Bassetlaw triathletes conquer the dragon at Ironman Wales

Members of the Worksop-based Bassetlaw Triathlon Club (BTC) showed plenty of endurance, grit, and club camaraderie at the 2026 edition of IRONMAN Wales.

Widely regarded as one of the toughest long-distance triathlons on the global circuit, the brutal course tested thousands of athletes across a 2.4-mile sea swim, a punishing 112-mile bike leg, and a full 26.2-mile marathon finish.

The day kicked off at Tenby’s iconic North Beach with athletes tackling the two-loop sea swim before braving the legendary, crowd-lined "red carpet run" up the ramp into Transition 1.

From there, athletes headed into the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and a gruelling 112-mile bike course.

The final test came in the form of a four-loop marathon around Tenby’s medieval town walls.

Bassetlaw Triathlon Club had seven people racing - Andy Jones, Andy Moir, Hayley Ellis, Emma Ryan, Chris Barrowcliffe, John Ritchie and Gaz Hughes.

First home for the club was Gaz Hughes clocking 11 hours and 47 minutes,

The successful campaign in Tenby marks another milestone year for Bassetlaw Triathlon Club, proving that whether athletes are novice racers or seasoned iron-distance finishers, community and joint effort drive extraordinary results.

Reflecting on the achievement, Head Coach Gavin Toulson said: "IRONMAN Wales is a true monster of a race, and seeing our members cross that finish line is an incredible moment for the entire club. The months of early morning swims, long weekend rides, and endless run sessions paid off. Every single one of them embodied the spirit of BTC."