The EXSS Off-Road Triathlon was held on Saturday 9 November 2024 at Lake Leschenaultia, Chidlow. Despite a late start caused by traffic on the hill, the atmosphere was charged with anticipation—and the race didn’t disappoint.
Forty-five athletes took on the Long Course Triathlon distance, which served as the TWA Cross Triathlon Championship event for 2024/2025 season. This race was also a World Qualifying Event for the 2025 Australian Age Group Multisport Team (Pontevedra, Spain – Cross Triathlon).
When the start horn sounded, it was go time. Both men and women were off and racing.
Right from the start, Josh Pedlow set the pace in the water, emerging as the fastest swimmer (14:08.52), with Eric Aspeling and Suzanne Borrett close behind. Throughout the 2 lap course with an Aussie exit, Borrett held her own against the blokes – overall third out of the water in a blistering pace of 15:14.22.
As the race moved into transition, Josh sped through T1 and held onto his early lead.
The action really intensified on the bike course. Peter Jensen made up over two minutes on Pedlow and Oli Wright, surging to the front just as he hit T2. Bart Hollemans also put the pedal to the metal with a super quick cycle (58:07.55).
As the athletes hit the run course, Josh Pedlow reclaimed the lead on the first lap, though Oli Wright was hot on his heels. Like the Mixed Team Relay at Paris 2024, the final stretch of this race saw an incredible toe-to-toe sprint with a dramatic photo finish. It was between Pedlow and Wright in the final 800m, with Wright lunging at the line to outpace Pedlow by a hair’s breadth and snag the ribbon.
Peter Jensen, Eric Aspeling and Bart Hollemans rounded out the overall top 5 men with strong performances across the board.
The women’s race was equally thrilling. Suzanne Borrett displayed incredible resilience, leading with a fierce swim and closing with a fast run. However, powerhouse Michelle Carranza’s strong cycle placed her at the top of the podium in the end, just ahead of Borrett.
Joanne Sneddon, a non-member, impressed with an overall third-place finish after logging the fastest female bike split of the day, while Kinga Hague followed closely in fourth. Victoria Burrows Bilton rounded out the top 5 overall females in her first race back since becoming a mum.
This year’s EXSS Off-Road Triathlon was a showcase of grit, friendly rivalry, and impressive athleticism. Thank you to everyone who raced, volunteered, officiated, and cheered. Well done to Exceed Triathlon Club for hosting another successful event, and congratulations to our State Champions!
2024/25 STATE CROSS TRIATHLON CHAMPIONS
Due to the size of the event and competitor numbers, State Championship medals and titles were awarded to 10 year age groups as below.
| Age Group | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 16-19 | Joshua Pedlow | – |
| 20-29 | – | – |
| 30-39 | Oli Wright | Michelle Carranza |
| 40-49 | Peter Jensen | Suzanne Borrett |
| 50-59 | Bart Hollemans | Alison Ramm |
| 60-69 | Richard Burnell | – |
| 70-79 | – | Virginia Westwood |
FASTEST SPLITS OF THE DAY
SWIM:
Male – Joshua Pedlow 14:04.05
Female – Suzanne Borrett 15:14.22
T1:
Male – Joshua Pedlow 37.66
Female – Suzanne Borrett 1:07.94
BIKE:
Male – Peter Jensen 56:17.94
Female – Joanne Sneddon 1:10:09.14
T2:
Male – Neil Connan 18.40
Female – Victoria Burrows-Bilton 22.55
RUN:
Male – Oli Wright 20:37.94
Female – Suzanne Borrett 25:30.43