Island triathletes secure European Championships spots
Wight Tri's Helen Scholes earned a place in the 2026 European Championships after competing in the sprint triathlon qualifier at Nottingham's National Water Sports Centre, which included a 750m lake swim, a 20km bike ride and a 5km run.
Her performance earned her third place in the 55-59 age group.
Following her success, she is set to compete at Eton Dorney on June 1.
Liz Dunlop (left) and Jan Fletcher (right) after finishing the Southport Standard Distance Triathlon (Image: Wight Tri Ladies) Meanwhile, her teammates Jan and Liz also saw success at the Southport standard distance triathlon.
Both aimed to qualify for the 2026 European Standard Triathlon Championships, and they did just that.
The Southport course consisted of a 1500m lake swim, a 40km bike course along the seafront, and a 10km run.
Fletcher finished first in her 50-54 age group and was the 16th female overall out of 118 competitors.
Dunlop placed 90th overall but secured second in the 65-69 age group.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Miami Herald
38 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Ryanair cancels flights for 30,000 passengers amid French ATC strike
July 3 (UPI) -- Ryanair publicly called on the European Commission Thursday to reform EU Air Traffic Control services as strikes by French ATC employees have canceled flights for more than 30,000 people. "European families are held to ransom by French Air Traffic Controllers going on strike," wrote Ryanair CEO Michael O'Learyin a press release. "It is not acceptable that overflights over French airspace en route to their destination are being canceled/delayed as a result of yet another French ATC strike." "It makes no sense and is abundantly unfair on EU passengers and families going on holidays," he added. Ryanair asked EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to "take urgent action to reform EU ATC services" after the airline was forced to cancel 170 flights slated for Thursday and Friday, which happens to coincide with the start of the European summer holiday season. Ryanair's release also noted that aside from flights involving France being canceled, flights that fly over France to and from countries such as Ireland, Spain and Greece are also impacted. "EU skies cannot be repeatedly closed just because French Air Traffic Controllers are going on recreational strikes," it declared. "I am determined to stand firm against this unacceptable movement," said French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot in an X post Wednesday. He called the ATC's choice to strike during the peak holiday departure time and salary increase demands, among other conditions, "unacceptable." Tabarot also noted that the ATC strike impacts Air France, whose losses he said "are likely to amount to millions of euros, a burden that will ultimately fall on French taxpayers." Ryanair has also created a website titled "Air Traffic Control Ruined Your Flight," which lists several EU nations' transportation ministers under the banner "ATC League Of Delays." It lists each minister's country, then alleges how many flights have been disrupted and passengers have been impacted by ATC delays. It has Tabarot at the top, and purports 26,008 flights and 4,681,440 have been affected under his watch. O'Leary also said in his statement that should von der Leyen reform EU ATC services by making sure ATC services are fully staffed for the beginning of daily departures and provide protection for overflights during national ATC strikes, it would "eliminate 90% of all ATC delays and cancellations, and protect EU passengers from these repeated and avoidable ATC disruptions due to yet another French ATC strike." The UNSA-ICNA air traffic control engineer union had announced in June it would be striking on July 3 and 4, and in a statement released Saturday said it is "calling for a change of course to strengthen the staff, to complete technical modernization projects and to reinstate operational priorities at the heart of decisions." Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.


