Ollie Conway and Jolien Vermeylen took victory in the second round of the Supertri Pro Series at Supertri Blenheim Palace, with both winners surging clear on the run to claim their titles at the UK’s largest triathlon.
​For Conway, it was home glory. The 20-year-old, crowned World Triathlon U23 Champion in 2025, grew up minutes from the estate and brought all of his running pedigree to bear on a course he knows well, crossing the line in 55:51 for a statement win on home soil.
​Conway led a ten-deep bike pack into T2 before he, Charles Paquet and Luke Willian surged ahead on the run.
Conway’s running proves decisive
Conway proved the fastest, with Canada’s Paquet just four seconds adrift in 55:55 and Australia’s Willian completing the podium in 56:02. Britain’s Harry Leleu and Fynn Batkin were next home, with the Netherlands’ Mitch Kolkman sixth and home favourite Hugo Milner seventh.
​Ollie Conway said: “I grew up here, essentially a couple of minutes away before going to uni, and I used to do my run sessions around here. It’s such a nice location and course, technical and hilly. A really nice course. The run-up from the swim mixed it up, and I am not the greatest swimmer, so I can catch up a few positions there, and the hills in the bike and the run suit me well.
​“I really wanted a spot in the (Supertri Pro Series) Final. I raced Jersey last year, and it was such a great course, just like this one, so I really wanted a spot. All the big hitters are going there. I know Alex (Yee) is in and Matt (Hauser). So many fast guys, so I really want to get stuck in and see where I am.”
​In the women’s race, Vermeylen was in a class of her own. The Belgian – winner of last year’s Supertri Toronto opener and a sweep of the European sprint and Olympic-distance titles in 2025 – sat in a lead bike pack with the big hitters before surging away on the run to win by a commanding 30 seconds in 1:02:18.
PĂ©riault and Mathias complete podium
​France’s LĂ©onie PĂ©riault, the highest-ranked WTCS athlete on the start line, took second in 1:02:48, having started the run 35 seconds down on Jessica Fullagar and Olivia Mathias. Mathias completed the podium in 1:02:59 to send the home crowd wild.
Fullagar came home in fourth; France’s Emma Lombardi in fifth; Eve Whitaker in sixth; and the Austin third-place finisher, Zuzana MichaliÄŤková of Slovakia, was seventh.
​Jolien Vermeylen said: “The (bike) power for me was the most I have ever done in a sprint distance, so I am very happy about that, and then I had to see what I had left on the run. I had a pretty good swim, and the first transition went very fast, and on the bike, we were in a group of four.
“The main horsepower on the bike was from Jess (Fullagar) and Olivia (Mathias), and I tried to take over and do good pulls. I really wanted to bike as hard as I could. I am very excited for Jersey. I love being there, and the swim course around the boats is very cool.”
Supertri Pro Series Finals shaping up
Supertri Blenheim Palace was the second race of the Supertri Pro Series. The pros competed over a sprint distance, draft-legal format, with the race also doubling as a stage of British Triathlon’s Super Series. The event paid ten deep, and three athletes per gender qualified for the Supertri Pro Series Final in Jersey on September 6, with its $800,000 prize pool.
​With Vermeylen, PĂ©riault, Fullagar, Lombardi and MichaliÄŤková already central Supertri athletes, the women’s qualifiers for the Pro Series Final were Mathias, Eve Whitaker and Lottie James, while Conway, Paquet and Willian earned their spots from the men’s race.
​In British Triathlon’s Super Series, decided by the leading home finishers, Conway took top honours ahead of Harry Leleu and Fynn Batkin, while Mathias led Fullagar and Whitaker on the women’s podium.
​The series continues in Toronto on July 26 before the Supertri Pro Series Final in Jersey on September 6.
Pro results from Supertri Blenheim Palace
​Men’s Results:
Oliver Conway (GBR): 55:51
Charles Paquet (CAN): 55:55
Luke Willian (AUS): 56:02
Harry Leleu (GBR): 56:16
Fynn Batkin (GBR): 56:18
Mitch Kolkman (NED): 56:25
Hugo Milner (GBR): 56:33
Jack Willis (GBR): 56:42
Michael Gar (GBR): 56:59
Christopher Perham (GBR): 57:08
​Women’s Results:
Jolien Vermeylen (BEL): 1:02:18
LĂ©onie PĂ©riault (FRA): 1:02:48
Olivia Mathias (GBR): 1:02:59
Jessica Fullagar (GBR): 1:03:09
Emma Lombardi (FRA): 1:03:14
Eve Whitaker (GBR): 1:03:51
Zuzana Michaličková (SVK): 1:04:58
Lottie James (GBR): 1:05:48
Isla Hedley (GBR): 1:06:05
Isabella Hayes (GBR): 1:06:14
