More than 230 people have competed in the St Ives Biathlon, organised by the St Ives Surf Life Saving Club, marking its 26th year.
The start of the Biathlon, outside the Fishermen’s Lodge
The event, sponsored by Penwith College, with the support of many other businesses and organisations, was enjoyed by hundreds of spectators.
Zak Clemens was the winner of the men’s open class, with Isabelle Leigh taking the women’s open title. Team Haynes finishing first in the open teams category. Finley Jeffrey and Daisy Leigh won the male and female juniors, with Team Knights finishing first in the junior teams.
Joshua Hoggett-Crisp and Robyn Coatsworth won the men’s and women’s classes respectively in the novice Race. The veterans race, for those aged 40 and over, was won by David Green and Anna Harrold; with the super vets (50-plus) won by Matt Leigh and Janet Haynes.
New and returning participants travelled from as far afield as London, Surrey, and Southampton to take part, with the most senior competitor aged 67.
With participants over 60 years of age growing year on year, the club is looking to introduce a new Super Vet+ age category for 2025.
Entry fees, business sponsorship, and donations/sales on the day are now being calculated, and the event will be a significant fundraiser for St Ives Surf Life Saving Club, which relies on this flagship event for vital club funds.
Biathlon women’s and men’s winners Isabelle Leigh and Zak Clemens
“Hundreds of people enjoyed this year’s Biathlon, both in and out of the water,” said Chris Simpson, chair of St Ives Surf Life Saving Club and biathlon event lead. “This is thanks to many local organisations who support us in organising the event and keeping people safe whilst participating.
“We would like to thank everyone involved, including SISLSC committee members, RNLI Lifeguards for their continued dedication and support, late into a Saturday evening, RNLI inshore lifeboat crew, Club board paddlers and lifeguards, marshals, stallholders, goody bag packers, kit transporters, Surfhouse for use of their room, the Fisherman’s Lodge for the use of the lodges, Anya Piotrowicz for First Aid Cover, Carbis Bay Hotel for supplying a water station, Printed By The Sea printing our t-shirts, and many local businesses for raffle prizes.
“Alongside the phenomenal support we receive in organising and hosting the event, we are also reliant on the generosity of local businesses who sponsor it and donate gifts in kind, so that we can meet growing costs, whilst also raising vital funds for our club. We would like to thank all of our business sponsors, many of whom have supported us year on year, including our title sponsor Penwith College.”
Steve Kenward, associate director at Penwith College, said: “Penwith College prides itself on being a key part of the west Cornwall community, and by supporting events such as the St Ives Biathlon we can really bring that community involvement alive.
“With more students from St Ives and surrounding areas starting their studies at Penwith College this year, supporting the biathlon is also a great way for them to see their future college out and about in the community. It’s fantastic to be a part of it.”
Participants ran through the streets of St Ives, starting from the Fishermen’s Lodge in the harbour, following the coast path towards Carbis Bay beach for approximately for approximately one and a half miles, before entering the water and swimming back to the harbour slipway for another one and a half miles. Juniors and novices ran to Porthminster beach before swimming back.
Full results can be viewed on St Ives Surf Life Saving Club’s Facebook page.
