SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 14: Bermuda’s Karen Smith has won the first SheROX triathlon event held in Bermuda this morning.

She was the third fastest swimmer in the elite amateur division of the race, trailing former Ironman women’s world champion Karen Smyers and talented teenager Gabriela Arnold. The 800m swim was followed by a 20K cycle ride along South Road and then a 5K run.

Early leader Smyers, also a former six-time US national champion, could not be caught on the cycle ride, but a calf injury meant she opted not to continue with the final running segment of the three-discipline event. Instead, she handed over to her daughter Jenna King, creating a special pro-relay mother-daughter team.

Eventual individual winner Smith managed to stay in close contention and quickly took the overall lead on the 5K course, completing the event in one hour 11 minutes and 39 seconds.

The women-only event started and finished at the Fairmont Southampton beach club and included relay teams.

Richard Alder, CEO of Philadelphia Triathlon LLC, which created the SheROX race series, watched the event and said he saw no reason why it should not return to the Island again next year.

Full report in Monday’s Royal Gazette