Kirkby Stephen woman completes World Triathlon Champsionships

Steph Hulford, a member of The Transformation Rooms Personal Trainers located in Kirkby Stephen, raced hard at the 2023 World Triathlon Long Distance Aquabike Championships held on the island.

Competing in the fiercely contested 50-54 Female age group, Steph finished an impressive 20th out of a strong field of participants from around the globe. 

Her performance was marked by a time of 5 hours, 49 minutes, and 11 seconds.

The World Multisports Championships, of which the Long Distance Aquabike Championships is part, is held annually in different locations worldwide, bringing together elite athletes who excel in both swimming and cycling. 

The challenging Aquabike discipline consisted of a demanding 3-kilometre sea swim followed by a 116-kilometre bike ride, pushing participants to their limits and testing their mental fortitude.

From the starting line, the course proved to be a tough test with a demanding swim leg with a decent swell running in the Mediterranean creating challenging conditions and Steph emerged in the top ten in her Age Group at that point. 

Next up was the cycle. The course was again tough from the start weaving through Ibiza's scenic coastal roads and challenging terrain. The undulating course involved two laps, including tough long uphill sections and technical turns as well as speedy downhill parts. 

Steph stuck to the job and maintained a pace throughout the 116-kilometer route.

Steph hopes to inspire others within the local athletic community by proving that with passion, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. 

Having achieved her goals at this event, Steph has since gone on to take on the Outlaw 70.3 triathlon in Nottingham and will be undertaking the Coniston End 2 End swim at the end of June.

She can also be found regularly pacing at Penrith parkrun, helping others to build up their running experiences.

Steph will also attend the European Aqauabike Championships in Menen, Belgium, in August.