ULVERSTON Triathlon Club have been celebrating more brilliant performances – both at home and abroad.

A record entry took part in UTC’s first club triathlon of the year on Sunday, while several experienced members took on the inaugural Lakesman triathlon this month and pulled off some excellent results.

The Keswick-based event saw competitors take on a 2.4-mile swim in Derwentwater, followed by a 112-mile bike ride along the West Cumbrian coast and then a marathon in the picturesque Lakeland countryside.

Darren Eccles led the UTC contingent home in an excellent time of 11 hours, 45 minutes and 56 seconds. He was followed by Paul McKenny in (12:04:25), with Euan McKinnon (12:12:21), Paul Dewar (12:17:23) and Ian Flynn (12:23:19) next over the line.

Also doing the club proud were Steven Tyson, Paul Bayman, Tom Southward, Iain Smith-Ward, Susan Bennett, Ken Lamb and Marcus Chapman.

Further afield, UTC’s off-road triathlon specialist Renell Brennan finished a brilliant third in the XTerra European Championships in Switzerland – an event she described as the “toughest race she has ever done” due to the difficult conditions.

The 46-year-old Walney School teacher qualified for the championships after winning the 45-49 age category for Great Britain in the first XTerra off-road and trail European Race Series trace of the year held in Malta in April.

Sunday’s UTC club event at Ulverston Leisure Centre saw beginners take on the short course race while more experienced triathletes tested their skills on the long course.

The short course consisted of a 250m swim (10 lengths of the pool), followed by a a 16km coast road bike ride to Aldingham and back, and then a 4km run.

The men’s race was won by Paul Singleton in 52 minutes, 32 seconds, while Fiona Mashiter triumphed in the women’s race in 59:21. The long course race consisted of a 600m swim (24 lengths) followed by a 36km cycle ride to Roose roundabout and back and then an 8km run.

Grant Ormerod flew round the course in one hour, 38 minutes and 59 seconds, and Kristina Jackson was first over the line in the women’s race in 2:00:32.

Entry numbers were swelled due to the event being run in conjunction with a special Go For Jo race to cater for the family and friends of former Evening Mail journalist Jo-anne Davies.

Jo, who died of cancer last August aged 38, penned several articles about the award-winning Ulverston Tri Club in her role as a features writer, so the club’s committee were more than happy to do something to help Jo’s Appeal – the charity set up in her memory.

Jo’s husband Matt, one of several to compete in the race in her memory, said: “It was a great day. Everyone got round the course and seemed to enjoy the challenge!

“There was great support and camaraderie from start to finish.

“Big thanks to Ulverston Tri Club for helping Jo’s Appeal by allowing us to compete in their event – it’s a great gesture.”

Upcoming events in the UTC calendar include a Lakeland Ladies Sprint Triathlon on August 14, and the club’s second part of the club’s sprint triathlon on September 11.

The club’s Tri England qualified coaches are also running six weeks of Try a Tri sessions aimed at novices and beginners, leading to entry into the aforementioned Ladies Tri in August.

Each week will comprise of the following sessions: Tuesday 7pm; running at the Furness Academy track Barrow; Thursday 8.45pm; swimming at Ulverston Leisure Centre; Saturday 9am; bike from Siemens Car Park, Sandside Road, Ulverston.

For more information see https://ulverstontriclub.com

Lakesman UTC results: Darren Eccles (age group, 35-39); Paul McKenny (50-54) 12:04:25; Euan McKinnon (40-44) 12:12:21; Paul Dewar (50-54) 12:17:23; Ian Flynn (35-39) 12:23:19; Steven Tyson (50-54) 12:31:01; Paul Bayman (40-44) 12:58:06; Tom Southward (30-34) 13:10:16; Iain Smith-Ward (45-49) 13:16:49; Susan Bennett (45-49) 13:30:24; Ken Lamb (50-54) 13:43:38; Marcus Chapman (45-49) 13:58:40.