The Lake Triathlon Series delivered its largest, fastest, and most competitive event of the summer on Wednesday evening, as a record field of over 70 finishers shattered previous course benchmarks during an action-packed Race Three at Cromhall Quarry. With the five-race series now past its halfway mark, the battle for the leaderboard has intensified dramatically ahead of the final rounds in August and September.
The intense athletic competition was matched by the gruelling mid-summer heatwave, with temperatures hovering around the 30°C mark as the race got underway. Under the evening sun, the climate placed an extra premium on physical endurance, making it imperative that athletes stayed hydrated before, during, and after conquering the demanding multi-sport disciplines.
The story of the night belonged to the influx of 39 first-time entries who injected blistering pace into the field despite the sweltering conditions. In the men’s division, series newcomer Alexandre Le Nouveau put on an absolute masterclass, tearing across the course to claim an authoritative outright victory with a phenomenal time of 1:00:17. He was hotly pursued by fellow series debutant Matt Hann, who locked down a superb second place just 90 seconds later.
Completing the newcomers’ podium sweep in third position was Tom Davies, crossing the line in 1:03:06. Davies, an accomplished ultra-endurance athlete who made history as the youngest person to cycle around the world at just 19 years old, took part in the event immediately after a day filming at The Lake. Having officially joined the presenting team at Global Triathlon Network (GTN) in June, he added an extra layer of excitement to an already stacked field.
In the women’s division, returning champion Penny Guess reclaimed her absolute crown. After winning Race 1 and taking second in Race 2, Guess delivered a brilliant performance to cross the line as the first female finisher and an astonishing sixth place overall across the entire mixed field in 1:12:27. The women’s podium showcased a perfect blend of fresh and familiar talent, as newcomer Megan Jenkins clinched second female, and returning favorite Kat Chichester Kaner claimed third female with a strong progression time of 1:17:44.
Despite the fierce new competition and the draining heat, the series’ returning regulars proved their grit by shaving valuable time off their personal bests. Race 2 winner Matthew Peters crossed the line in an impressive fourth place overall. Demonstrating remarkable progression, slicing another 39 seconds off his previous winning time. Meanwhile, Edward Bamford made a roaring return after skipping the second round, securing seventh place overall, while the metronomic Harry Bunting finally broke his historic eleventh-place deadlock to battle his way into the top ten, placing ninth overall.
“The energy at the quarry tonight was electric,” said Race Director Paul Breen.
“To see our highest turnout yet under such demanding conditions is a testament to the character of these competitors. Managing proper hydration and race pacing was the real challenge tonight, and our athletes handled it flawlessly.
“The inclusivity of our community environment combined with the growing standard of racing is creating something truly special here at The Lake.”
With three rounds safely in the books, The Lake Triathlon Series enters its defining phase. The pressure mounts as athletes look toward Race Four on 12th August, where tactical consistency and endurance under the late-summer sun will separate the championship contenders from the rest of the pack.
Everything will then culminate on Saturday, 12th September, for the series finale. With cumulative points and season-long rivalries coming to a head, the final curtain-closer promises to be an unmissable spectacle on the Gloucestershire sporting calendar.
