2025 Race Report
The 2025 event marked a triumphant return to the Welsh capital, where crowds gathered along the finish line, set against the striking backdrop of the Wales Millennium Centre. Rising to match the grandeur of the setting, the athletes delivered outstanding performances in this superb closed-road race.
In addition to acting as an age group qualifier, the event also featured Stage 3 of the Welsh Triathlon Super Series (standard distance) and served as the National Championship for the 70.3 race.
Legend Triathlon
In the female category, Connie Fearnley had the fastest swim split in 30:58, but it was Abbey Van Dijk’s 34:00 that kept her among the front-runners. Princess Shaddick took the lead on the bike with a scorching 2:31:34 leg, the fastest among women all day, gaining 3.5 minutes on Van Dijk.
On the run, Van Dijk unleashed a decisive 1:26:19 half-marathon, an elite-level split, that overturned the deficit and secured the win. Shaddick’s 1:32:30 was strong but only enough to claim 2nd place. Joanna Matthews posted a great bike time of 2:40:27 but lost significant time on the run with 2:08:46, claiming her the 3rd spot on the podium.
In the Open category, Ryan James led out of the water in 32:55, 1.5 mins ahead of Robin Jones (34:34). Jamie Lloyd was slower at 40:56, exiting in 8th. Jones hammered the 90 km bike leg in 2:16:51, one of the fastest of the day, overtaking James and building a nearly 5-minute lead. James stayed steady with 2:21:55, while Lloyd made up ground with 2:26:19. Jones sealed his win on the run with a 1:26:30 half-marathon; consistent and unchallenged. James struggled slightly with 1:32:19 but retained second. Lloyd posted a near-matching 1:26:44, but his earlier swim gap proved too wide to close, securing his third place on the podium.
Standard Triathlon
The female standard triathlon race was highly competitive, particularly among the top finishers. The lead was closely contested between Nina Morris Evans and Emily Hanlon during the swim and bike legs. Nina overtook Emily decisively on the run. This was the critical turning point in the race. Despite Emily’s lead out of T2, Nina’s superior run sealed the win. During the bike section Hayley Wells was outstanding here: 1:06:45 – the fastest overall bike split among the top finishers – moving her up the leaderboard. Emma Palfrey delivered a consistent performance across all three disciplines, securing a well-earned third place overall.
The open race began fast, with Matt Grantham and Oliver Simon emerging virtually together from the water. These two immediately positioned themselves as the early race leaders. A small chase group, including James Green and Ross Hosking, trailed closely behind. The bike leg was where serious time gaps began forming; Oliver Simon surged ahead with a blistering 59:38 bike split — the fastest among the top finishers, Matt Grantham kept close with 1:01:43. Gruffudd Lewis made a huge leap here, riding a lightning-fast 57:32 (the fastest bike split overall), moving up from outside the top swim times into podium contention. Onto the run section — the decisive part of the race. Matt Grantham delivered a phenomenal 29:35 run, the fastest of the day, allowing him to regain the lead and claim victory for the fifth consecutive year, having won the Standard distance event every year since 2019. Oliver Simon ran a solid 32:14, but it wasn’t enough to hold off Grantham. James Green posted a strong 31:22 to secure his place on the podium. Meanwhile, Zachary Beddows (U20) impressed with a swift 30:50 run, propelling him into the top 10 overall.
Sprint Duathlon
The Sprint Duathlon began at 7:05 under the start gantry with 41 athletes.
In the open race, Adam Townsend surged ahead early with 7:25 in run 1 the fastest by a wide margin. The closest chasers were Louis Ansfield (8:23), Ollie George (8:05), and Gareth Medd (8:28). Onto the bike section Adam remained dominant with a 31:36 split. Louis and Niall stayed competitive (32–34 min), while Gareth Medd posted a respectable 35:50. Moving onto the last run Adam clocked 15:24, not the fastest, but efficient enough to secure his win. Behind him, the fight for 2nd and 3rd was tighter, with Louis Ansfield and Niall Boxhall trading seconds but never quite closing the gap to the leader.
The female Sprint Duathlon was firmly dominated by Tamara Beach, whose unmatched speed on both running legs set her apart from the competition. After resolving a timing mat issue, the official results were updated to confirm Tamara as the clear winner. Laura Davies stayed close during the cycling segment but was unable to match Tamara’s pace on the final run. Isobel Dawson secured third place with consistent performance and steady composure throughout the race. Other Notable Female Performances: Emma Edwards (F50+) delivered an impressive performance, finishing 4th overall with a time of 1:23:30, and celebrated her 50th birthday by winning her age group.
Sprint Triathlon
It was a tight battle from the start, with Rosie May-Bennett coming out of the water first in 14:10, but Amy Edwards wasn’t far behind at 14:45.
