HEREFORD triathlete Dave White did not let turning 40 or becoming a father for the first time slow him down this year.

His attention turned to international duty.

White was the second Great Britain competitor to finish in his section at a rain-hit European Long Course Triathlon Championships.

This year’s race was held in the town of Gerardmer, situated in the Vosges Mountains of North Eastern France.

The event consisted of a 4000m lake swim followed by a 120km bike section and finished with a 30km run.

White, who lives at Grandstand Road in Hereford, joined the 32-strong GB age group team and 600 other competitors for the start of the swim. The swim went well and White left the water in just over the hour mark.

With no let up in the rain, the cycle leg was going to be tough.

The cycle route consisted of three loops. The triathletes had to climb over 2,500m including the 7km ascent to the Col de Grosse Pierre.

Having had the fastest bike split of the GB team, White started the run strongly.

He finished in a commendable time of 8 hours and 9 minutes.

White was the second GB finisher and 16th in his age group.

White said: “The swim went very much according to plan, but the race really started when I left the water. The run, my weakest discipline, was always going to be tough. But apart from having stomach cramp in the last four miles, I felt that I raced well and felt proud to finish.”