CHRIS MINTERN AND Laura Tighe have become the new standard-distance-triathlon National Champions after wnning at the Hell of the West in Kilkee, Co. Clare.
An extremely strong field, featuring a number of Triathlon Ireland high performance development athletes, turned out for the Hell of the West, which has been in existence for more than 30 years and is one of the country’s longest running triathlon events.
The famously tough race was the second stop in this year’s Triathlon Ireland Super Series for up-and-coming professionals and doubled-up as the 2016 National Championship over the Standard (olympic) distance.
Competitors would have to battle with a wild sea on the 1,500m swim, face in to stiff winds along the West Clare coast on the 44km bike route and finally tackle a hilly and exposed 10km run along the cliffs to the south of Kilkee before finishing on the promenade in front of a large crowd of onlookers.
- Kevin Keane
