With the first two events having taken place in quick succession, the Accenture Mixed Team Challenge has firmly made its mark on the triathlon scene, with a further four fantastic locations still to host the mixed-gender race series.

The Challenge, which was designed to encourage both beginner and seasoned triathletes to team up and take on the sport together, made its debut at Northumberland on Sunday 3 June. Druridge Bay Country Park hosted hundreds of competitors at the established event, eventually seeing Team Morgan come away with the title of top Accenture Mixed Team Challenge Relay trio, and Consett Steelers taking the honours as a tribe.

Fast-forward less than a week and the Challenge travelled south to Nottingham on 7 June, where it featured as part of the Accenture World Triathlon Mixed Relay event in the city centre.

Here, two-time Olympic Champion, Rebecca Adlington dusted off her swim hat and took to the water alongside two lucky competition winners, together making up the National Lottery Relay Team. It may have been her first taste of multi-sport action, but that didn’t stop Rebecca’s relay trio crossing the line ahead of the field and collecting top honours in the Accenture Mixed team Challenge.

Rebecca said: “It’s my first triathlon experience and I loved it. It was good fun and was great to be able to cheer my team members on once I’d finished my swim leg.”

Teammate Kelly, who took on the run leg to bring the team across the line, added: “It was great to hear the support for your teammates around the course – something we don’t get to experience when competing as an individual.”

The Accenture Mixed Team Challenge will make its next stop at the Morson Salford Triathlon on 29 July, before making its way to the AJ Bell London Triathlon on 4 August. A week later it appears at Glasgow’s Tri in the Park, before the event reaches a crescendo in London’s Canary Wharf on 5 September. All winning relay and tribe team members at each of the seven locations will receive a £100 voucher to spend in Wiggle, plus will be entered into a prize draw to win a top of the range bike to help them continue on in their triathlon journey.

For more information on the challenge and how to get involved, please visit britishtriathlon.org/accenturemtc

2018 Accenture Mixed Team Challenge Champions:

Northumberland:

Relay: Team Morgan - Beth Morgan, Jethro House, William James

Tribe: Consett Steelers – Karen Bousfield, Ian Pratt, Graham Robinson

Nottingham:

Relay: National Lottery Relay Team - Kelly Bennetts, Rebecca Adlington, Dean Weaver

Tribe: Becky Mason, Martin Fenton, Luke Lambert