2025 Race Report
Epic Landscapes, Gritty Performances: The Slateman Weekend Delivers with First-Ever Ultra and Thrilling Battles Across All Distances
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.
New for 2025 was the Slateman Ultra Distance Triathlon, our first-ever full-distance 140.6 event.
ULTRA TRIATHLON
Starting promptly at 5:15am, the 2025 Slateman Triathlon & Duathlon marked a historic milestone with the debut of the Slateman Ultra—a full 140.6-mile (iron-distance) triathlon that redefines endurance racing in the heart of Eryri (Snowdonia).
This true adventure triathlon features a variety of off-road run finish options, including the iconic ascent of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), offering a test of both athleticism and spirit. The event opened with a breathtaking 2.4-mile swim in Llyn Padarn, where athletes braved a brisk 15.4°C water temperature. From there, they tackled a 180km bike course that winds through Eryri’s dramatic mountain valleys before entering the final challenge: a multi-lap trail run across the UNESCO World Heritage landscapes of Dinorwig Quarry and the ancient forests of Parc Padarn.
Those reaching the run cut-off could choose to summit Yr Wyddfa on their final lap to earn the coveted Mynydd Finish, while others who completed a fourth lap of the quarry course were awarded the Chwarel Finish. Completing the swim and bike course, and at least two quarry laps, earned participants a Llechan Finish.
Open Race Recap
In the Open category, Andrew Enzor dominated from the outset, building a commanding lead in the swim and executing exceptionally swift transitions for such a demanding course. James Wilson followed closely in the water, trailed by Katherine Omahony, but it was Duncan Shea-Simonds who exited T1 in second, thanks to a lightning-fast transition.
The battle for the podium played out on the bike, but it was the run where the final positions were sealed. Andrew Enzor summited Yr Wyddfa and crossed the line in 13:23:08, putting more than an hour between himself and the next finisher. Duncan Shea-Simonds followed with a strong climb in poor we and finish in 14:43:00 to take second place.
James Wilson, having made the cut-off for the summit, assessed the challenging conditions and opted instead for a fourth lap of the quarry, becoming the first Chwarel Finisher and claiming third overall in 14:31:23.
Women’s Race Recap
In the women’s race, Katherine Omahony led out of the swim and maintained her advantage through the bike into T2. However, it was Katie Moss whose steady, consistent run saw her meet the summit cut-off. She completed her fourth lap with a Chwarel Finish and a winning time of 15:55:46.
Katherine, having completed three run laps, crossed the line with a Llechan Finish in 14:30:55, a performance marked by grit and determination.
Honourable Mentions
A special shoutout goes to Richard Powell, who spent over ten and a half hours on the course. Despite a shortened bike leg resulting in a DNF, he pressed on to complete three run laps before returning to the event village—a testament to the resolve that defines Slateman Ultra athletes.
Several other competitors were unable to complete the event due to shortened segments or cut-offs—each one a reminder of the formidable nature of the course. But every athlete who toed the line at the first-ever Slateman Ultra has earned their place in history!
LEGEND TRIATHLON
The Legend athletes kicked off their day at 7:00 AM, diving into water recorded at a brisk 15.4°C.
Arran McCloskey was the first to emerge from the swim, clocking a strong 29:47 and establishing a solid lead. He was followed by Jack Pritchard in second and Richard Higgins in third. All three executed swift transitions and set off on the 90 km bike leg in the same positions.
In the women’s race, Sacha Enzor led out of the water, completing the swim just one minute ahead of Renee Haver, who came out in second place.
During the bike leg, the top three men posted very similar times, with Arran holding onto his swim lead. Richard Higgins recorded the fastest Legend bike split of the day in 2:42:01. In the women’s field, Renee powered through the bike course with a remarkable 3:15:40, gaining 15 minutes on Sacha and building a comfortable lead heading into the run.
