2024 Race Report
Epic Racing Amidst Dramatic Backdrops: The 12th Annual Slateman Triathlon
The Slateman event commenced on Saturday with an expo featuring local vendors and partners, with the sun making a welcome appearance in the afternoon.
Racing began bright and early on Sunday morning under an overcast sky, as athletes eagerly anticipated a great day of competition.
As the first sprint finishers approached the finish line, rain began to fall, creating an epic slate backdrop and a dramatic skyline of the quarry for the run leg.
LEGEND TRIATHLON
The Legend athletes kicked off the race with a bright and early start at 7am, diving into water that was recorded at 15.1 degrees, warmer than the outside temperature.
Andrew Enzor was the first to emerge from the water, clocking in at 32:55, followed closely by Jack Pritchard and Taliesin Coombes in third place. With swift transitions, they all headed out onto the 90k bike leg in the same positions. Laura Fairhurst led the women's race, finishing the swim several minutes ahead of Nicolle Western in second place and Caroline Radley in third.
During the bike leg, Jack Pritchard overtook Andrew Enzor, establishing an impressive lead. Andrew held onto second place, while Slateman regular Sion Kelly Mcintosh moved into third with a strong bike performance. In the women's race, Laura Fairhurst maintained her lead, with Caroline Radley edging out Nicolle Western for second place.
On the run leg, Jack Pritchard kept his lead, securing the Legend win with an impressive time of 5:31:26. Louis Jones climbed into second place with a remarkable run, being the only athlete to break the 2-hour barrier with a time of 1:52:33. Andrew Enzor completed the top three with a solid performance throughout the race.
The women's run leg saw Nicolle Western reclaim her second place, but it was Laura Fairhurst who held on to take the win with a time of 6:24:16. Sian Harries delivered the fastest run of the women's race, finishing third in 6:33:49.
STANDARD TRIATHLON
The Standard race, the most popular distance of the day, saw athletes starting in three waves every five minutes from 8 am.
In the open race, Chris Holmes was the first out of the water with an impressive time of 23:05, followed closely by Andrew Weaver and George Edwards. All three swiftly navigated through T1 and headed out on the bike course.
In the women's race, Laura Fenwick led the swim with an impressive 23:53, followed by Claire Shea-Simmonds in second place and Always Aim High Events regular Jessica Denman in third.
The bike leg began with a short neutral time zone to bypass roadworks, and this time was deducted from their total race times. The bike leg saw a shakeup in positions, with Andrew Weaver moving into first place after clocking the fastest bike split of the day at 1:19:42. Jordan Clarke came in second, and Sam Cheverton secured third.
Laura Fenwick maintained her lead during the bike leg, while Michelle Holmes overtook Claire Shea-Simmonds moving into second place. Jessica Denman stayed in 3rd.
Andrew Weaver claimed victory in the open race with a time of 2:40:41, just 1 minute and 20 seconds ahead of Sam Cheverton in second place, and Jordan Clarke completing the top three with a time of 2:44:59.
In the women's race, Laura Fenwick held strong to take the win with a brilliant time of 3:02:27. Michelle Holmes secured second place with a stellar performance on the run route, clocking the fastest female run time of 57:38. Jessica Denman held onto third place, rounding out the podium.
STANDARD DUATHLON
The Standard Duathletes set off at 8 am alongside the first wave of Standard Triathletes.
In the open race, Dylan Evans completed the first run with the fastest time, ahead of Mark Daly and James Brayford.
Dylan maintained his lead during the bike leg, with Joshua Clarida-Royle moving into second place after an impressive performance, pushing Mark Daly to third.
Dylan then completed his second run with the fastest time of the race, securing his spot at the top of the podium. Joshua finished in second place, while Mark rounded out the top three.
In the women's race, with only two participants, it was a head-to-head competition. Both athletes delivered stellar performances, but Sian Edwards emerged victorious with a time of 3:15:23.
SPRINT TRIATHLON
The Sprint Triathletes entered the water last at 9 am, with Alex Foster emerging first in 13:05, closely followed by Anwen Nesham in 14:23. This early lead set the tone for the rest of the race.
The challenging bike course began with a tough climb up the closed Pen y Pass, followed by a steep descent to Pen y Gwryd and then a return climb back to the transition area. Alex Foster executed a lightning-fast transition, hitting the bike course first, trailed closely by Huw Jack Brassington. In the women's race, Anwen Nesham maintained her lead, while local athlete Catrin Donnelly transitioned onto the bike in second place.
As the athletes returned to T2, the race dynamics shifted. Alex Foster lost his lead to Huw Jack Brassington, with Emyr Jones, who posted the fastest bike split of the day, in hot pursuit.
