Isle of Wight athletes Helen Scholes and Liz Dunlop have secured European Championship qualification after a tough weekend of racing at the European Triathlon Championships in Istanbul.
Representing Wight Tri and supported by Wightlink and the Isle of Wight Council, both athletes took on the challenging Bosphorus courses with standout performances in their respective age categories.
On Saturday, Helen Scholes competed in the Sprint Distance race, beginning with a 750m swim from a pontoon into choppy waters at Kucuksu Kayiri Park. Despite missing the swim exit ramp initially, she completed the leg in 16:14 before heading into a solo 26km bike leg which took competitors across the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge. She recorded a time of 54:12 on the bike.
The final leg saw Helen run 5.2km in the rising heat, finishing in 26:32. Her combined time of 1:42:09 secured her 6th place in the 55–59 age group and made her the 3rd fastest GB athlete in the category, earning automatic qualification for the 2026 European Championships.
On Sunday, Liz Dunlop took on the Standard Distance event. Conditions in the Bosphorus were unusually calm, with swimmers covering a 2,375m distance surrounded by jellyfish. Liz completed the swim in 45:29.
She then faced a steep cycling route with two crossings of the Bosphorus Bridge, clocking 1:21:50, followed by a tough 10km run under the midday sun. Liz finished the run in 52:01, giving her a final time of 3:06:12. She placed 5th in the 65–69 age group and was 4th among British athletes.
Both athletes now qualify for future World and European Championship events, with their results marking another successful outing for Wight Tri on the international stage.
Helen and Liz have extended their thanks to Wight Tri, Wightlink, and the Isle of Wight Council for their ongoing support.
