of the podium thanks to a win in Liverpool at the second round of the season. She also won an elite women’s medal at 2015 Madrid ETU Triathlon European Cup. Coldwell never looked back from what was her last season racing domestically in the Super Series and has since gone on to become a race winner around the world and a Commonwealth Games gold medallist as Team England claimed gold in the mixed team relay at Birmingham 2022.
Connor Bentley
Connor Bentley’s competitive triathlon journey started in the TriStar 3 category in 2014 where he finished sixth. A year later he improved his position and finished fourth overall, coming just behind now World Class Programme teammate Dan Dixon.
In 2016, he raced in the Super Series for the first time, coming eighth in the youth category with his best result being a fourth-place finish in Leeds. He took his first Super Series race win in 2017 and followed it up with his second victory just three races later. He finished that season in third place overall.
Bentley moved up to the Junior Super Series in 2018 and was on the podium in his first race in his new age group. He ended the season in fifth place overall and was part of the Mixed relay team that won gold at 2018 Loutraki ETU Triathlon Youth European Championships Festival in his debut international race.
He raced for the first time individually on the international scene the following season, unfortunately recording a DNF at 2019 Holten ETU Triathlon Junior European Cup while racing twice domestically to finish 17th overall. Following the Covid-19 hit season he progressed to international racing and became U23 World Champion in 2022 before helping Team GB win a silver medal in the mixed team relay at the 2023 European Games.
To follow in the footsteps of our World Class Programme athletes, sign up for the British Triathlon Super Series Performance Assessments here.
