YORK Triathlon Club duo Richard Whitfield and Sean McDermott have both qualified for different races at this year’s World Championship events.

Whitfield had an amazing result at the Ironman UK 70.3 event in Wimbleball, finishing 16th overall and first in his age category of 30 to 34.

The course of 1.9 kilometre swim, 90k bike ride and 21k run is renowned as one of the toughest Ironman 70.3 races in the world. Whitfield, who was eighth behind the pro triathletes, clocked a time of four hours 53 minutes and eight seconds to earn automatic selection for the 2011 World Ironman 70.3 race in Clearwater, USA, in November.

McDermott came fifth in his 55 to 59 age category at the National Championship Standard distance event in the Midlands. Completing the 1.5k swim, 42k bike ride and 10k run in 2:25-18, he was less than four minutes behind his age category winner. The result sealed a place to compete at the 2011 World Triathlon Championship race in Beijing, China, in September. McDermott has also qualified for the World Duathlon Championship race in Gijon, Spain, at the end of September with other York Triathlon members.

Meanwhile, York’s Will Kaye came third overall at the scenic but hilly Yorkshire triathlon. The 1.5k swim, 40k bike and 10k run at Pugneys lake in Wakefield saw Kaye beat another club-mate David Thomas to the podium by just over one minute, finishing in a time of 2:24-10.

Jess Bacon, another York Triathlete, was the first woman finisher in the Cholmondeley Castle Triathlon. Bacon completed the 800 metre swim, 44k bike ride and 8k run in a time of 2:12-18 – 16 minutes ahead of her nearest rival.