Torbay triathlon trio shine in Lisbon as others impress on home soil

Three members of Torbay Triathlon Club swapped the British winter for the sunshine of Portugal, taking the opportunity to compete in the Lisbon Half Marathon and 10k during their trip.

The Lisbon Half Marathon begins on the north bank of the River Tagus, offering runners a wide, flat route as it heads east towards the city centre. The scenic course takes in the docks and passes some of the capital’s most iconic landmarks, including Belém Tower and the Jerónimos Monastery. With almost 30,000 athletes taking part each year, it remains one of Europe’s most popular distance events.

V45 Cassandra Pressling produced a superb run in the Portuguese sunshine, completing the half marathon in a sub-two-hour time of 1:59:31, placing 3,145th from nearly 5,000 finishers.

Clubmates Jonathan Cowling and Stephen Wilbraham opted for the 10k, which shares part of the half-marathon route.

For V45 Cowling, it was both his first overseas race and his first competitive outing since returning from injury. He impressed with a finish time of 55:02, placing 1,108th.

V55 Wilbraham followed in a strong 59:39, finishing 1,695th in a field of almost 4,000 runners.

Closer to home, SM Matt Giles and his four-legged partner Neville continued their excellent campaign in the Purple Gecko 10k Canicross Series, this time tackling a new event within the grounds of the historic Scorrier House in Cornwall.

Scorrier House — the ancestral home of the Williams family and host of major events such as the Great Estate Festival — provided a varied and testing course for the delayed Halloween Twilight Run. Competitors wound their way through the walled garden, crossed open fields, and navigated water-filled, trench-like farm tracks and gravel paths.

Giles and Neville rose to the challenge superbly, finishing second overall in a rapid 40:19, securing another podium and strengthening their lead at the top of the series standings. They now hold a 19-point advantage heading into the next round.