Lancashire triathlete Neil Hunter has qualified for the 2027 European Standard Distance Triathlon Championships in Kitzbühel after winning his age group at the Southport Triathlon in difficult weather conditions.

Hunter, who competes in the 60+ category, completed the event in 2:38:35 after a 1,500m swim, 43km bike ride and 10km run. The race took place in strong winds and low temperatures, with athletes facing choppy water conditions and challenging crosswinds on the bike course.

The Questa-sponsored Great Harwood athlete recorded a sub-30-minute swim before recovering from delays in the first transition, where cold conditions affected his ability to secure his helmet and display his race number.

He then completed the bike leg using a rear disc wheel in windy conditions before finishing the run with the fastest split in the over-60 category. Hunter ran the second half of the 10km course quicker than the first, recording 21:30 for the opening 5km and 21:09 for the final 5km.

Neil Hunter said: “I had forgotten how exhausting a standard triathlon can be, especially in those conditions, but it was great fun. The last few kilometres on the run were tough and I had to keep pushing right to the finish. Qualifying for Kitzbühel and managing to win the age group made it a brilliant day.”

The Southport event formed part of Hunter’s preparations for upcoming international competition, including Banyoles in Spain and the Chester Triathlon next month. Hunter has continued competing at British, European and World Championship level following a career with Lancashire Police, where he served as a detective superintendent.

In recent seasons, Hunter has won British duathlon titles, secured medals at European championships and claimed the European Standard Distance Duathlon title in Poland in 2025. Later that year, he won the Ironman 65+ Age Group World Championship in Nice, France.

His race programme is supported by Blackpool-based Questa Chartered Financial Planners, which provides sponsorship funding for training and international competition travel.

Neil said: “There is still plenty to improve and learn before the next races, but that is part of the enjoyment. The support from the volunteers in Southport was incredible because the weather was freezing for everyone standing out there all day. I’m already looking forward to Chester and then building towards Kitzbühel.”