CNBC
39 minutes ago
- CNBC
French air traffic controllers' walkout disrupts early summer season travel
French air traffic controllers began a two-day strike on Thursday to protest against staff shortages and ageing equipment, leading to hundreds of flight cancellations just as the summer season gets under way. France's civil aviation agency DGAC told airlines to revise their schedules, including at Paris' Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport - one of Europe's busiest hubs - forcing the carriers to cancel flights. Air France France's largest airline, said it had adapted its flight schedule, without giving details, but that it was maintaining its full long-haul flight schedule. Ryanair said it had been forced to cancel 170 flights affecting over 30,000 passengers on Thursday and Friday. "Once again European families are held to ransom by French Air Traffic Controllers going on strike," Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary said. "It makes no sense and is abundantly unfair on EU passengers and families going on holidays." EasyJet said it would be cancelling 274 flights over Thursday and Friday. Lufthansa also reduced its schedule for the two days, affecting some flights in and out of Nice, Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Montpellier airports. IAG-owned British Airways was using larger aircraft to mitigate disruption. The strike coincided with the start of the European summer holidays, one of the busiest travel periods of the year. France's second-largest air traffic controllers' union, UNSA-ICNA, said its members were striking over persistent understaffing, outdated equipment and a toxic management culture. Another union, USAC-CGT, said the DGAC had failed to comprehend the frustration felt by controllers. "The DGAC is failing to modernise the tools that are essential to air traffic controllers, even though it continues to promise that all necessary resources are being made available," UNSA-ICNA said in a statement. "The systems are on their last legs, and the (air traffic control) agency is constantly asking more of its staff to compensate for its difficulties," it added. The DGAC did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the trade unions' concerns. Their complaints echo grievances expressed by air traffic controllers in the United States over outdated infrastructure, dramatic staffing shortfalls and failing technology. French Transport minister Philippe Tabarot called the unions' demands unacceptable. The DGAC asked airlines to cut one in four flights in and out of Paris airports and almost half of flights out of the capital on Friday. Elsewhere, airlines were asked to reduce flights by 30%-50%, with the south particularly hard hit. "Despite these preventative measures, disturbances and significant delays are to be expected at all French airports," the agency said, urging passengers to change their flights if they were able to. Luxair Luxembourg Airlines warned that "additional delays and schedule changes are possible across other destinations, as air traffic rerouting and capacity constraints may cause knock-on effects throughout the network." Ryanair's O'Leary urged the European Commission, the European Union's executive arm, to reform EU air traffic control services to ensure adequate staffing at peak periods and to protect overflights - those that pass over a country or region without landing there - during national strikes.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Ryanair and easyJet cancel hundreds of flights amid air traffic control strikes
Thousands of passengers have had their travel plans disrupted after low-cost airlines Ryanair and easyJet cancelled hundreds of flights due to French air traffic control strikes. Ryanair said it was forced to make 170 cancellations on Thursday and Friday as the strikes affect flights to and from France – and also flights over the country to destinations such as the UK, Greece, Spain and Ireland – impacting more than 30,000 passengers. Luton-based rival easyJet said it had cancelled 124 flights today and was scrapping 150 tomorrow due to the industrial action. EasyJet said customers have been contacted directly and have the option to transfer to another flight for free or receive a refund, but advised all passengers to check the status of their flights in case of further disruption over the next two days. 'While this is outside of our control, we will do all we can to minimise the impact of the strike action,' easyJet said. Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary renewed calls on EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to take 'urgent action' to reform European Union air traffic control (ATC) services in light of the disruption, which comes at the start of the European summer holidays. Mr O'Leary said: 'Once again, European families are held to ransom by French air traffic controllers going on strike. 'It is not acceptable that overflights over French airspace en route to their destination are being cancelled/delayed as a result of yet another French ATC strike. 'It makes no sense and is abundantly unfair on EU passengers and families going on holidays.' EasyJet echoed the plea, asking for 'long-term solutions'. It said: 'On behalf of our passengers we are extremely unhappy with the strike action, particularly given the current performance of French ATC which has been the leading cause of airspace delays in Europe this summer. 'Long term solutions must be found for our customers and crew who suffer repeated disruption.' Airlines have long-campaigned for an overhaul of ATC services across Europe. Ryanair said it wants the EU to ensure ATC services are fully staffed for the first wave of daily departures, as well as to protect overflights during national ATC strikes. 'These two splendid reforms would eliminate 90% of all ATC delays and cancellations, and protect EU passengers from these repeated and avoidable ATC disruptions due to yet another French ATC strike,' Mr O'Leary added. Ryanair also said on Wednesday it had been hit by the recent conflict in the Middle East, and it cancelled more than 800 flights last month. It is among those to have cancelled and rerouted flights amid the conflict between Israel and Iran, as well as continued attacks in Gaza, which last week saw flights halted at Dubai airport in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).