Tri and Mighty: A year in triathlon

A year-end review is always a risky business in case you leave something out but here goes...

A total of 55 signed up for the Mike Neill / Jasper Blake camp and it was followed in June with the popular Steve Trew Junior camp.

The NatWest Island Games Triathlon saw Laurie Orchard take bronze and the women’s team silver with the men 4th; AWESOME stuff.

Thanks to sponsors Bank of Bermuda Foundation, Aon, Capital G, Arthur Morris, Rubis and Catlin we had fantastic events and a huge turnout at the Tokio Millenium Triathlon. 

The weekly Tri Series  attracted lots of newbies and juniors.

Triathlon legend Dave Scott attended the 2012 awards dinner in March and two-time Olympic medalist and world champion Bevan Docherty attended the 2013 dinner  in November. Johnny Herring and Kristyn Robinson and juniors Alyssa Rowse and Tyler Smith were  the 2012 triathletes of the year with Herring and Smith repeating in 2013 with Laurie Orchard and junior Rebecca Harrison the top females.

Herring dominated in 2013 and with Orchard won the National Championships. Tyler Smith, who was awarded a government  scholarship, and Erica Hawley showed  that they are two juniors to watch with Smith, at just 15, 3rd overall in the Bank of Bermuda Triathlon and Hawley 4th at the prestigious youth elite triathlon in London. Charlie (3rd),  Alex (4th) and Nicholas (26th) continued the Pilgrim family tradition of performing well in the US Junior Nationals.

We had outstanding age group representation with 17 at world champs in London and 13 at Miami 70.3. Steve Petty ( 2nd ) and Christine Patton (8th) in Miami, Maria Duffy (19th) at Worlds, Karen Smith (1st ) at Timberman 70.3, Julia Hawley (2nd) at UK Ironman Champs and Kent Richardson (3rd) at the US 5150 Nationals were just some great results, with Hawley and Mark Wilcox competing at Worlds Ironman.

And then there was Tyler Butterfield with a series of podium finishes and 9th at Worlds 70.3 and 7th at Worlds Ironman to confirm he is one of the best in the world and Flora Duffy (Bermuda’s athlete of the year) continuing her reemergence with 7th in the Edmonton World Cup, a win in Boulder and 3rd at XTerra World Championships.

Wow, what a year !