2026 Race Report
Sunshine, Summit Success and Fast Racing at Slateman 2026
The Slateman weekend got underway on Saturday with a bustling event expo, bringing together local vendors, partners and athletes as final preparations were made for race day. After a mixed start to the day, the sun broke through in the afternoon, creating a fantastic atmosphere around registration and giving competitors the perfect opportunity to soak up the stunning surroundings of Eryri before racing began.
As the first triathlon of the season, Slateman once again attracted athletes eager to test their winter training on one of the UK's most iconic race courses. Competitors were greeted by an overcast but calm morning on Sunday as racing got underway, with excitement building across all distances. As the day progressed, athletes were treated to some beautiful weather, showcasing the quarry and surrounding mountains at their very best.
It was also the second year of the Slateman Ultra Distance Triathlon, our full-distance 140.6-mile challenge. With the field more than doubling in size from its inaugural year, anticipation was high as athletes set out to tackle one of the toughest endurance tests on the Slateman weekend.
ULTRA TRIATHLON
The Slateman Ultra Distance Triathlon returned for its second year in 2026, building on the success of its inaugural event and attracting more than double the number of athletes to take on the full-distance challenge. Competitors faced a gruelling day in Eryri, beginning with a 3.8km swim, followed by a 190km bike ride, and finishing with a mountain trail run that offered athletes the opportunity to reach the summit of Yr Wyddfa before descending back to Llanberis.
One of the stories of the day came from Geraint, who came out of the swim last but then set a relentless pace at the front of the race and led throughout the bike and early stages of the run. As the race entered its final and most challenging phase on the slopes of Yr Wyddfa, he continued to hold the advantage before being caught on the mountain descent by two charging rivals. In a dramatic finish, Ste Fitchett was the first athlete across the line in the Ultra Triathlon – Mynydd category, but due to a neutral zone earlier in the race, it was Nicholas Simpson who secured the overall victory with the fastest adjusted time of 15:24:21. In a wonderful display of sportsmanship, the pair chose to share the win after battling together throughout the day. Gethin Robinson completed the podium only a further two and a half minutes behind, meaning that after more than 15 hours of racing, less than four minutes separated the top three athletes.
The women's field produced equally impressive performances across the Ultra formats. Ella Jones delivered one of the standout achievements of the entire weekend, becoming the only female athlete to complete the demanding Chwarel lap route, claiming victory in the category and finishing fourth overall against a strong field in 15:35:19. Charlotte Hunting also produced a remarkable performance in the Ultra Triathlon – Llechan (3 Laps), finishing second overall and taking the women's title in an outstanding time of 14:22:55, less than two minutes behind overall winner Gareth Jones. Emily Oliver secured the women's title in the Ultra Triathlon – Llechan (2 Laps) category, while Hattie Pearson showed incredible determination to complete the three-lap Llechan course and finish second female in that category.
Among the many inspiring stories from the Ultra weekend was Joel Farley, who completed the Llechan (2 Laps) event as part of his challenge to raise money for Run 4 Cancer in memory of his father, who sadly passed away in 2007. After conquering the demanding course and crossing the finish line after nearly 15 hours of racing, Joel was already talking about returning to Slateman in 2027.
In just its second year, the Slateman Ultra reached a significant milestone, with eight athletes successfully making the cut-off to continue onto the Yr Wyddfa summit section of the course, compared to just two athletes in 2025. Among them was James Wilson, who returned after being the first athlete to complete the Chwarel course last year and stepped up to the full Mynydd challenge in 2026. The increase in athletes reaching the summit highlights both the growth of the event and the determination of competitors taking on one of the UK's toughest endurance challenges.
While the field remains relatively small, with overall participation more than doubling compared to 2025 and an increase in the number of women taking on the challenge, the growth highlights the increasing appeal of ultra-distance triathlon in Eryri. Among the inspiring athletes on the start line was Hattie Pearson, who raced on behalf of 10 Iron Women, an organisation dedicated to encouraging and supporting more women to take on long-distance triathlon events, reflecting the growing representation of women in endurance sport and the supportive community helping to drive that growth.
