More than 6,000 participants took to the start line at Supertri Blenheim Palace this weekend, as Britain’s most iconic triathlon welcomed athletes of every age and ability to Oxford’s UNESCO World Heritage Site.
From first-timers to the sport’s biggest names, the weekend once again showcased the inclusive spirit that has made Supertri Blenheim Palace one of the UK’s most popular participation events.
A standout story was the new world record set by Olympic medallist and triathlon legend Jonny Brownlee. An extraordinary Weekend Warrior challenge, Jonny completed 10 sprint-distance triathlons back-to-back, a feat no other triathlete has done before. 7.5km of swimming, 200km on the bike and 50km of running, all of it ridden and run on the same closed-road course as the thousands of amateurs lining up beside him.
Jonny beat the driving rain and wind on day one, with an incredible six rounds completed. On Sunday, thousands more competitors and spectators were captivated by Jonny’s continued attack on the record-attempt. Setting the new record of 10 back-to-back sprint triathlons in 12:24:25, Jonny Brownlee said: “This challenge is what sport is all about. If you had asked me 10 years ago I would have said ‘it’s all about every second counts, am I missing training by being here, I can’t talk to people because I need to focus on my race’. Now I realise sport is more than that. It’s great to see everyone over the weekend have their own challenges and goals, helping and inspiring each other along the way. I love seeing people be active and doing sport. I got inspiration from people as I went around.
“Fi (Jonny’s wife) and Freddie are a massive support and when I was getting a bit tired on Saturday I thought all I had to do was to get to the finish line and I could give Fi and Freddie a big cuddle and it’s all ok. Your perspective changes in life. When I raced here in 2012, I would never have thought I would say this, but there are more important things in life than sport.”
Across the two days of racing, participants tackled a stunning course featuring a swim in Blenheim Palace’s Great Lake, a closed-road bike route through the estate and surrounding countryside, and a run through the historic grounds.
With an international field taking to the Supertri Pro Series race on Sunday morning, home favourite Ollie Conway (55:51) took the podium top spot in the Men’s race, with Belgium’s Jolien Vermeylen (1:02:18) a class of her own, winning the women’s.
The event welcomed thousands of newcomers to the sport, while experienced competitors, relay teams, corporate groups, families and charity fundraisers all contributed to a festival atmosphere throughout the weekend.
Supertri CEO, Michael D’hulst said: “To see more than 6,000 people come together at Supertri Blenheim Palace and challenge themselves is incredibly special. Whether it was someone’s first ever triathlon or they were racing alongside Olympic champions, every participant had their own story and achievement to celebrate.
“Jonny Brownlee’s record-breaking Weekend Warrior challenge perfectly captured the spirit of the event – pushing boundaries, inspiring others and demonstrating that triathlon truly is a sport for everyone.”
Event highlights
· 6,000+ participants across two days of swim bike run action
· Jonny Brownlee, the new world record holder for 10 back-to-back sprint triathlons in the Weekend Warrior category (total race time: 12:24:25)
· Supertri Pro Series winner: Ollie Conway (men’s) Jolien Vermeylen (women’s).
