Isles’ triathletes tackle Spanish heat on world stage for Team GB
FOUR Shetland triathletes recently swapped wind and rain for sunny Spain as they competed for Great Britain on the world stage.
Andrew Grant, Jacqueline Tulloch, Lynsey Henderson and Lewis Anderson, all from Shetland Triathlon Club, were in Pontevedra to represent Britain at the standard distance age group world championships.
They secured their places by finishing on the podium in their respective age groups at the Scottish standard distance championships in September 2025.
In Spain, they competed against triathletes from 62 countries, including Iceland, Mexico, Australia and Japan.
The event attracted an exceptionally high standard of competition, with athletes tackling a 1,500m swim, 40km bike and 10km run.
Competitors set off in waves according to their age groups, with Anderson starting first in an early wave. Tulloch was next off, followed by Henderson and Grant, who did not start their race until the midday heat.
The swim was one lap in the Lérez River, which was a balmy 20°C, making wetsuit use optional on race day.
Henderson had a great swim time of 24m39s, coming out of the water in sixth place.
On exiting the swim the first hurdle was climbing a set of stairs before a lengthy run through transition to a nearby stadium, where a football pitch packed with more than 1,000 bikes awaited the athletes.
They then mounted their bikes for a two-lap bike course. Each lap had a gradual climb to the top of a local hill before a U-turn and fast descent back into town.
The course featured a testing 460m of climbing in total. Andrew Grant recorded an impressive bike split of 1:03:22, moving up 25 places before entering the second transition.
Help keep Shetland’s news open to everyone
Good local journalism takes time, care and people on the ground. Membership helps us keep reporting the stories that matter to Shetland — and keep them free for everyone to read. Members get a weekly newsletter created especially for them, local ads only, and can bookmark stories and join the conversation in the comments.
Already a member? Sign in.
The run course proved to be a challenging finale to the race, with competitors completing four laps through Pontevedra’s old town with temperatures reaching 26 degrees.
The route featured a mixture of paved streets, sharp turns and short climbs, testing tired legs.
Large crowds lined the course, and among them were Shetland supporters Amy and Kathleen, whose enthusiastic cheering helped spur the team on to the finish line.
Anderson clocked 43m 57s in the 10km run, while Tulloch recorded her fastest ever standard distance time, showing real strength across all three disciplines on a tough course in the heat.
Henderson and Grant closed out with strong runs securing impressive overall positions of 13th and 41st respectively.
Results:
- Andrew Grant (40-44): 41st/96, 2:27:42
- Jacqueline Tulloch (45-49): 60th/69, 3:18:28
- Lynsey Henderson (40-44): 13th/56, 2:33:44
- Lewis Anderson (30-34): 36th/64, 2:25:05
Following the individual championships, Henderson’s excellent 13th-place finish earned her selection for one of the Great Britain mixed relay teams.
The relay format consisted of teams of four athletes, made up of two men and two women, with each athlete completing a 250m swim, 6km bike and 1.5km run before tagging the next teammate.
Henderson completed her leg in an impressive 28:29, contributing a strong performance with the second fastest time in the team.
The Great British team finished 9th out of 32 teams in their combined age category.
Overall, it was a great experience for the Shetland triathletes to compete at such a high level and represent Great Britain at a World Championship event.
The club thanked sponsors Blueshell Mussels, Chadwick Plant Hire, Garriock Brothers, MWJ Engineering and NorthLink Ferries for their support in making the trip possible.
Anyone interested in joining Shetland Triathlon Club can find out more through the club’s social media pages.
Keep Shetland’s news open to everyone
Your membership helps us report the stories that matter to Shetland — and keep them free for everyone to read.
Already a member? Sign in.
