Sevenoaks, Kent AC and Maidstone Harriers Athletes Take On the Hever Castle Triathlon Weekend

Anne Boleyn's childhood home turned into a finish line this weekend, as Hever Castle hosted its annual Triathlon and Multisport Festival on Saturday and Sunday. Hundreds of swimmers, cyclists and runners moved through the castle's grounds and the surrounding Kent lanes over the two days, watched by families picnicking in an Event Village of food stalls, live bands and children's activities.

Saturday's blue-riband event was the Individual Olympic triathlon – a 1500m swim, 40km bike and 10km run – and three West Kent clubs had athletes among its 316 finishers. Sevenoaks Tri Club's Lucy Meakin came home 104th overall in 3:08:34, Kent AC's Miguel Stucchi finished 222nd in 3:37:06, and Maidstone Harriers Tri Club's Hannah Read crossed the line 279th in 3:59:09 – all three racing a field that had travelled in from as far as Solihull, Bristol and the Isle of Man for the chance to swim, bike and run through a Tudor estate.

At the sharp end, the top three men finished within two minutes of each other, with the winning time 2:26:49. Anne-Sophie Louvet of Windrush Triathlon Club was the fastest woman on the day, 10th overall in 2:31:12.

Saturday's Olympic distance was just one of several events run over the weekend as part of the wider Multisport Festival, which also included sprint, super-sprint, duathlon and aquabike races across both days. Organisers Castle Race Series have been bringing the event back to Hever every September since 2018.

The castle doesn't leave the grounds empty for long: Hever's grounds open for Autumn Colour from Monday, when the turning leaves rather than finish lines become the draw, running through to 1 November. Full results, including every wave and discipline from the weekend, are published by the organisers. Source: Hever Castle, Castle Race Series results, Individual Olympic Triathlon