Long-distance pro Darren Jenkins runs the Gauntlet
British tri coach to race all five half-iron distance events this year, plus The Bastion
British long-distance pro triathlete Darren Jenkins is going big on the Castle Triathlon Series this year, with the aim of picking up the Gauntlet Series prize.
Jenkins, who usually splits his time between Australia and Europe with a focus on Ironman and Challenge Series racing, is planning to race every Gauntlet in the series – five in all – plus the full-iron Bastion.
The Gauntlet races are hosted at five UK, Irish and French castles: Lough Cutra Castle (24 May), Cholmondeley Castle (28 June), Castle Howard (26 July), Château de Chantilly (30 August) and Hever Castle (27 September). Each involves a 1.9km lake swim, 90km bike and 21km off-road run.
After launching in 2013 at Hever and Chantilly, the Gauntlet series has been expanded to all Castle Tri events, and this year around 2,000 athletes are expected to take it on. Each Gauntlet race will feature a prize pot of £5,000.
Jeknins will also be tackling long-distance race The Bastion, being held at Hever Castle Triathlon on 12 July. Launched last year and won by Fraser Cartmell and Alice Hector, the race takes in two unique swim loops through the River Eden, cycle down country lanes around Ashdown Forest and the High Weald of Kent, and an off-road run passing two castles, streams and over quaint meadow bridges.
Darren made his pro Ironman debut at Ironman Australia last year, where he placed seventh, backing this up with a solid eighth place finish at Ironman France in Nice. Darren solidified his position in the pro field with a fourth place finish at Challenge Weymouth last September.
Sign up now for the Bastion or other race distances in the Castle Triathlon Series here, and enjoy an early bird 20% discount until 2 February 2015.
Will you be racing the Gauntlet or Bastion this year? Let us know in the comments!
Jamie Beach
Former digital editor 
