Celtman 2014 in images
The 2014 Celtman Extreme Triathlon took place this last weekend in very ideal weather conditions, and a course record was broken in that remote location in Scotland.
In this 3rd edition Swede Johan Hasselmark improved on his 2013 runner-up position with a course record win in 11:41:30. After a 1:01:29 swim he worked his way through the field on the bike with a race best split of 5:57:04 to move into third by the time he reached T2. He closed out his day with a superb 1:32:17 Coulin Pass run and a closing 3:04:49 run over the other 2 hills, and that combined time was also fastest among the Celtmen. Second place went to Brit Chris Stirling (12:03:16) and 3rd was Stuart MacLeod (12:11:25) who had finished 3rd here last year too.
The women’s race was won by Scot Marie Meldrum in 14:22:36 and she was followed by Brit Bonnie van Wilgenburg in 14:55:58 and fellow Scot Jan Rogers in 15:35:00.
The aspirational Celtmen enter the slightly cold waters of Loch Shieldaig for a 3.8k swim.
As the athletes return from that swim friendly helpers await them to get them on their feet and out Loch Shieldaig.
Family and friends and a few fans anxiously await the swimmers.
A friendly face and helping hands in transition is greatly appreciated and allowed in these extreme triathlon events.
A stunning landscape awaits the participants in this year's Celtman Extreme Triathlon for this 180km ride.
There is not much opportunity to draft here, and folks are typically spread out well.
If you are alone like this in Kona, and without media next to you, that likely means you are towards the end of the field. That is not the case at CXTRI.
Stuart MacLeod finished 3rd here in 2013 and hoped to step up at least one step if not two in this 3rd edition of Celtman.
Runners can have friends along for the closing marathon.
Stuart MacLeod pushes on.
But Johan Hasselmark was simply too strong today. He took the title in course record time.
This is not easy, otherwise it would be called golf or something else.
A couple athletes and their support run side by side up this steep section.
It is hard work even for the man in the lead.
Race leader Marie Meldrum had a very large lead over the competition.
Up and up and up we go.
It does look inviting indeed, but it is also a bit frightening.
Celtmen united.
All images courtesy and © of Steve Carter, Geraint Ashton-Jones and Jim Sutherland