On the bike Edwards powered through, clocking 36:45, and almost overtook May-Bennett. The two were neck-and-neck coming into T2.
A strong 21:22 run helped May-Bennett hold off Edwards, who finished just 6 seconds behind. Sims, the third-place finisher, couldn’t quite close the gap despite a solid effort, taking third in 1:19:32.
Daniel Rees led the swim in the Open category, with an impressive 11:02, putting him in the perfect position going into T1. Jordan Clarke followed closely at 12:11, and Iwan Jones came in at 13:45. Jones and Clarke made their moves on the bike leg. Jones clocked 31:57, just 5 seconds faster than Clarke’s 32:02, but Rees was slightly slower, finishing the bike leg in 36:35.
Clarke dominated the run though, with 16:19, a pace that saw him pull away and finish in 1:01:50. Jones finished his run in 17:37, but despite a strong effort, he couldn’t catch Clarke. Rees stayed with the top pack, finishing two minutes behind Jones in 1:07:38.
Super-Sprint Triathlon
In the Super-Sprint Triathlon, Grace Cargill wasted no time, exiting the water in 09:32, one of the fastest swims in both the Open & Female categories. Alexandra Moorhouse was hot on her heels with 09:30, but lost time in T1 and the bike. Kate Howe’s 22:59 bike split was strongest among the women. However, Grace’s smooth transitions and balanced effort allowed her to hold position. Grace finished strong with a 12:59 run split, the only sub‑13 (minute female run) to seal her wire-to-wire win. Moorhouse and Howe fought for the remaining podium spots, but Kate’s faster bike gave her the edge, securing her second place.
Nigel Paddy Jones led the Open category early with a blazing 08:53 swim, just ahead of Stuart Lally and Scott Cargill. Jones was untouchable on the bike, clocking 18:11, over 30 seconds faster than the next competitor. Lally stayed close with an 18:45 ride, while Cargill dropped some time, with 20:28.
Securing his lead, Jones’ 10:16 was the fastest of the Open field, cruising to victory, with Ally in second (winning the 60+ category) and Cagill taking third.
Claire Stones, Race Director of the Cardiff Triathlon, shared her thoughts on this year's event:
“Cardiff Bay is a spectacular backdrop for a triathlon, made even more dynamic by the inclusion of a closed road section. The city's energy was palpable, with crowds lining the course, cheering on participants, and creating an electric atmosphere—even as the rain made a few appearances throughout the day.”
“We’re incredibly grateful to all the athletes who took part—your continued support means everything. It was fantastic to witness such a vibrant blend of newcomers experiencing their first triathlon and seasoned competitors returning once again.
“We also want to thank Cardiff Council for their steadfast support, the Cardiff Bay community, and the enthusiastic spectators who came out in force. Your presence helped create a truly memorable day.
“A special thank you goes out to our phenomenal marshals and volunteers—the event simply couldn’t happen without you. We were especially pleased to welcome back Ysgol Gyfun Cymraeg Llantaf as our volunteer marshal team for the second year running, raising funds for their South Africa trip through our volunteer reward initiative.”
2025 Selected Results
Super Sprint Triathlon Open 👏
🥇 Nigel Paddy Jones 39:31
🥈 Stuart Lally 41:56
🥉 Scott Cargill 44:38
Super Sprint Triathlon Female 👏
🥇 Grace Cargil 48:46
🥈 Kate Howe 52:12
🥉 Alexandra Moorhouse 52:42
Sprint Triathlon Open 👏
🥇 Jordan Clarke 1:01:50
🥈 Iwan Jones 1:05:25
🥉 Daniel Rees 1:07:38
Sprint Triathlon Female 👏
🥇 Rosie May -Bennett 1:15:03
🥈 Amy Edwards 1:15:09
🥉 Abbie Sims 1:19:32
Sprint Duathlon Open 👏
🥇 Adam Townsend 55:53
🥈 Louise Ansfield 1:00:23
🥉 Niall Boxhall 1:02:42
Sprint Duathlon Female 👏
🥇 Tamara Beach 1:02:28
🥈 Laura Davies 1:06:21
🥉 Isobel Dawson 1:14:17
Standard Triathlon Open 👏
🥇 Matt Grantham 1:54:08
🥈 Oliver Simon 1:54:21
🥉 James Green 1:56:48
Standard Triathlon Female 👏
🥇 Nina Morris- Evans 2:11:13
🥈 Emily Hanlon 2:12:54
🥉 Emma Palfrey 2:16:16
Legend Triathlon Open 👏
🥇 Robin Jones 4:20:12
🥈 Ryan James 4:29:59
🥉 Jamie Lloyd 4:38:29
Legend Triathlon Female👏
🥇 Abbey Van dijk 4:38:05
🥈 Princess Shaddick 4:42:37
🥉 Joanna Matthews 5:32:09