The women's standings remained unchanged, with Anwen Nesham reaching T2 ahead of Catrin Donnelly and Ruth Clegg in third.
On the run, Huw Jack Brassington managed to maintain his lead, finishing in 1:23:01, just 13 seconds ahead of Emyr Jones. Mark Rabiotti, returning to competition after a break, delivered a strong performance to secure third place.
Anwen Nesham maintained her lead on the run, despite a strong challenge from Catrin Donnelly, who posted the fastest run leg of 31:01. Securing her victory for the second consecutive year, Anwen crossed the finish line in 1:35:38. Catrin followed in second place with a time of 1:37:39, while Ruth Clegg rounded out the top three, finishing in 1:52:11.
SPRINT DUATHLON
The Sprint Duathletes set off at the same time as the Sprint Triathletes at 9 am, beginning their first run through Parc Padarn, up to the quarry hospital. Carwyn Dafydd was the first to return to T1, holding a 14-second lead over Andrew Rogers, with Llyr ap Geraint Roberts close behind in third place. All three athletes transitioned to the bike leg around the same time.
Carwyn maintained his lead with a strong performance on the bike, with Andrew and Llyr returning to T2 in second and third places, respectively.
On the final run, Andrew and Llyr gave strong performances, but it wasn't enough to catch Carwyn, who claimed victory with a time of 1:19:49. Andrew secured second place, with Llyr finishing less than a minute behind in third.
In the women's race, Mared Williams led the way back into T1 after a swift 11-minute first run leg, closely followed by Emily Hutton and Tamara Stabel.
Mared held onto her lead during the bike leg, but Miriam Haf Parry delivered an outstanding performance, moving into second place by T2. Tamara Stabel came in third.
Mared maintained her lead on the final run, winning with a time of 1:33:07. Miriam Haf Parry finished second, and Kate Mills, who showed consistent strength throughout the race, completed the top three.
Company Director Tim Lloyd expressed his enthusiasm: "It's fantastic to see the Slateman thriving in its 12th year. We believe there's no other racing experience quite like this, which is why we launched it as our inaugural event back in 2011.
We've had countless participants approach our team today to share how much they love the Slateman and how it has impacted them over the years. We even spoke to an athlete who had a Slateman tattoo on his back and he told us how the races had changed his life.
It’s a demanding race, and the unpredictable Eryri weather we had this weekend adds an extra layer of challenge, but that's exactly why people come – to conquer an epic race in a breathtaking setting.
It's been a joy to welcome so many participants this weekend, from new faces to returning competitors, and of course, members of the local community. We've witnessed some truly inspiring performances; the unpredictable nature of the Slateman always keeps us on our toes!
None of this would be possible without the unwavering support of our sponsors and spectators, and the dedication of our Marshals and core team, who work long hours with smiles on their faces because they love seeing events like the Slateman come to life just as much as we do. Thank you to everyone involved."
Selected Results
Sprint Triathlon Open 👏
🥇 Huw Jack Brassington 1:23:01
🥈 Emyr Jones 1:23:14
🥉 Mark Rabaiotti 1:25:23
Sprint Triathlon Female 👏
🥇 Anwen Nesham 1:35:38
🥈 Catrin Donnelly 1:37:39
🥉 Ruth Clegg 1:52:11
Sprint Duathlon Open 👏
🥇 Carwyn Dafydd 1:18:09
🥈 Andrew Rogers 1:19:49
🥉 Llyr ap Geraint Roberts 1:20:30
Sprint Duathlon Female 👏
🥇 Mared Williams 1:33:07
🥈 Miriam Haf Parry 1:43:59
🥉 Kate Mills 1:43:15
Standard Triathlon Open 👏
🥇 Andrew Weaver 2:40:41
🥈 Sam Cheverton 2:42:02
🥉 Jordan Clarke 2:44:59
Standard Triathlon Female 👏
🥇 Laura Fenwick 3:02:27
🥈 Michelle Holmes 3:04:09
🥉 Jessica Denman 3:13:23
Standard Duathlon Open 👏
🥇 Dylan Evans 2:45:43
🥈 Joshua Clarida -Royle 2:57:13
🥉 Mark Daly 3:00:45
Standard Duathlon Female 👏
🥇 Sian Edwards 3:15:23
🥈 Mandy Peffers 3:53:12
Legend Triathlon Open 👏
🥇 Jack Pritchard 5:31:26
🥈 Louis Jones 5:47:26
🥉 Andrew Enzor 5:49:12
Legend Triathlon Female👏
🥇 Laura Fairhurst 6:24:16
🥈 Nicolle Western 6:30:49
🥉 Sian Harries 6:33:45