Saundersfoot staged the final Activity Wales Events triathlon of the season on Saturday.

The new sprint tri in the AWE calendar proved to be popular, with over 400 athletes registered to take part, 61 for their first ever triathlon.

The day started early with competitors arriving before the sunrise to register at the Regency Hall.

And Saundersfoot really embraced the event, with many local eateries opening their doors early to provide hot drinks and breakfasts.

Athletes and supporters took in the stunning view of the day dawning whilst consuming their caffeine and croissants in the harbour. Assessing the 750m triangular swim course, they were treated to an amazing sight of the gentle autumn sun rising over the horizon and the sea stretched out before it, calm and flat. The only ripples came from the stand up paddle boarders approaching the slipway to help marshal the event.

At 8 am, the sea was awash with white swim hats.

The lead athlete made it round the course in just over nine minutes, with Abbie Williams, a junior athlete, running through the crowds and leading the men out onto the bike course!

The bike course was a two-lapper around Saundersfoot; ideal for first timers. The run course was a welcoming flat 2.5k out to Wiseman’s Bridge through the tunnels and back.

The winner, crossing the line in one hour four minutes and 15 seconds, was David Cole. Not too far behind was the winning female, junior athlete Abbie Williams in one hour seven minutes 23 seconds.

The winning relay team came from Cycle Specific in Crosshands and had named themselves ‘High Expectations.’ They certainly lived up to them, finishing in a time of 59 minutes and nine seconds.

Full results can be seen online at www.saundersfoottriathlon.com

The trophy presentation took place on the red carpet finish line, where AWE ambassadors Shane Williams and Ian Gough congratulated the winners and presented them with the first Saundersfoot Triathlon trophies.

The day was a rounding success, with Twitter and Facebook alight with positive and appreciative comments. David Plester, a first time triathlete who had travelled from Claverham, North Somerset, echoed the feelings of the athletes and the community as a whole: “A quick note to express my huge thanks to the organisation team on Saturday - my first tri - and massively enjoyed it - weather of course made it perfect - but cannot stress enough just how great the event was and my thanks to the whole team. I hope it becomes a regular fixture in both my and your calendars.”

Race director Matthew Evans said: “We knew the event had huge potential, but we did not expect this! The entire village has been fantastic, the setting, the weather and the stories of the day have been amazing! This event will grow and grow and has to be one of the best locations for a sprint tri in the country.”

Entry to the 2017 Saundersfoot Triathlon is now open. Follow this link to enter: www.saundersfoottriathlon.com