2023 Race Report

Following its epic return to Llandudno last year, triathlon once again returned to Llandudno this weekend and it certainly didn't disappoint.

After a rather wet set up day for the events team, Sunday morning started off overcast, but the sunshine soon broke through by late morning, providing the perfect conditions for racing.

The spectators on the beach counted down to the start, rang their cow bells and waved their welsh flags to set off 400 athletes in 5 waves on their swim leg. Standard Distance Competitors went first completing 2 laps of the anti-clockwise course that ran parallel to the beach. Swimming conditions were perfect with a temperature of 16 degrees.

First out of the swim in the Open Standard Distance race was Joe Banns followed by Matthew Holiday and Sam Littlewood. Onto the bike course it was Adam Ward who put in the fastest time completing 4 laps of the brilliant closed road Marine Drive circuit in an amazing 1:02:04 with Banns coming into transition in second place.

It was Lawrence Lees-Baker who had the fastest run of the day in 34:23 but it was Banns who stormed across the line to take the win, completing the race in 2:06:46. Adam Ward took second place and Sam Littlewood in third.

In the ladies Standard distance race it was Rebecca Ball who led out of the water with Katy Green in second place and Vanessa Garsden in third.

Out onto the bike and Garsden put in a fantastic bike section in the quickest time, with Ball still ahead keeping hold of her first position. Ball managed to hold onto that position onto the run course and take the win in 2:57:56, with Green taking second and Garsden coming into third place.

In the Sprint Open race, once again it was Deri Mccluskey who continued his terrific form from last year's win, leading throughout with the fastest swim and run of the day. The competition between the top three in this race was fierce with Ifan Bowen putting the quickest bike time in an impressive 00:31:59. Ifan Bowen came out the water in second but it was Dafyd Jay who moved up to second position during the run, to cross the line behind McCluskey. Bowen put an impressive run to take his 3rd place place on the podium.

In the ladies race, as in the open race it was a tight competition between the top three. First out of the swim was Millie Hannant, closely followed by Rhian Roxburgh and Tia Froom. All three put an impressive bike leg with Roxburgh managing to make up a couple of minutes lead on the other two ladies which she managed to keep hold of onto the run course, taking the win once again on her home turf in an amazing 1:10:08. Hannant was hot on her heels in second place just 46 seconds behind her with Froom claiming third pace on the podium.

The Sprint Triathlon which was also the finale of the Welsh Triathlon Super Series and was being filmed for S4C (this can be seen on BBC iplayer and S4C at 9pm on 13th October). Both members of Welsh Triathlon, McCluskey and Roxburgh took the stage wins. Bethan Jones and Liam Lloyd were the overall 2023 Welsh Super Series winners.

Always Aim High Events Director Tim Lloyd said: ‘It was great to be back in Llandudno again for our last triathlon of the season.

Llandudno really is a the ideal location for a triathlon event with the closed road Great Orme section making a perfect bike section for our athletes. The promenade was full to the brim spectators and supporters, giving the event an amazing atmosphere.

We are already looking forward to coming back again next year and building on this already brilliant event. We had the news just a few weeks ago that we have been awarded a British Triathlon European Qualifier for this event as well as the finale stage of the Welsh Triathlon Super Series again so it really will be a huge highlight on the triathlon calendar in 2024.

I would like to thank Conwy Council and the local businesses and residents who have supported this event. A big thank you to the St George hotel where are registration was held, it really made all the difference having it so close to the transition area. As always, we can't thank our amazing marshals and volunteers enough we couldn’t put on such fantastic races without them.'

Full Llandudno race results by TDL Event Services.
Race photography courtesy of Sport Pictures Cymru.

Selected 2023 Llandudno Triathlon results:

Sprint Triathlon Female:

🥇Rhian Roxburgh 1:10:08

🥈 Millie Hannant 1:10:54

🥉 Tia Froom 1:15:59

Sprint Triathlon Open:

🥇 Deri McCluskey 1:00:16

🥈 Dafydd Jay 1:01:15

🥉 Ifan Bowen 1:01:43

Standard Triathlon Open:

🥇 Jo Banns 2:06:46

🥈 Adam Wood 2:08:12

🥉 Sam Littlewood 2:15:35

Standard Triathlon Female:

🥇 Rebecca Ball 2:57:56

🥈 Katy Green 3:00:21

🥉 Vanessa Garsden 3:00:51