Torpoint-based amateur triathlete Lisa Picton showed hundreds of men how it's done on her way to qualifying for the Ironman World Championships. Picton will travel to Hawaii to represent Great Britain in the event – which is a combination of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile cycle and a marathon (26.2 miles) – on October 9 after finishing as the fastest woman in the 35-39 age group at a trial in Bolton earlier this month.

The Looe schoolteacher, 35, was also the seventh-quickest female finisher overall, while coming 100th out of all of the 1,500 competitors, some of whom were professionals. With around 90 per cent of the entrants being of the male variety, Picton bettered the times of hundreds of men – much to her delight.

'In my head I'm racing against the men as much as I am the women,' she said.

'I do get a buzz from passing men, especially when they look well trained. My strength is endurance so by the time I get on to the marathon that's where my strength comes through and I find that I pass a lot of the men there. I love it!'

Picton, who took part in her first triathlon in 2002, qualified for the World Championships in 2008 but this will be the first time she will be participating on the back of coming out on top in her age category.

Full report in this week's Cornish Times.