Tyler Butterfield was not the only local athlete to have a superb day on Sunday at the St. Croix Ironman 70.3 .

While Butterfield beat some of the best triathletes in the world to finish on the podium in third place in the professional division, top local female triathlete Karen Smith won the 40-44 age group and was the seventh female overall. And as such she qualified for the Hawaii Ironman World Championships later this year, joining Butterfield.

Smith said: "Bermuda had a great showing in St. Croix. There were six age groupers from Bermuda also.

"I won the 40-44 age group and was seventh female overall – including pros – and the second amateur. I will get a qualifying spot for Hawaii Ironman.

"Julia Hawley was third in the 45-49 age group and Kent Richardson was third in men's 50-54 age group. These two may get Hawaii spots – it depends if the first and second (finishers) take the spots.

"Peter Hallet was seventh in 25-29 age group and Jeff Conyers was tenth in 55-59 age group. Paul DeGuilo was 17th in the 50-54 age group."

Smith added: "It was a very hot, humid and windy day. Kind of like Cup Match weather. Brutal conditions for racing!"

The St. Croix Ironman remains one of the very few 70.3 distance races where qualifying slots are available for both the Ironman World Championships in Kona and the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater.

The classic St. Croix course, among the most beautiful in the sport, had 28 Kona slots up for grabs, as well as 40 Clearwater slots.

After Sunday's competition, race director Tom Guthrie called the conditions "as hard as we've ever had".

"We always have heat, wind, and hills – sometimes we have overcast, but not today. Today was brutal."

Triathlon observer Barry Siff reporting on the race from St. Croix was high in his praise for Butterfield.

"Butterfield, a 27-year-old training in Boulder, but from Bermuda, is one to watch. In 2007, he was bike racing professionally for Team Slipstream. With tremendous genes from his parents, who are both elite runners, Butterfield has become one of the most feared and tenacious runners in the sport.

"His 1:07:52 at last week's Memorial Hermann Ironman 70.3 Texas was simply amazing – nearly four minutes faster than any other male professional. His 1:20:04 today in St. Croix was the second fastest run of the day – only bested by sixth place finisher, Maxim Kriat of Ukraine."

Smith will be returning to Hawaii as she, along with Karen Bordage and Julia Hawley, all competed in the ultimate triathlon test last year.

And they all finished inside the top 15 positions for their respective age divisions in 2009.

The three are training partners and leading the way home for the Bermuda contingent last year was two-time Commonwealth Games competitor Smith.

She excelled to take eighth place in the women's 40-44 category in a total time of 10 hours 55 minutes and 16 seconds. In the same division Bordage was 14th in a time of 11.10.03, while Hawley was 14th in the women's 45-49 division in a time of 11.56.32.