|
|
 |
|
Monday, March 09, 2026
|
|
Elite Talent Celebrated at BTA Annual Awards
|
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.
|
|
|
Sunday, March 08, 2026
|
|
Bermudian Duo Face Elite Test at Salinas Regional Cup
|
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.
|
|
|
Thursday, March 05, 2026
|
|
Lau & Eiselt Set for Puerto Rico Challenge
|
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.
|
|
|
Sunday, March 01, 2026
|
|
Robinson & Smith Lead Bermuda’s Junior Triathletes in Florida
|
Bermuda’s next generation of multisport talent has delivered a series of gritty performances at the Clermont Draft Legal Triathlon in Florida, with several athletes securing top-ten finishes in a highly competitive international field.
The standout performance of the weekend came in the Youth Girls Division, where Riana Robinson powered to a fifth-place finish. Robinson stayed in contention throughout a grueling morning of racing, clocking a swim time of 00:06:39 and a bike split of 00:18:03 before finishing with a strong run of 00:11:30 to stop the clock at 00:38:19.
She was closely followed by Zara Bule, who finished eighth overall. Bule was among the fastest in the water with a 00:06:00 swim and maintained her momentum with a 00:19:12 bike split and a 00:12:31 run to finish in 00:39:52. Isla Cooze secured 14th place with an overall time of 00:41:05, having produced one of the fastest swims of the day in 00:05:53, while Madeleine Friend rounded out the division in 18th with a steady performance of 00:42:11.
In the Youth Boys Division, Ethan Smith fought his way into 10th place following a consistent display across all three disciplines. Smith entered the first transition after a 00:05:10 swim, followed by a 00:16:48 bike and a 00:10:40 run to finish in 00:34:37.
Spencer Haldeman finished 16th with a total time of 00:36:03, highlighted by a particularly quick run split of 00:10:19. Further down the field, Maxwell Williams took 24th place in 00:39:13 after a 00:19:59 bike leg, finishing just ahead of Ronan Davidge, who claimed 25th in 00:39:27.
The Under-25 divisions provided a stern test of endurance over longer distances. In the Men’s race, Dylan Eiselt placed 34th with an overall time of 01:01:41. Eiselt clocked 00:10:09 in the water and a 00:30:04 bike split before finishing with a 00:19:09 run. Teammate Lucas Bule finished 66th in 01:06:19, recording a 00:10:57 swim, 00:31:46 bike, and 00:21:24 run.
In the Women’s Under-25 Division, Madison Schindel showed great resilience to finish 55th. Schindel completed her swim in 00:12:14, followed by a bike leg of 00:37:39 and a 00:23:34 run to cross the line in 01:15:46.
The results in Clermont highlight the growing depth of Bermuda’s youth triathlon programme as these athletes continue to gain vital experience on the draft-legal circuit.
|
|
|
Sunday, February 15, 2026
|
|
Bortoli Narrowly Misses Triathlon Podium in Barbados
|
Bermuda’s next generation of triathletes have delivered a series of gritty performances at the 2026 World Triathlon Development Regional Cup in Bridgetown, Barbados. On a day defined by soaring Caribbean temperatures and a technical urban course, the island's contingent proved they can compete with the region's elite, highlighted by a standout top-five finish in the men's field.
Gianluca Bortoli led the Bermudian charge in the Men’s Elite race, coming agonisingly close to a podium spot. Bortoli, who recently secured his qualification for the Carifta Games in Grenada, finished fourth overall with a combined time of 1:00:03. His race was built on a solid foundation in the water, clocking 10:37 for the swim, before maintaining a blistering pace on the bike with a time of 30:29. He closed out the event with a resilient 18:03 run, a performance that marks him as one of the most promising middle-distance prospects in the Atlantic region.
In the same field, Lucas Bule and Sanchez Smith showcased the depth of the Bermudian squad. Bule crossed the line in 15th place with a time of 1:11:38, having navigated a testing swim in 12:35 and a bike leg of 36:47. He showed significant determination on the run, stopping the clock at 21:20. Smith, another Carifta-bound athlete, followed in 17th place with a total time of 1:17:47. Despite a challenging swim of 15:01, Smith recovered well on the bike and produced a strong final run of 20:15 to complete the grueling course.
The Elite Female race saw Madison Schindel carry the island’s hopes against a world-class field. Schindel demonstrated impressive consistency across all three disciplines to finish 13th overall with a time of 1:16:40.
Schindel started the day with a focused 13:54 swim, positioning herself well for the transition to the cycle leg. She maintained her rhythm over the technical Barbados terrain to clock 38:53 on the bike before delivering a strong finish on the pavement. Her closing run time of 23:48 was a testament to her endurance and tactical management in the midday heat.
For Bortoli and Smith, the experience in Bridgetown serves as a vital stepping stone toward the 2026 Carifta Games in April. The high-intensity environment of the Development Regional Cup provided the perfect dress rehearsal for the tactical demands they will face in Grenada.
The results in Barbados reinforce the continued growth of the Bermuda Triathlon Association’s development programme. With the island’s athletes consistently breaking into the top twenty of regional Elite fields, the focus now turns to the final weeks of preparation before the squad departs for the Caribbean championships later this spring.
|
|
|
|
