Local triathletes shine at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Taupo, New Zealand
MOST of the local triathletes who took on the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Taupo, New Zealand, returned with smiles after strong performances.
Valeria Sesto and Natalie Green finished in the top 6% in the respective age categories.
Not far behind was Chris Harris, who secured a spot inside the top 8%, Tasha Cooper with a top 9% finish, and Sean Ward, who came in the top 12%.
Endurance racing can be unpredictable, and that was the case for Ted Ward and Simon Dearden. Ted delivered great swim and bike legs, but a severe stitch on the final leg meant he had to keep stopping. Despite the impairment, he still finished in the top 36%. Meanwhile, Dearden produced a personal best in the swim, but a mechanical during the ride ended his pursuit of the leaders before he finished the run for the experience.
Lymington Athletes founder and coach Valeria Sesto said: “I enjoyed this race so much. Everything about it was happy, relaxing and smooth. It was the least stressful triathlon event I’ve ever done.
“Yes, there were some hiccups, and I would have liked a higher placing. Yet the performance reflects my current level of fitness. And my level of tiredness.
“The conditions were perfect. Some might say too hot. Yet, for me, it was a big relief not to have the weather we have been having… if I get cold, it’s game over.
“I loved the bike more than anything, but the run was harder than expected – much hillier than I thought. To be in the top five or 10, you’ve got to arrive with no flaws in the preparation!”
Cooper crossed the line as the 10th-placed female in the 18-24 age category in a time of 4:54:36, Green secured 13th in the women’s 25-29 category with a time of 4:45:34, while Sesto’s 5:16:58 finish earned her the 15th-place position.
Harris crossed the line 23rd in the men’s 25-29 after 4:08:59, while Sean Ward was 37th in the 55-59 men’s category with a time of 4:52:19, with his son Ted crossing the line after 4:31:11, and after his mechanical, Dearden crossed the line in 5:17:42.
European Multisport Championships silver medallist Green said: “Ironman put on a great show, as you would expect for the 70.3 world championships, and it was wonderful to race alongside the best in the world representing our racing team, Peak Fitness Coaching, a local club.
“Producing my best swim and bike times over this distance to finish as the 34th female in the world is something I’m immensely proud of.
“Taupo couldn’t have been more impressive for our first 70.3 world championships, and we are excited for 2025.”
The athletes, most of whom train together in Lymington and the New Forest, raced in the 70.3 distance, half that of a traditional Ironman event. The event includes a 1.2-mile (1.9km) swim and a 56-mile (90km) bike ride before running 13.1 miles (21.1km).
Ted Ward said: “I swam well, completing the 1.9km in 00:23:17, coming out the water within the front few in my age group. I got onto the bike quickly and rode just over 40km per hour for a split of 2:14, a solid ride, however, a couple of minutes down from where I thought.
“I came off the bike feeling good; however, only a couple of km into the run, I suffered major stomach cramps; this prevented me from running a time I would be happy with.
“It was a disappointing day, but there was a lot to learn from and be happy with.”
The athletes were supported by the local – and now multinational – business Precision Nutrition & Hydration.
Local athlete Andy Blow started Precision Nutrition & Hydration in his shed and was recently named the official hydration provider on all European Ironman events.
“The day ended with dinner at the Precision house with the lovely bunch, taking carbohydrates,” added Sesto. “There was a lot of rice for those racing the next day!
“What a day, and what an experience!”
The event was highly competitive, with most participants finishing in the top three or above in their national event to qualify.
The event saw the women’s race on Saturday and the men’s the following day.
The athletes all train and race together, with some swimming sessions held at the Lymington Leisure centre and Hordle Cliffs while cycling in the New Forest and running along the Lymington sea wall.
After the event, former professional Ironman triathlete Scott DeFilippis, Sesto’s mentor, delivered heartfelt praise: “Your time in the sport has been so short, and your progress has been rather remarkable, to say the least.
“Not many pure runners are able to transition into a world-class triathlete like you have become, so I am proud of you as always!”
Although New Zealand has organised Ironman events for over 30 years, it will be the country’s first time hosting a world championship.
