Great Britain’s paratriathletes took on 2023 World Triathlon Para Cup A Coruna with vital ranking points on offer ahead of next summer’s Paralympic Games.

One of the seven strong team was Dave Ellis, who claimed a gold medal in the PTVI category alongside his guide Luke Pollard, coming home almost five minutes clear of second placed Jose Luis Garcia Serrano of Spain.

Ellis said: “My reflections are that A Coruna is a much nicer place when it’s not wet and windy!

“I really enjoyed the race, we had a decent crowd out watching too which helped to motivate and push me to deliver a good performance.

“It was good to get some decent points on the Paralympic qualification board as well.”

Joining Ellis as a race winner in Spain was Claire Cashmore who claimed gold in the PTS5 category, crossing the line over six minutes clear of her nearest rival. Cashmore was happy to get a full triathlon under her belt after last month’s European Championships, which she won, was changed to a duathlon.

She said: “I’m really happy to have crossed the line in first position and it’s nice to see the hard work over the winter has paid off.

“My performance was pretty good, it’s great to feel what it feels like to race a triathlon again. It was my first triathlon of the season after the Europeans were changed to a duathlon, so it was great to have a swim again.”

Another one of the medallists in A Coruna was Louis Rolfe. Competing at the event for the first time, Rolfe put a “tough” swim behind him to come third in the PTS2 category.

He said: “Where I’m at right now, I couldn’t have gone harder or done anything differently.

“I knew with it being my first proper international triathlon the swim was going to be tough. It proceeded to be very tough. I was last coming out of the water and was overtaken by other classes, so I know that is something I need to work on in the future.

“I was really happy with how I recovered after, getting onto the bike leg I knew I had to put in a decent stint, so I was making up for lost time on the swim.

“I think I came away with the fastest bike leg. I went hard on the bike so I could control it on the run. I had nothing left on the run, it was more survival mode more than anything. I was in no position to push forward but I was still happy with how I finished it off.”

The trio are now focusing on 2023 World Triathlon Para Series Swansea and are excited by the chance to compete on home soil.

Cashmore explained: “It’s really exciting heading to Swansea. I think having the home crowd is going to be fantastic.

“Having a race on home soil where you just have to travel down the road is going to be nice and hopefully the Swansea sun is shining again for us this year.”

Rolfe added: “It’s pretty cool going to Swansea. Last year I did the Super Series, so it’s going to be cool going back a year later in the World Series race.

“I am looking forward to putting into practise what I learned in A Coruna and hopefully having another successful result.”

Ellis finished by saying: “I’m feeling really good ahead of Swansea, that was a solid race [in A Coruna] and if I can carry on this upward trajectory in form to Swansea I should have a really good race there.”

The 2023 World Triathlon Para Series gives you the chance to see the best Paratriathletes in the world compete for vital paralympic ranking points ahead of next summer’s games. The event is free for spectators, providing them the chance to experience everything that swim, bike, run has to offer.

Learn more about 2023 World Triathlon Para Series Swansea here.

Images by KSport Media