After decades on his bucket list, Eric Lagerstrom (USA) finally took part in iconic race Escape from Alcatraz off the coast of San Francisco yesterday (Sunday 7 June) – and won. Click Here: Juventus soccer tracksuit Advertisement The women’s pro race was also won by a debutante – Australia’s Ashleigh Gentle, more often seen racing the ITU World Triathlon Series, who won silver at WTS Yokohama last month behind Gwen Jorgensen (USA) in one of her career-best performances. More than 2,000 athletes took part in this year’s race, starting with a 2.4km open-water swim from the infamous penitentiary of Alcatraz Island to the shoreline of Marina Green, followed by a…

Germany’s Ironman world champion Sebastian Kienle won on home soil yesterday, while Britain’s David McNamee managed to secure bronze at Ironman 70.3 Kraichgau. Advertisement German Jens Roth exited the water at the Lake Hardtsee in 24:05mins, nine seconds ahead of the strong swimmer Andreas Boecherer. Kienle was in 10th place and left the water in 24:27mins, lost some time in transition, but then hammered his way back to the front on the hilly bike course. Boecherer made an early and decisive move but struggled a bit on the run, while Kienle managed to ignore the high temperatures and hard bike ride. After an impressive bike split of 2:08:45 he ran…

With more than 90 iron-distance triathlons in the bank, British age-grouper Anthony Gerundini is gunning to break the 100 mark – and hopes to do it with The Bastion at Hever Castle Triathlon next month. Advertisement >>> Six questions to ask yourself before going ultra-long Gerundini, 46, has won some famously tough races in the past few years including the Double Brutal in north Wales last year and the Deca-Enduroman back in 2012. He managed sixth at The Bastion last year, crossing the line in 11:44:09. “If all goes to plan, I hope to get to 100 at The Bastion triathlon,” he says. “I have currently done 91 so have…

Challenge is planning to launch a new flagship race in Galway, Ireland in June 2016, featuring a range of distances and formats including full, half, women-only and kids’ races. Advertisement Challenge Galway will take place on 24-26 June in a UNESCO Global Geopark, and two-time Ironman world champion Chris ‘Macca’ McCormack has already signed up. Sound good? You can pre-register from today (8 June) 2015, and entries will open on 21 June 2015. Challenge Family CEO Zibi Szlufcik says the new race “captures the true essence of Ireland, and the bike course in particular is absolutely spectacular”. Click Here: cheap converse classic chuck shoes McCormack added: ““It’s exciting we finally…

Two new Ironman 70.3 races have been announced for the Middle East: Bahrain will host the 70.3 Middle East Championship this December, and Dubai will host a middle-distance triathlon in early 2016. Advertisement Bahrain will offer 40 age-group qualification slots for the 2016 Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Sunshine Coast, Australia, while Dubai will offer 30 spots. “We are delighted to be able to establish Ironman 70.3 races in the Gulf region that is an emerging hotbed for triathlon,” said Andrew Messick, CEO of Ironman. “Besides having passionate triathletes, Bahrain and Dubai have demonstrated an extraordinary ability to host great events. We are looking forward to working with our partners…

Challenge Bahrain is set to take place on 20 November 2015 as the Nasser Bin Hamad Triple Crown Grand Final – with the winners to become triathlon’s first instant millionaires. Advertisement This year’s race will also be the ‘world’s first half-distance night triathlon’, according to the organisers. The swim will take place as the sun sets over Bahrain’s spectacular skyline, and the athletes will complete the bike and run in the dark along a well-lit course. “We are delighted to announce Challenge Bahrain 2015 under the direction of new general manager, Mikel Calahorra,” said Challenge Family CEO, Zibi Szlufcik. “We have no doubt that Challenge Bahrain will again set new…

We’ve got details of the bike route for next year’s Challenge Galway – and it looks like it’ll be a stunner. Advertisement The course sends athletes out of T1 from Oranmore to Clarinbridge Estuary – the easternmost point of Galway Bay – and joins the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland’s longest defined coastal touring route. Presenting some of the most breathtaking scenery anywhere in the world, the organisers describe it as a picture postcard of Ireland. Riders can enjoy spectacular scenery through The Burren & Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark.  Corkscrew Hill, Ireland As they climb the switchbacks of ‘Corkscrew Hill’, riders will be rewarded with views over the Burren…

Hurrah it’s open-water swimming season again! The water’s warming up – slowly – and we think it’s time to winnow out some of this country’s best wild swimming spots. Advertisement So we’ve asked the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond Association, authors of Wild Swimming Walks (Wild Things Publishing, £14.99), to share their favourite country walks with us – each one featuring a recommended wild swim… Click Here: racing 92 rugby jersey >>> 220’s guide to the UK’s best open-water swimming venues Shepreth to Cambridge, Cambridgeshire Maps: OS Landranger 154 (Cambridge & Newmarket) or OS Explorer 209 (Cambridge).  A 9.5 mile walk. From Shepreth train station, follow the signposted footpaths through Barrington, Harston,…

With just days to go until the 2015 Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research Blenheim Palace Triathlon, Prime Minister David Cameron has sent a personal message to everyone taking part, and voiced his support for the drive to beat blood cancer. Advertisement Prime Minister David Cameron, whose constituency of Witney includes Blenheim Palace, says: “There are few things more distressing than being diagnosed with cancer and, while survival rates are improving, there is so much more to do. My Government will not stop until Britain is the best place in Europe to survive cancer and organisations like Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research play a crucial role in achieving this goal with its compassionate…

Are you one of the 7,000 expected to race Blenheim Palace Triathlon this weekend? Feeling ready? 220 will be there, both racing and manning a subs’ stand, come and say hi! Advertisement Age-group events taking place are the super-sprint (400m/13km/3km) and sprint on both days (13/14 June), sprint team relay on Saturday, and youth super-sprint on Sunday. The hardiest 20 souls will also be tackling the Weekend Warrior challenge of as many races as they can manage over the course of the weekend. The British Super Series get underway on Sunday (14 June), when elites including Mark Buckingham, Lestyn Harrett, Emma Pallant, Alice Sharpe and Sophie Coldwell will shoot for the podium…