Experienced triathletes Nathan Jackson and Kate Pedley took out the men’s and women’s sprint events in what was the third highest-attended triathlon race in the state this season, with Jackson crossing the line in 1:01:58 and Pedley in 1:05:10.

Jackson finished 20 seconds ahead of North-West athlete Andrew Rolls while newly-crowned Launceston Triathlon Club champion Will Blackaby took third after leading the field out of the water.

Pedley finished more than six minutes clear of Sarah Hardy in second. 

Break O’Day Triathlon president Barry LeFevre, whose committee joined forces with the LTC to run the event, said he was thrilled with a turnout of 162 in the race’s debut year. 

“We had up to 300 or 400 locals come and watch as well so I estimate there would have been a crowd of probably 500 or 600 at the St Helens wharf area,” he said.

“A couple of the officials are saying they wouldn’t be surprised if we get 300 – 350 next year and just smash all records.”

In other results, siblings Hayden and Shae Arnold took out the boys and girls junior enticers, while Michael Anderson and Sheila Barrett took out the veteran’s category.

Local athletes found plenty of success in the adult enticer, where East Coast pair Lewis Ritchie and Jason Hall finished second to Dennis Ling, with Fiona De Wit claiming first in the women’s race.

In other triathlon news, Launceston 15-year-old Ethan Stretton registered his third podium finish in the final round of the Australian Junior Triathlon series.

Racing against a field of 23 Youth A athletes in Western Australia, Stretton emerged second from the swim leg and held that spot for the remainder of the race. 

The St Patrick’s College student made up three seconds on eventual winner James Olson-Keating in the run leg before finishing a second and a half behind in a time of 32:07.22.

The time secured Stretton his second silver in a row and crucially saw him finish 10 seconds clear of Western Australian Daniel Kempson, who held a one-point series advantage leading into the final round.

The final standings for the series are expected to be released later this week.