Wheelworx Pikeman Triathlon returned to Rosslare on Sunday, 14 September for the penultimate Round of the 2025 Triathlon National Series, this year run by Bear Races for the first time. Sunday signalled the last time that athletes had the chance to earn Triathlon National Series points across standard distance ahead of the final round across sprint distance at Pulse Port Beach Triathlon.
The swim on Rosslare Beach was shortened to 750 metres due to conditions on the morning, with a rolling 40k bike course and a 10k run to follow.
Ross Killalea and David Higgins put down the fastest swims of the day with the rolling start, leading the men’s field out of the shortened 750 metre swim and on to the bike course. Belpark’s Callum O’Neill had the next fastest swim and Wicklow’s Scott Graham with 11:56.
Longtime course leader David Higgins unfortunately received a DQ due to a course error. Donal Mongey moved into first and this signalled his third win of the Triathlon National Series, having won both Clonmel and Two Provinces earlier in the season.
Cork Triathlon’s Donncha Kiely last won the Triathlon National Series in 2022 and is always in the mix. Things were no different in Rosslare with Kiely taking the second spot on the podium.
The battle for third was between Scott Graham and swim leader Ross Killalea. Graham put in the faster bike split to lead Killalea by 90 seconds into T2. Out on the run course, Killalea was one of the fastest of the day in tough conditions; overtaking Graham and securing third with a 33:45 10k run split.
In the women’s race, a strong field speckled with national series podium regulars promised a competitive days racing.
Fiona Murphy is regularly out of the water in contention and Wheelworx Pikeman was no different. Murphy led the field out of the swim, with a 11:32 split. Naoise O’Donnell was second out in 11:51, Aine Kinsella and Vanessa Fenton next.
On the bike course Aine Kinsella established a lead and came into T2 just 32 seconds ahead of Helen Perry, Ellen Murphy in third a further 23 seconds back. Naoise O’Donnell and Vanessa Fenton were in fourth and fifth.
Holding places out on the run course, Aine Kinsella secured her first win of the 2025 Triathlon National Series, Helen Perry second and Ellen Murphy in third.
Full results can be found HERE.
