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Jersey's Dan Halksworth defended his UK Ironman title after holding off his rivals in Bolton.

The triathlete completed the 2.4-mile swim, followed by a 112-mile bike race and then 26-mile run in eight hours and 45 minutes.

Halksworth's training partner Steven Bayliss from Croydon finished in second place, with Joe Skipper in third.

"It's a special feeling to defend my title. I wasn't expecting it," Halksworth told ´óÏó´«Ã½ Look North.

"I'm really pleased to be able to race Steven. He's been my mentor the last couple of years so to run with him was a really nice feeling.

"I've been training really hard - financially it's been difficult this year. I've had to make sacrifices because I want to get to Kona [which is hosting the Ironman World Championships] in October."