“I’ve not swam in many places with snow in the background!” Alistair Brownlee finishes top three at extreme Patagonman triathlon

Alistair Brownlee has shown he’s still a force to be reckoned with in retirement! The Olympic gold medallist took on the Patagonman iron-distance event and bagged a place in the top three, despite local events almost causing the race to be cancelled.

He’s a man used to training for triathlons of all distances, but Patagonman was something a little different for Alistair Brownlee – and the only triathlon he decided to race in his first year of retirement. Flying out ahead of the race he commented via Instagram: “I’ve not swam in many places with snow in the background. Loving the amazing scenery and hospitality in Patagonia.”

Nearly cancelled

The sixth edition of Patagoman was a full day of emotion, but it nearly didn’t happen.

Just 24 hours before race start, a tragic accident struck the bay of the Aysén fjord. A shipwreck claimed the life of a man and caused an oil spill that put the swim segment of the race at serious risk. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the Chilean Navy and a difficult but thorough evaluation by race organizers, the water was cleared for competition — allowing the full 3.8km swim to go ahead as planned.

Race day brought surprisingly calm waters and relatively warm conditions, with water temperatures ranging between 12.5°C and 15°C throughout the fjord — the mildest swim conditions in Patagoman history.

As dawn broke over the glaciers and mountains, the athletes dove into the fjord under a dramatic Patagonian sky. Australia’s Josh Amberger was first out of the water in 49 minutes and 52 seconds, followed by Derrett Stephen (UK) and Ian McDonough (USA).

Alistair Brownlee exited in fourth but quickly made his move on the bike, showcasing his world-class talent and climbing to second place by T2.

The bike segment ended with Amberger still in the lead, Brownlee close behind, and Stephen in third — chasing hard. Brownlee posted the fastest bike split of the day at 4h47m, beating even local Olympic cyclist and 2018 course record holder, José Luis Rodríguez.

Drama on the run

But the real drama unfolded on the run.

Under a clear blue sky and surrounded by postcard views of Patagonia, Derrett Stephen ran a near-perfect marathon. At the halfway point, he had opened up a 10-minute gap over Amberger and Brownlee, both of whom fought hard to close the distance. But Stephen held strong on one of the toughest run courses in the sport — and crossed the finish line as the new champion of Patagonman.

Top 3 Men – Final Times:

· Derrett Stephen (UK): 9:06:02

· Josh Amberger (AUS): 9:35:27

· Alistair Brownlee (UK): 9:40:05

In the women’s race, Rosie Wild (UK) — representing the British Army and current bike-course record holder at Ironman Wales — led from start to finish. She conquered the grueling course with determination, finishing in 10:27:03 and placing an extraordinary 4th overall among all competitors. At the time of writing we are yet to hear confirmation of the second and third placed women.

Lead picture by @wags.photo / @patagonmanxtri