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Saturday, March 21, 2026
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Smith Battles Back to Top 10 Finish in Swakopmund
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Bermudian Olympian Tyler Smith kicked off his 2026 season with a resilient top-ten finish at the Africa Triathlon Premium Cup in Swakopmund, Namibia, overcoming significant technical adversity in the water.
The event marked the first of two consecutive races for Smith in Southern Africa, with the athlete utilizing the Southern Hemisphere schedule to gain vital competitive sharpness while the European season remains in its infancy. Following a year away from the circuit last season, the Swakopmund sprint was a critical opportunity for Smith to begin rebuilding his ranking points ahead of the fast-approaching Olympic qualification window.
Smith clocked 57:57, Smith came out of the water in a time of 11:06, before clocking 30:58 on the Bike, before closing out with a 15:08 Run time.
Despite a high-caliber international field, Smith’s afternoon was nearly derailed during the swim.
Smith explained the chaotic moment in the Atlantic waters, “In the second lap of the swim, someone grabbed my wetsuit zipper and pulled it down. It’s the sort of thing that can happen in triathlon, but you lose quite a bit of time. You end up dragging a lot of water behind you once the suit is open and inflated."
The mechanical failure cost Smith his position in the lead group as they exited the water, forcing the Olympian into a demanding chase. However, Smith demonstrated the physical conditioning he credited to a productive winter training block, producing a high-level performance on both the bike and the run to claw his way back through the field.
Smith eventually crossed the line in 10th position, a result he described as a "solid performance" given the circumstances. With his fitness confirmed, the focus now shifts immediately to next weekend, where he will step up to the Olympic distance in South Africa. For Smith, the ability to "roll with the punches" in Namibia has provided the perfect mental and physical springboard for the grueling season ahead.
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Sunday, March 15, 2026
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Hawley Battles Ironman 70.3 in Texas Heat
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American Jackie Hering has secured a stunning victory at the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Dallas–Little Elm, overcoming a significant mid-race setback to dominate the women’s elite field.
Hering’s performance was a masterclass in resilience after she was hit with a two-minute penalty during the bike leg. Despite the time loss, she maintained her composure to surge back into the lead, ultimately claiming an emphatic win to open her 2026 campaign in style. Her victory sets a high bar for the remainder of the season as the Ironman circuit expands its reach into North Texas.
Bermudian triathlete Erica Hawley was also in the thick of the action, testing herself against a high-caliber field of nineteen elite professionals. In what proved to be a grueling day across the Little Elm course, Hawley secured an 11th-place finish, crossing the line with a total time of 4:07:55.
Hawley’s day began with a rapid swim in the waters of Lewisville Lake. Competing in the single-loop format, she showed her strength in the water by completing the opening segment in just three minutes and 17 seconds. The quick transition allowed her to find her rhythm early as the race moved onto the tarmac.
The Bermudian then faced the 56.1-mile bike course, a technical route that demanded both power and tactical pacing. Hawley maintained a steady effort throughout the cycling leg, clocking a time of two hours and 14 minutes. The performance kept her in contention within the middle of the pack as the temperature began to rise on the Texas plains.
Closing out the event, Hawley transitioned to the final 13.1-mile run. She showed great character in the concluding half-marathon, posting a run time of one hour, 26 minutes, and 32 seconds to solidify her position in the top twelve. While she finished outside of the podium places, the experience provides a solid foundation as she continues to build toward the major regional championships later this summer.
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Monday, March 09, 2026
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Elite Talent Celebrated at BTA Annual Awards
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The Bermuda Triathlon Association gathered at the picturesque Cambridge Beaches to celebrate a year of remarkable athletic achievement at their 2025 Annual Awards presentation. The evening served as a tribute to the island’s burgeoning talent and seasoned veterans who have made significant waves on both the local and international circuits over the past twelve months.
