Oxford triathletes have started the season with a promising set of results at home and abroad.

More than 30 members of the Oxford Triathlon Club were in action at the Blenheim Triathlon. Rain and wind made the bike course even more challenging, but it did little to prevent Oxford Tri's women from recording some impressive times.

Sophie Whitworth was one of 20 competitors to race in the women's elite sprint, a 750m swim, a 20km bike and a 5km run.

Whitworth, 35, who is going for gold this season at the World Championships, showed she is on target for success by finishing fourth in a time of 1hr 14mins 35secs.

Emma-Kate Lidbury raced well in the women's sprint event, over the same distance, winning her race by four minutes to take silver overall in a time of 1.18.46.

Matt Powell finished fourth in the men's sprint event in 1.09.51, and teammates Gavin Lumb, Jerry Greatorex, Mark Herd and Ben Johnson also achieved top-40 finishes.

Further from home, seven of the team did battle in the Ironman Lanzarote event, which involved a gruelling 2.4-mile sea swim, a 112-mile cycle followed by a marathon.

First Oxford man home was Simon Johnson, in 11.20.09 to finish 45th in the 35-39 age group and 175th overall.

Hanno Nickau finished in 11.29.09, while Dominic Rorke was the third Oxford triathlete home in a time of 11.42.49 to rank 20th in the 25-29 age group.