The Lake Triathlon Series – Race 3 Results
| Place | Bib | Name | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 45 | Alexandre Le Nouveau 1M | 1:00:17 |
| 2 | 78 | Matt Hann 2M | 1:01:47 |
| 3 | 77 | Tom Davies 3M | 1:03:06 |
| 4 | 54 | Matthew Peters | 1:06:09 |
| 5 | 20 | Matthew Cooke | 1:10:57 |
| 6 | 35 | Penny Guess 1F | 1:12:27 |
| 7 | 5 | Edward Bamford | 1:12:38 |
| 8 | 64 | James Tarver | 1:12:53 |
| 9 | 12 | Harry Bunting | 1:13:41 |
| 10 | 19 | Cassius Clark | 1:14:15 |
| 11 | 8 | Andy Bichan | 1:15:11 |
| 12 | 39 | Megan Jenkins 2F | 1:15:14 |
| 13 | 33 | Oliver Glover-Wilson | 1:16:24 |
| 14 | 49 | Elias Marton-Browne | 1:17:39 |
| 15 | 17 | Kat Chichester Kaner 3F | 1:17:44 |
| 16 | 41 | Ben Kew | 1:18:03 |
| 17 | 22 | Ieuan Davies | 1:18:44 |
| 18 | 72 | Timothy Willis | 1:20:07 |
| 19 | 36 | frances Gurr | 1:20:15 |
| 20 | 51 | Dominic Middleton-Frith | 1:20:18 |
| 21 | 10 | Jason Boon | 1:20:22 |
| 22 | 14 | Annabel Cardno | 1:20:27 |
| 23 | 46 | Simon Marchant | 1:21:03 |
| 24 | 66 | Tomas Teslicka | 1:21:06 |
| 25 | 16 | Camilo Celis | 1:21:10 |
| 26 | 40 | Kate Jewkes | 1:21:20 |
| 27 | 55 | Matthew Prior | 1:22:07 |
| 28 | 34 | Tom Greenslade | 1:22:11 |
| 29 | 65 | Ian Telford | 1:23:00 |
| 30 | 11 | Dana Brintz | 1:23:25 |
| 31 | 23 | Luke Dennis | 1:23:33 |
| 32 | 18 | Ella Clark | 1:24:12 |
| 33 | 13 | Paul Burke | 1:24:21 |
| 34 | 4 | Tom Baker | 1:24:27 |
| 35 | 50 | Andy Mead | 1:24:46 |
| 36 | 43 | Roman Kubiak | 1:25:52 |
| 37 | 56 | Izzy Purvis | 1:25:59 |
| 38 | 30 | Gary Gayner | 1:26:01 |
| 39 | 27 | Will FitzDavis | 1:26:02 |
| 40 | 3 | Jonathan Austin | 1:26:05 |
| 41 | 15 | Steve Catterall | 1:26:07 |
| 42 | 2 | Hannah Asbridge | 1:26:30 |
| 43 | 37 | Matt Houghton | 1:26:43 |
| 44 | 9 | Elizabeth Bodmer | 1:27:04 |
| 45 | 7 | Rachel Beers | 1:27:17 |
| 46 | 71 | Carl Wilkowski | 1:27:54 |
| 47 | 48 | Daniel Marsh | 1:28:01 |
| 48 | 29 | Joss Ford | 1:29:07 |
| 49 | 76 | Sally Yu | 1:29:35 |
| 50 | 69 | Jason Underwood | 1:30:20 |
| 51 | 38 | Toby Jackson | 1:31:51 |
| 52 | 73 | Briony Wills | 1:31:58 |
| 53 | 63 | Ryan Stevens | 1:32:36 |
| 54 | 24 | Mary Derrick | 1:33:10 |
| 55 | 32 | Mitchell Geer | 1:33:19 |
| 56 | 60 | Lucy Roberts | 1:33:24 |
| 57 | 1 | Miguel Alvarez | 1:33:48 |
| 58 | 70 | Tabitha Walton | 1:34:18 |
| 59 | 52 | Bill Neary | 1:34:53 |
| 60 | 68 | Alice Thomson | 1:35:19 |
| 61 | 62 | Tris Seabrook | 1:35:26 |
| 62 | 59 | Eleri Riglar | 1:36:12 |
| 63 | 28 | Kitty FitzDavis | 1:38:49 |
| 64 | 44 | Be Levionnois | 1:39:44 |
| 65 | 21 | Matthew Curtis | 1:40:14 |
| 66 | 6 | David Batchelor | 1:41:56 |
| 67 | 53 | David Needham | 1:42:51 |
| 68 | 58 | David RANSOM | 1:43:43 |
| 69 | 42 | Carol Kiekuth | 1:44:39 |
| 70 | 31 | Philippa Geer | 1:52:59 |
| 71 | 57 | Dusan Rabek | 1:57:05 |