LEGEND TRIATHLON
With two waves departing at 7:00am and 7:05am, the Legend Triathlon challenged athletes with a demanding 1,900m swim, 95km bike and 23.1km trail run, testing endurance, pacing and resilience across some of North Wales' most spectacular terrain.
Matthew Dewhurst produced a superb all-round display to take victory in 5:13:57, combining a strong swim with a race-winning bike leg and consistent run performance. Toby Williams delivered one of the standout rides of the day, recording the fastest bike split among the leading contenders to move into second despite starting over 12 minutes behind Dewhurst after the swim. Chris Wilkinson completed the men's podium in third after exiting the water among the leaders and remaining in contention throughout. Duncan Shea-Simonds impressed to finish fourth overall and claim the men's 50+ title, while Andrea Roesch produced a remarkable performance to finish fifth overall and secure the women's title.
Roesch led the women's race from the outset, emerging from the swim near the front of the field and maintaining her advantage through the bike and run to win comfortably in 5:46:55. Victoria Duncan claimed second female and eighth overall after a strong and consistent performance across all three disciplines, while Lisa Matthews rounded out the women's podium in third. Kathryn Duffy finished fourth female after one of the fastest swims in the women's race, and Sian McGuinness completed the top five. The demanding mountain bike course and challenging 23.1km trail run created significant opportunities for position changes throughout the day, but Dewhurst and Roesch both demonstrated complete control of their races to emerge as worthy Legend champions.
Adding to the atmosphere on the course was Jack Unwin, who completed the demanding Legend Triathlon in an impressive time of 6:57:51 while wearing a banana suit from start to finish. Racing in support of Welsh Women's Aid and Tŷ Gobaith, Jack's fundraising challenge drew plenty of encouragement from fellow competitors and spectators throughout the day.
STANDARD TRIATHLON
The Standard Triathlon saw athletes tackle a demanding course consisting of a 1,500m swim, 50km bike and 11.9km trail run, with competitors setting off in two waves at 8:00am and 8:05am.
Despite the staggered start, Ross Jarvis emerged as the overall winner after a superb all-round performance, finishing in 2:39:58. Eddie Jodrell was the quickest swimmer among the leading men, exiting the water in 23:47, but Jarvis stayed in touch before taking control with a strong bike leg and solid trail run. Anthony Pontifex completed the men's podium in third, while Jamie Allen and James Summers rounded out the top five. Summers was one of the standout movers of the day, overcoming a swim deficit of almost nine minutes to ride his way into contention and secure fifth place overall.
The women's race was won by Jessica Caughtry, who produced an exceptional front-running performance to finish seventh overall and claim the female title in 2:54:31. Caughtry was also the fastest female swimmer, covering the 1,500m swim in 22:30 before extending her advantage throughout the bike and run. Rhiannon Wooldridge secured second place among the women with a consistent display across all three disciplines, while Isla Rickerby completed the podium in third. Anwen Nesham finished fourth after one of the quickest swims in the women's field, and Katie Mulholland stormed through the rankings with a strong bike-run combination to take fifth. Across both races, the challenging trail run proved decisive, rewarding athletes who paced the opening disciplines well and still had strength left for the demanding final leg.
STANDARD DUATHLON
The Standard Duathlon got underway at 8:00am alongside the Standard Triathlon, with competitors taking on a challenging 5.8km run, 49.9km bike and 11.7km run course. Guy Butterworth delivered a commanding performance to take victory in 2:49:55, leading home a competitive field after combining a strong opening run with a solid bike leg and consistent final run. Jason Williams secured second place, producing the fastest closing run among the leading contenders to narrow the gap on the leader, while Iwan Morton completed the podium in third. Caron Rees Jones impressed with the fastest bike split of the day (1:22:09) to finish fourth overall, and Kieran Allanson rounded out the top five after one of the quickest final runs in the field.
The women's race was won by Laura Kent, who paced her race superbly to finish tenth overall and claim the female title in 3:16:39. Kent established herself at the front early and maintained her advantage throughout the bike and second run. Sophie Hunt secured second female with a strong all-round performance, while Miriam Beastall completed the women's podium after posting consistent splits across all three stages. Fay Sandford-Duff finished fourth female and Maria Richards took fifth, both showing great resilience on the demanding course. Racing alongside the Standard Triathlon field added to the atmosphere throughout the morning, with athletes facing a fast and competitive contest across the run-bike-run format.
