After 3 years of waiting, it was finally time for Ironman Wales which took place on Sunday 11th September 2022. Several club members took part, most of whom had signed up to take part for the 2020 event which was of course cancelled. After literally years of training, not only physically, but also maintaining mental focus, they got to the start line on North Beach in Tenby.
Ironman Wales is a particularly special event for Cardiff Triathletes and other triathletes based in South Wales. Considered to be in the top 3 toughest Ironman events globally, it is an event that many aspire to take part in, and not least because of the epic and renowned support along the whole course.
Cardiff Triathletes Club have trained and supported dozens of athletes over the past 10 years of Ironman Wales to help them achieve their goals. From the club training sessions through to the club spectator support on the day, it’s an event that the whole club are involved in and look forward to.
This year saw 21 club members take part, from those doing Ironman for the first time through to those looking to beat previous times. The sea conditions this year were very challenging, and there was a stiff breeze throughout the bike course. It stayed dry for much of the day, but the rain did fall towards the end of the afternoon which meant a soggy finish for some on the bike and a soggy start to the run for others.
I’m delighted to say that all of our club members completed and can now call themselves an Ironman Wales Finisher! From an outstanding debut finishing time of 10 hours and 1 minute for Oliver Webb through to those coming in just over 16 hours, we are super proud of all of our club members for their incredible achievements. We salute you all!
We would like to share with you some photos from the day and some words from some of our club members…