COLIN Hill, who qualified for the World Triathlon Championships and had a real chance of a medal, has had to drop out, because has been unable to secure any sponsorship for the trip to Mexico.

"I feel that I honestly had a chance of a top-three place," said Hill.

"With seven wins this year and a silver at the European Age Group Championships I would still like to do better in 2003 and I need to work hard through the winter."

Hill showed his class by winning the Elite Triathlon at Cottenham, Cambridge, on Sunday.

Although not first out of the water, he powered though on the bike section to gain a minute lead, which he held through the run.

During September he won the Eton Triathlon, against a 500-strong field and also raced for the winning England team in the home internationals.

Hill also won an ITU race in Belgium.

Westmorland Quadrath-letes Keith Longney and Peter Hart put in great performances for Great Britain at the Sprint Distance World Championships held in Sedlcany, near Prague.

Trevor Knowles, Gary Beardwood, Paul Longster and Des Cannon raced in a field of 1300 in the most extreme weather conditions of the season in the UK half Ironman, at Llanberis, North Wales.

The event began with a tough 1.2-mile swim followed by 56 miles on bikes and ending with a 13-mile run.

Cannon was 196th in 5hrs 04mins and Longster 446th in 5:41.

Knowles clocked 5:41 for 569th overall and fourth in the Clydesdale class for heavier athletes.

Beardwood overcame a bout of leg cramps to clock 6:04 for 757th overall.

In the Cockermouth triathlon, which involved a 500-metre swim, 20-km cycle ride and 5-km run Jennifer Richards was 8th in 1hr 23 min 30secs.

Wendy McMillan in her first run for Westmorland Triathletes clocked 1:24:34.

There were 102 finishers.