TRIATHLETE Stuart Robinson from Appleby has just completed one of his most successful seasons ever at 43 years old - albeit all in domestic competition, despite qualifying for the British age-group team for the World Championships in Honolulu.

Cost restrictions dictated that Stuart turned down the chance to go to Honolulu and concentrate on the National Champion-ships and National Series.

This year he did have a new focus, racing for a newly-formed semi-sponsored team Team SABAR, after being invited by SABAR Project, the North West's newest specialist triathlon shop in Cheadle, Manchester, while remaining a member of Tri Lakeland and Border City Wheelers.

Early in the season, Stuart opened with three wins in his 40-44 age group at smaller events, namely the Preston Aquathlon, the Alnwick Triathlon and the Morpeth Triathlon, and was first 40 veteran at the Dalton 10k.

Then he turned to the main Olympic triathlon distances (1.5km swim/40k bike/10k run), which formed the National Series, and his results were: 1st 40+ Chester to be North-West 40+ champion; 1st 40+ Salford; 1st 40+ First of Forth, Edinburgh; 2nd 40+ Blyth and 3rd 40+ Shropshire.

Those performances clinched Stuart first place in the 40+ age group in the National Ranking Series and a surprising fourth place overall. He was also a member of the Team SABAR squad racing at the National Team Relays event in Nottingham that clinched second place and a silver medal in the open-age group.