Southport Triathlon not only hosted the opportunity to become a Triathlon England national champion, but also represented a chance for athletes to qualify for the Great Britain Age-Group team.

On Sunday 20 May, Southport Marina in North West England played host to around 1000 triathlon competitors over the sprint and standard distance, with the races a key date on the GB Age-Group calendar for those eyeing up qualification for the 2018 ITU Standard Distance Triathlon Championships or the 2019 ETU Sprint Distance Triathlon Championships. Additionally the country's top university students battled it out with the event also including the BUC's standard distance championships.

Triathlon England Home Nation members racing for the national title competed over the over the 1.5km (run), 40km (bike), 10km (run) standard distance triathlon format.

Event Overview 

Steph Banns (30-34) came home as the first female finisher in a time of 2:14:32, just over minute quicker than Rachel Wiseman (35-39) in second who earlier this month had won the duathlon national championships at Clumber Park. Steph commented "It was such a well organised event, and having competed in the race last year, it was great to come back and take the title."

In the men's race there was a dramatic finish between James Cox (30-34) and Nick Martin (25-29), who finished neck and neck with the same time of 1:58:38. Despite James building his lead in the swim and bike, Nick produced a blistering 33:07 over the 10km run to tie the race. Both men are looking forward to challenging for more National Championship medals at THORPE PARK on 3 June for the sprint triathlon championships, before heading to Yorkshire for the AJ Bell World Triathlon Leeds the following weekend.

Matthew Nelson, competing in the BUCS Standard Triathlon Championships for the University of Hull, took the gold medal in the 25-29 age-group, with the fastest time of the day in 1:50:43; Bronwen Owen (Leeds Beckett University) was the fastest female, and took the BUCS gold in 2:07:13.

Full event results can be found here.

2018 Triathlon England Standard Distance Triathlon Champions