SPRINT TRIATHLON
The Sprint Triathlon athletes were the final competitors to take to the water, with a single wave setting off at 9:00am to tackle the 750m swim.
In the open race, Eammon Clowes delivered a dominant performance to claim victory in the Slateman Sprint Triathlon, leading from the opening swim and never relinquishing control of the race. Clowes was first out of the water in 11:50 and maintained his advantage through T1 and onto the bike, despite strong pressure from Huw Jack Brassington. Clowes then sealed the win with the fastest run split of the leading contenders, crossing the line in 1:19:41 ahead of Brassington in second.
Behind the front two, Always Aim High Events regular Mark Daniels produced the ride of the day, recording the fastest bike split overall (39:05) to charge through the field and secure third place after a relatively modest swim. Fellow Always Aim High regular John Connolly put together a consistent all-round performance to finish fourth, while Huw Owen, another familiar face on the North Wales race circuit, was a notable mover, overcoming a slower swim to work his way into fifth. Although there were plenty of position changes throughout the race, Clowes remained untouchable at the front, leading from the swim exit all the way to the finish line.
In the female race Lynn Bulbeck led the women out of the water in 15:20, with Becky Shafie, Alice Poole and Julia Sandford all close behind in a tightly packed front group. Although Bulbeck struck first, Poole’s strong swim and efficient transition quickly put her into contention, and she moved to the front during the bike section.
Kirsty Rattray made the biggest move of the race, recovering from a slower swim with the fastest bike split among the leading women before running strongly to finish second. Poole, however, proved too strong, extending her lead on the run to take victory, while Bulbeck held on for third ahead of Danielle Holt and Michelle Smith.
Event Manager Abi Senior said:
"The atmosphere at this year's Slateman was incredible from start to finish. As the first triathlon of the season, it was inspiring to see so many athletes take on the challenge, whether they were racing their first event, returning to familiar distances or pushing themselves in the Ultra. Seeing competitors cross the finish line and return safely after taking on such demanding courses across Eryri is always hugely rewarding for the team. With beautiful weather, some fantastic racing and so many personal achievements throughout the weekend, it was an epic day all round."
Selected Results
Sprint Triathlon
🏆 Open Category
1. Eammon Clowes 1:19:41
2. Huw Jack Brassington 1:21:54
3. Mark Daniels 1:27:27
🏅 Female Category
1. Alice Poole 1:43:13
2. Kirsty Rattray 1:44:57
3. Lynn Bulbeck 1:54:03
Standard Triathlon
🏆 Open Category
1. Ross Jarvis 2:39:58
2. Eddie Jodrell 2:41:24
3. Anthony Pontifex 2:43:51
🏅 Female Category
1. Jessica Caughtry 2:54:31
2. Rhiannon Wooldridge 3:13:07
3. Isla Rickerby 3:22:22
Standard Duathlon:
🏆 Open Category
1. Guy Butterworth 2:49:55
2. Jason Williams 2:51:14
3. Iwan Morton 2:54:56
🏅 Female Category
1. Laura Kent 3:16:39
2. Sophie Hunt 3:29:14
3. Miriam Beastall 3:29:30
Legend Triathlon
🏆 Open Category
1. Matthew Dewhurst - 5:13:57
2. Toby Williams - 5:18:25
3. Chris Wilkinson - 5:21:08
🏅 Female Category
1. Andrea Roesch - 5:45:55
2. Victoria Duncan - 6:00:13
3. Lisa Matthews - 6:39:03
Ultra Triathlon
🏆 Open Category
1. Nicholas Simpson 15:24:21 Mynydd finisher
1. Ste Fitchett 15:25:01 Mynydd Finisher
3. Gethin Robinson 15:27:40 Mynydd finisher
🏅 Female Category
1. Ella Jones 15:35:19 Chwarel finisher
2. Charlotte Hunting 14:22:55 Llechan finisher (3 laps)
3. Hattie Pearson 15:21:66 Llechan finisher (3 laps)