York’s top triathlete Philip Graves is back among the United Kingdom’s leading honours.

The York Triathlon Club ace captured the Ironman UK 70.3 title.

It was Graves’ second win of the gruelling event on a tough Wimbleball course through the rolling Exmoor countryside in four years.

Graves was among a near 2,000-strong world-class field tackling the three disciplines of a 1.9 kilometre lake swim, a cycle ride covering 90k, and finally a 21k run.

The York star took the plaudits by reaching the tape first to repeat his 2009 conquest, this time clocking four hours, 19 minutes and 45 seconds.

Declared Graves: “I’ve definitely started a new thing at the finish.

“If I’m leading I’m not going to mess around, I just want to get myself over the line then I can do what I like – like collapse and have a lie down on some soft carpet.

“It was a mix of joy and relief as I went over that line. I was so happy.

“To win a 70.3 race is a huge achievement, but (to win) your home 70.3 is even better.

“I have been training as hard as I ever have done before and I knew I was in the form of my life so to actually go out there and put in a performance that my training has been telling me I’m capable of, it's just a relief that I can still get past that finishing line first.”

There was even more notable distinction for the York Triathlon Club.

Another club mainstay, Richard Whitfield, also took a podium slot after he finished second in the 30 to 34 age category in a time of 4.45-03 to record the sixth fastest run split of the day.

Elsewhere, three other club members – Will Kaye, Jess Bacon and Sean McDermott – qualified for the world championships in New Zealand later this year.

At a course in the Midlands, they swam one kilometre (poor weather trimmed the lake distance), cycled 42k and ran 10k, Kaye was fourth in the M40-44 class in 1.59-19; Bacon clocked 2.12-00 for fifth spot in the F30-34 section and McDermott came home in first place in the M55-59 category in 2.12-48.