Three members of WaldenTRI needed bigger suitcases for their return home after a trip to the European Duathlon Championships earned their five medals.

Held in Caorle, Venice, the squad were competing in their respective age groups at the international event.

Saffron Walden Reporter: Craig Dyce of WaldenTRI won gold and silver. Picture: WALDENTRICraig Dyce of WaldenTRI won gold and silver. Picture: WALDENTRI (Image: WaldenTRI)

Craig Dyce, the club's head coach, Georgia Dunlop, another coach at the Lord Butler Leisure Centre-based outfit, and Sullivan Smith got things going with the sprint distance race.

Comprising a 5k and 2.5k run either side of a 20k cycle, Dyce stormed to gold in the 55-59 category, winning by almost two minutes.

Smith, competing in the 45-49 group, finished the first run tied for first before claiming the silver, less than 90 seconds behind Huber Rossi of Italy.

Dunlop completed the set of medals in the women's race in the same age group, winning bronze.

She was a little off the pace after the first run but made good headway on the bike, catching the lead pack and then overtaking all bar two of them.

The medal was her first at international level, having been fourth at previous events.

Dyce and Dunlop were in action again one day later in the standard distance, with Craig Stewart and Simon Page, coaches at WaldenJNR, also making their bow.

The race was made up of a 10k run, a 40k cycle and a 5k run.

Both Stewart and Page had been battling to get fit from injury and they were more than happy to come 14th and 15th.

And yet despite their exertions from 24 hours earlier, Dyce and Dunlop were able to medal once again, winning a silver and bronze respectively.

Page, Stewart, Dunlop and Dyce, along with an additional six members of WaldenTri and WaldenJNR, will now look forward to the World Championships, held in Ibiza at the end of April.