Naomi MacGuinness was crowned the Best Female Junior Triathlete after a sensational campaign that saw her secure double gold at the Carifta Games in Tobago. Despite being just twelve years of age, MacGuinness proved her mettle in Clermont, Florida, by finishing thirteenth against competitors three years her senior before returning home to claim victory in the Clarien Ironkids eleven to fifteen category. Her male counterpart, Rory Shepherd, took home the Best Male Junior Triathlete title following a consistent season that included a fourth-place finish at the East Coast Triathlon Festival in Virginia and a highly impressive sixth place out of seventy-one competitors at the US Nationals in Ohio.
In the senior categories, Jackson Langley was recognized as the Best Local Based Male Triathlete. Langley, who served as the Carifta Team Captain, secured a silver medal in the Mixed Team Relay and finished second only to professional Nick Pilgrim in the Liberty Mutual Sprint National Championships. Maddie Durkin was named the Best Local Based Female Triathlete following a season of dominance where she was the first female overall at the Western Mass 70.3 Half Ironman, securing a prestigious spot for the World Championships in Spain.
The awards for overseas-based athletes went to professional standout Nick Pilgrim and Olympian Erica Hawley, while Luke Hyland and Lesley Jane Smith were honored as the most improved athletes of the year. The association also welcomed fresh talent, naming Mike Evans and Esme Davidge as the best newcomers for 2025. Long-standing contributions to the sport were not forgotten, as Geoff Smith received the Jim Butterfield Long Service Award and Alec Shepherd was named the John Buchanan Club Person of the Year.
The ceremony also highlighted specific season successes, with Sanchez Smith and Sofia Leclerc crowned the champions of the Super Sprint Summer Series. Special Achievement Awards were presented to Marie-Lynn Dore and Ashley Couper following their age group victories at the Lake Placid Ironman, which earned both athletes qualification for the iconic Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. The evening concluded with further recognition for Carifta double gold medalists Naomi MacGuinness and Rory Shepherd, punctuating a year that has firmly placed Bermuda on the global triathlon map.
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Sunday, March 08, 2026
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Bermudian Duo Face Elite Test at Salinas Regional Cup
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Jasper Lau and Dylan Eiselt tested their mettle against a formidable international field as they represented the island at the 2026 World Triathlon Development Regional Cup in Playa Punta Salinas, Puerto Rico. Competing in the Elite Men's division, the Bermudian pair navigated the challenging coastal course in Salinas, facing a high-caliber lineup of regional talent.
Eiselt produced a resilient performance to secure a 13th-place finish, crossing the line in a total time of one hour, one minute, and thirty-six seconds. Eiselt remained competitive throughout the opening discipline, recording a swim time of ten minutes and twenty-eight seconds. He followed this with a strong transition into a thirty-two minute and three-second bike leg before completing the event with an eighteen-minute and eleven-second run. His overall effort saw him finish three minutes and seven seconds behind the eventual winner, Gerald Rojas Carvajal of Costa Rica, who claimed the gold in fifty-eight minutes and twenty-nine seconds.
Lau also navigated the demanding three-stage event to finish 25th overall with a time of one hour, nine minutes, and thirty-one seconds. He started his morning with an eleven-minute and twenty-four-second swim before battling through a thirty-six minute and forty-six-second bike segment. Lau closed out his performance with a twenty-minute and twenty-three-second run to complete a valuable experience on the World Triathlon development circuit.
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Thursday, March 05, 2026
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Lau & Eiselt Set for Puerto Rico Challenge
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Bermuda’s burgeoning triathlon talent will be on full display this weekend as Jasper Lau and Dylan Eiselt prepare to represent the island at the 2026 World Triathlon Development Regional Cup Salinas in Puerto Rico.
The two-day event, scheduled for March 7th and 8th, will see the pair compete in the Elite Men’s field at the scenic Playa Punta Salinas.
Both athletes arrive in San Juan with strong momentum from recent campaigns. Dylan Eiselt has been a standout performer, recently securing a bronze medal in the Youth Elite Male race at the Clermont Challenge and helping Bermuda clinch silver in the Mixed Team Relays at the Carifta Triathlon Championships. Jasper Lau, a consistent top-ten finisher regionally, also showcased his pedigree with a seventh-place finish at Carifta and remains a vital part of Bermuda’s developmental pathway.
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