On the run leg, Arran McCloskey maintained his advantage, securing the Legend title with a superb overall time of 5:07:05. Richard Higgins, despite posting the fastest run leg of the day, finished second with a fantastic 5:11:14. Last year’s winner, Jack Pritchard, completed the podium in third.
In the women’s race, Renee Haver held her lead to take the win in 6:16:47. Lucy Lee Smith posted the fastest run leg in 2:11:11, but it was Sacha Enzor who claimed second place, with Ellie Dominey rounding out the women’s podium in third.
STANDARD TRIATHLON
The Standard distance race saw two waves of athletes take to the water at 8:00 and 8:05 AM.
In the open race, Charlie Harding led out of the water with an impressive swim time of 19:41. He was closely followed by Sam Barratt of Manchester Triathlon in 19:49 and Carl Shaw in 20:08. Charlie completed a swift 50-second transition before heading onto the 58 km bike course.
In the women’s field, it was local athlete Catrin Donnelly who led the swim with a strong 27:08, followed by Abigail Davison in second and Chloe Cooper in third.
This year’s bike course was extended by 9 km to avoid roadworks. Charlie managed to hold onto his lead early in the ride, but it was Carl Shaw who posted the fastest bike split of the day, pushing him up to second place. Sam Barratt dropped to third heading into the run.
In the women’s race, Abigail Davison powered into the lead on the bike, recording the fastest women’s bike split in 2:06:06. Ffion Evans moved into second place, while Catrin dropped to third going into the run leg.
Charlie Harding continued his dominance on the run, clocking the fastest split of the day at 46:33 — the only athlete to break the 50-minute barrier for the run. He claimed the overall win in 2:49:37. Carl Shaw held onto second place and, along with Charlie, was one of only two athletes to finish under three hours. Despite a strong run, Sam Barratt rounded out the podium in third.
In the women’s race, Catrin Donnelly recorded the fastest run leg of the day, but it wasn’t enough to reclaim the lead. Abigail Davison took the overall win in 3:48:17, with Ffion Evans finishing second and Catrin securing third.
STANDARD DUATHLON
The Standard Duathletes set off at 8:00 AM, starting alongside the first wave of Standard Triathletes. This race served as a European Qualifier for athletes aiming to secure a spot at the 2026 Europe Triathlon Standard Distance Duathlon European Championship.
In the open men's race, Kieran Savage led the field after the first run, setting the fastest time ahead of Guy Butterworth and Matthew Allen. In the women’s race, Rachel Julia Wiseman dominated the opening run, returning to T1 over six minutes ahead of second-place Claire Donnelly.
Once on the bike course, the leaderboard saw a shake-up. Simon Hall surged into first place with a powerful bike split of 1:40:29. Kieran Savage dropped into second, while Richard Pooley moved up to take third. Meanwhile, Rachel continued to extend her lead, completing the bike leg in a strong 2:01:12.
The fastest second run of the day came from John McDonald, who posted an impressive 54:11. However, it wasn’t quite enough to claim the win. Simon Hall held on to take overall victory in 3:06:17. Kieran Savage secured second place in 3:09:16, with John McDonald rounding out the podium in third at 3:11:43.
In the women’s field, Rachel Julia Wiseman continued her dominant performance, becoming the only female athlete to complete the final run under the one-hour mark. She claimed victory in 3:26:09. Sarah Davies took second place in 3:55:18, with Laura Kent finishing third in 3:59:03.
SPRINT TRIATHLON
The Sprint Triathletes were the final group to enter the water at 9:00 AM, with two waves setting off. This event hosted Stage 2 of the Welsh Triathlon Super Series and was filmed for the upcoming Triathlon Cymru TV series.
In the open men’s race, Ross Hosking was first out of the water with an impressive swim time of 10:45, followed closely by Andrew Jones in 11:56 and Andy Waterhouse in 11:58. In the women’s race, local athletes Emily Hanlon and Ciara Cust led the field, exiting the water just seconds apart, with Emma Palfrey following in third.
