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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