Official Triathlon races fall into a number of categories with different distances set to challenge the racers.

Often newcomers to the sport will start racing in a pool based sprint race, but in time will progress up the distance curve.

East Devon’s N1 Tri club is building a significant reputation in the sport. It has no less than four GB age group athletes in its team and one person who has qualified to race in the awesome World Championship of the sport ‘Ironman Kona in Hawaii’ later this year.

Already a number of athletes have got on the podium this year with perhaps the best individual performance being that of Patrick Livingstone, a Colyton Grammar School A level student, who won the Torbay triathlon outright.

Last weekend a large number of the club were competing around the country. Some, in their first race, others who are preparing for their season’s ‘big challenge’ which comes in a variety of formats.

At the Deva Triathlon in Chester an Olympic Distance event, 1500 metre swim, 40 km bike ride and a 10km run.

Local headmaster and rugby player, Luke Owen and his wife Rae, were in the field. Rae was delighted with her race as she set a personal best (PB) for the 10k, and showed her husband a clean set of heels in the process – beating him to the line by some six minutes!

In Luke’s defence, he is better known as a powerful prop forward in the sporting world of rugby!

Anne Ephraums is clearly getting better week by week and she has already topped the podium in her age group this year.

In a very competitive age group Anne was in 10th place and all local children who have learned to swim as a result of Anne’s teaching will be pleased to see she was overall third in the swim leg of the race.

The star performance of the day has to be Vanessa Glynn Jones. She came first in her age group. Vanessa serves as an example to all. Her next race will be in Geneva Switzerland where she will be proudly wearing her GB vest.

Next, to The Cotswolds where two club athletes were racing a middle distance event comprising of a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile cycle ride and a 13.1-mile run to finish off. Nick Johnson, like several others in the club, is in training for a full Ironman race later in the year and he was delighted to cover the course in a time of five hours and 52 minutes.

Sally Hutter was in the same race and Sally can be absolutely delighted with her time of five hours and 58 minutes to finish eighth in her age group.

For those who are keen to have a taster of multi sport, visit the N1 Tri Club website where details of their summer duathlon series can be found.

These low key events at Westpoint Arena in Exeter are geared to newcomers to the sport. Crucially there are junior races too.