The challenging bike leg featured a tough climb up the closed Pen y Pass, a steep descent to Pen y Gwryd, and a return climb back to transition. Ross Hosking continued his strong form, completing a rapid transition and recording the fastest bike split of the morning in 36:57. Grufudd Lewis moved up into second place with a solid bike leg of 37:28.
In the women’s race, Emily Hanlon maintained her lead on the bike in 43:24, with Ciara Cust keeping close behind. Emma Palfrey held onto third, completing the course in a solid 47:03.
As the open athletes hit the run course, Ross Hosking’s lead gave him a solid cushion, though Simon Cole of GOG Triathlon was charging hard behind. Simon recorded the fastest run of the day in 23:46. Several athletes delivered impressive run splits under 27 minutes, including Huw Jack Brassington, Andrew Gittins, Griff Roberts, and Grufudd Lewis. Ultimately, Ross Hosking held his lead to take the win in 1:16:39. Simon Cole claimed second in 1:17:41, with Grufudd Lewis securing third in 1:19:52.
In the women’s race, there were strong performances across the board. Emily Hanlon not only maintained her lead and took the win but also posted the fastest women’s run of the day in 28:21 — the only female athlete to break the 30-minute barrier. Bethan Marks ran the second-fastest time with a 31:23, but it was Ciara Cust who held onto second place overall, with Emma Palfrey rounding out the podium in third in 1:34:43.
Operations Manager Claire Stones said:
"The Slateman was our very first event back in 2011, and it’s amazing to be standing here 15 years later, still delivering this iconic race. What makes it even more special is that we now have our new office and strong roots right here in Llanberis.
Each year we see fresh faces discovering the sport, alongside the many familiar participants who return to support our events year after year. It really is an event that caters to everyone. It was fantastic to see the new Ultra distance so well supported this year — we’re excited to continue growing that race in the future.
The scenery here is truly breathtaking. In fact, you may have spotted the HBO House of the Dragon production filming right on our run course! We've always known how special this place is, and now the rest of the world is starting to see it too. We can't wait to be back in July for one of the biggest trail races and the XTERRA Trail Running World Championships.
As always, a huge thank you goes out to our event partners, marshals, and core team — none of this would be possible without you.
Until next year, Slateman!"
Selected Results
Sprint Triathlon Female👏
🥇 Emily Hanlon 1:25:33
🥈 Ciara Cust 1:31:37
🥉 Emma Palfrey 1:34:43
Sprint Triathlon Open 👏
🥇 Ross Hosking 1:16:38
🥈 Simon Cole 1:17:41
🥉 Gruffudd Lewis 1:19:52
Standard Triathlon Open 👏
🥇 Charlie Harding 2:49:37
🥈 Carl Shaw 2:56:45
🥉 Sam Barratt 3:10:37
Standard Triathlon Female 👏
🥇 Abigail Davison 3:48:17
🥈 Ffion Evans 3:56:20
🥉 Catrin Donnelly 3:59:44
Standard Duathlon Open 👏
🥇 Simon Hall 3:06:17
🥈 Kieran Savage 3:09:16
🥉 John MacDonald 3:11:43
Standard Duathlon Female 👏
🥇 Rachel Julia Wiseman 3:26:09
🥈 Sara Davies 3:55:18
🥉 Laura Kent 3:59:03
Legend Triathlon Open 👏
🥇 Arran McColskey 5:07:05
🥈 Richard Higgins 5:11:14
🥉 Jack Pritchard 5:24:20
Legend Triathlon Female👏
🥇 Renee Haver 6:16:47
🥈 Sacha Enzor 6:50:00
🥉 Ellie Dominey 6:55:18
Open Category 👏
🥇Andrew Enzor (Mynydd Finish) - 13:23:08
🥈Duncan Shea-Simonds (Mynydd Finish) - 14:43:00
🥉James Wilson (Chwarel Finish) - 14:31:54
Female Category 👏
🥇Katie Moss (Chwarel Finish) - 15:55:46
🥈Katherine Omahony (Llechan Finish) - 14:30:55