Hampshire's super-fit triathlete Julian Jenkinson is firm favourite to win one of the most gruelling races staged in Britain tomorrow.

The former Southampton scientist is predicted to come home first after swimming 2.4 miles in the Gailey Reservoir at Wolverhampton, powering his way along neighbouring roads on a 112-mile cycle and then taking on a full marathon - 26 mile, 385 yards.

Jenkinson has won the event for the last two years but there will be a bonus if he successfully defends his title. The race - called the Longest Day - is now also the official British Ironman distance event.

If Jenkinson secures that he can add the crown to the British Ironman distance record he set in Germany in 1995 in eight hours, 15 minutes, 21 seconds and the British Middle Distance Duathlon title (10k run, 60k, 10k run) in Jersey earlier this year.

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