The Dartford Bridge Triathlon was selected as the 2018 Club Championship for Tunbridge Wells Triathlon Club. The Olympic distance race attracted a competitive field to race a multi-lap format with the backdrop of the iconic Queen Elizabeth Bridge.

Tim Lucas excelled with a 22min 1500m lake swim, second out of the water in the 7am wave. A solid bike ride in miserable conditions consolidated his position on the road. The 42km route comprised of seven laps along a stretch of dual carriageway, offering frequent opportunity to watch the race unfold. Lucas paced his effort to finish with a blistering 37min 10km run split, crossing the line in 2hrs12 to claim 10th place overall and 5th in age group.

Kieran Fitzpatrick was second home for the club, finishing in a time of 2hr16. The flat bike course enabled four minutes to be clawed back in the chase for the club title. The gap was too great to narrow any further, with both athletes evenly matched on the three lap run.

The battle for third place was hotly contested. Simon Howden impressed with a 24min swim, opening up a 5min gap over the chasing pack. Michael Thompson pushed hard out of the water, recording a 1hr11 bike split. There was little to separate the rivals as they jostled for position on the run. Thompson prevailed with a strong final burst to finish in 2hr24, just 30 seconds ahead.

Suzannah Kinsella claimed the female title for the club with consistent performances across disciplines. A strong swim provided an early advantage before holding her own on the bike. Kinsella executed evenly paced run splits to cross the line in 2hr52, well placed in age group.