An endurance athlete swam 3.4km in a cold sea loch, cycled a challenging 200km bike route and then ran 42km over two rugged mountains to set a new record time of just 10 hours and 50 minutes in an notoriously tough long-distance triathlon. Ross Creber, 34, led for most of the Celtman Extreme Scottish Triathlon – and, in his third consecutive win, he set a new highest bar by six minutes.
He said: ”I am delighted to win and amazed to have set a new course record.” In the women’s race, Eilidh Prise also set a new record. She beat her own fastest time in 2021 by 29 minutes to finish in 12:39.
The 28-year-old revealed it was her cycling that gave her the edge: “When I did my first Celtman I was quite new to cycling. This year, I put in constant training and I have been cycling a lot more. While my swim and run times were similar to before I shaved time in on the bike.
” The Celtman takes place on the coast of the Scottish Highlands in Wester Ross. Competitors swim 3.4km in jellyfish-infested Atlantic waters.
The water in Loch Shieldaig is consistently cold. “The last part of the swim was in water of only 10°C," said Creber. "I was really cold by T1 and it took me a long time on the bike section to feel warm again.
” The 200km bike route runs through spectacular highland roads, taking competitors along historic single track passes and undulating coastal roads. The route includes a punishing 2,200m of climbing and can be affected greatly by the wind. The final section.
