IT WAS a day to remember for Max Hazell as he claimed victory at the Big T Triathlon Enduro event on Monday.

Freshford's Hazell, who is a member of Zoot Athlos club, would have to take part in a 600m swim followed by a 45km bike ride before finishing it off with a 10km run.

The 22-year-old battled it out with his teammate Harry Palmer throughout the Trowbridge Hot Chilli Tri club's Travis Perkins-sponsored race before managing to pip Palmer to the line by 20 seconds with a finishing time of 1.56.34.

Hazell admits the level of competition meant he was more determined to finish the race faster than he would have if Palmer wasn’t breathing down his neck.

“It was one of our target races so it was nice to go there and represent the team, I know lots of team members were doing it,” he said.

“I ended up being at the front with another team member (Palmer) who is renowned for being a pretty quick athlete.

“We ended up swimming and biking pretty close to each other, again, the race was ran really well.

“It’s never nice when you are hurting a bit but it was really good to race alongside. I managed to pull away in the last kilometre or so.

“We were still neck and neck at eight kilometres. I’m really happy with my time, we both pushed each other quite hard and I don’t think I would have gone half as quick if he wasn’t racing “I then went to watch my girlfriend’s sister (Isabel Wilkins) in the Aquathon and she had a great time in her first one, all the family were there so it was a great day.”

Bath-based Joey Rossi registered third place with 2.04.27, while the Zoot Athlos team also had the winner of the women’s race with Helen Jones finishing in 2:24:50, ahead of Avon Valley Runners Diane Hier 2:28.42 and Georgina Crawshaw in 2:29:00.

Another success story was surprise package Hot Chilli's Ella O’Neil, who was eighth female overall and third in her age group in 2.42.00.

“It was my first ever triathlon. I think I out the training in and I was able to do what I was capable of,” said the 27-year-old.

“It was a bit of a shock, you train hard and then you reap the rewards. The event was fantastic, the bike course was lovely and it had a very relaxed atmosphere.

“Everything was where I thought it would be but all things considered I am pretty happy.”

In the sprint event - (400m swim, 23km bike, 5km run), there was a victory for the host club, with elite junior Freddie Webb battling with Zoot Athlos rival Brin Glynn before delivering a stunning 16 minute 53 second run to win in 1:05.08.

Glynn was next in 1:07.12 with Hot Chilli/Zoot Athlos competitor Kirk Latham third in 1:07.30.

Local juniors also dominated the women's event, with University of Bath-based Zoot Athlos athlete Ashia Fenwick winning and coming eighth overall in 1:15.06.

In her first full sprint event, Hot Chilli’s Caitlin Woskia was second and 10th overall in 1:16.59 - despite racing a English Athletics national steeple chase 24 hours earlier.

Wiltshire's Paralympic swimming champion Stephanie Millward started the event and presented the junior medals.

Next year's Big T event will take place on Monday, May 7. See hotchillitri.co.uk for more details.

Other results Age category (8yrs) Will Smith (Hot Chilli, 2:56) and Florence Riggott (Tavistock Athletic, 3:50)..

Other Little T Aquathlon winners: Tri Star 1 (9/10yrs): Nathan Bottomly (Tri Team Glos, 7:06), Matilda Riggot (Tavistock Athletic, 7:30); Tri Star 2 (11/12yrs): Alex Knight (Unattached, 7:56) and Joseph Page (Wessex Wizards, 8:19); Tri Star 3 (13/14yrs): Amelia Riggot (Tavistock Athletic, 12:48), Tomas Piskac (Exeter Tri, 12:54).