Karen Smith wins in Mexico

Bermuda’s Karen Smith started her 2014 triathlon season with an outstanding performance on Sunday in the Los Cabos Ironman Triathlon in Mexico, finishing first in the female 45-49 age group.

She was also the 18th female, fifth amateur female and 91st overall in a field of 866 starters.

Smith exited the 2.4-mile swim in a quick 58 minutes and 25 seconds and then blitzed the 112-mile bike course in 5 hours 36 minutes and 47 seconds at an average speed of 19.95 miles per hour to move to 15th female overall and first in her age group.

Smith then posted a time of 3:41:43 for the 26.2-mile marathon  to take age group honours in a fast overall time of 10:22: 59 secs.

Also representing Bermuda in the same event, Tom Thorsteinson came 21st in the 60-64 male division, finishing in 15:22:02, which put him 669th overall.

He finished the swim in 1:10:05, the bike in 7:29:45 and the run in 06:14:21.

Meanwhile, on Saturday Mark Wilcox put in another strong performance in the very competitive Oceanside, USA 70.3 Half Ironman Traithlon as he finished 14th in the 45-49 age group in 4:51:10, which was good enough for 127th overall out of 2,420 competitors.

Wilcox completed the 1.2-mile swim in 33:37 secs and then put together an impressive bike — 2:41:49 for the 56 miles — and run — 1:28:50 for the 13.1 miles — to move through the field.

Flora Duffy will hope to continue with the great start to the season she made in South Africa as she takes on a strong professional field on April 6 at the South Beach Triathlon in Florida.

The event is part of the Life Time Triathlon Series with $30,000 in prize money and the non drafting format on the bike will suit Duffy as she should be one of the first out of the water and is renowned for her fast bike.