Double Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee (GBR) and Josh Amberger (AUS), in his last race before retirement, both made the podium at the Patagonman Xtri in Chile, billed as the “world’s most extreme triathlon”.
And in the women’s race Rosie Wild (GBR), a professional athlete and also the first woman to pass the UK’s elite P Company military selection process, completely dominated as she won by a huge margin – and came fourth overall.
The full-distance event sees athletes swim 3.8 kilometres in the Aysén Fjord, cycle 180km along the famous Carretera Austral and then run 42.2km.
And after what is one of the hardest marathons in the sport, they ring the bell at the finish line and take home the champion’s “boina”, a local Patagonian beret.
In the men’s race that honour went to Brit Stephen Derrett who was second to Amberger after the swim and third after the bike but quickly took charge of matters on the challenging run.
Men’s race – Derrett dominates
Throughout his career Amberger, who only announced his retirement from the pro ranks this week, has been one of triathlon’s finest swimmers.
He’s twice led the field out of the water at the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona and he was a class apart here after the athletes jumped off the ferry and into the Aysén Fjord which wasn’t anything like as cold as normal. Indeed it was the mildest swim conditions in Patagonman history with water temperatures ranging between 12.5°C and 15°C.
He clocked 49:52 for the swim, with Derrett second in 52:47, Ian McDonough (USA) third and Brownlee fourth in 58:12.
Amberger was solo on the bike while Derrett and Brownlee were often in close proximity to each other and that was still the case coming into T2.
Starting the run Amberger had a five-minute advantage on Derrett and eight on Brownlee but things would change rapidly as Derrett stormed into the lead and he would never look back.
He rang the bell after stopping the clock in an impressive 9:06:02, nearly half an hour clear of Amberger, with Brownlee a further five minutes back in third.
Women’s race – Wild a class apart
For Wild, who has had such a breakout season, this was the perfect way to end a memorable year.
Her biggest result by far was second at IRONMAN Wales in September which qualified her for Kona next year.
And there didn’t seem to be any lingering effects from that – she was always way ahead of her female rivals and in the top five of the overall standings from early on the bike.
She crossed the line in 10:27:03, fourth overall after Brownlee.
Fellow Brit Nicole Morgan would take second at 13:25:00 in the women’s standings, with Arran Goldman (USA) in third.
With this result, British triathlon continues its dominance in the world of extreme triathlon, now boasting eight Patagonman champions across six editions. Other British champions include Tim Don, Lucy Gossage, Flora Colledge, Caroline Livesey (2x), and Laura Siddall.
Patagonman 2025 results
Men
- 1. Stephen Derrett (GBR) – 9:06:02
- 2. Josh Amberger (AUS) – 9:35:27
- 3. Alistair Brownlee (GBR) – 9:40:05
Women
- 1. Rosie Wild (GBR) – 10:27:03
- 2. Nicole Morgan (GBR) – 13:25:00
- 3. Arran Goldman (USA) – 13:33:14
