Meet Eirin: from Beyond the Wall to the World Championships

5th Age Group at IM 70.3 Bolton

Eirin didn’t grow up dreaming about triathlon.

She grew up as a competitive equestrian, and sport still sits alongside a busy life managing her family-owned equestrian store, Rockvale Equestrian in Ballynahinch. At home, there are also two dogs to keep her occupied, including a mini American Shepherd who has his own sporting interests in agility.

Discovering multisport

In 2023, Eirin discovered adventure racing.

It suited her perfectly: running, cycling, a bit of adventure — and, crucially, a kayak leg instead of a swim.

“At that point, the idea of open water for anything more than a quick dip or bob about was kind of terrifying. I also couldn’t really swim front crawl!”

But in 2024, she decided there was one thing she wanted to tick off the bucket list.

A triathlon.

She knew very little about the sport. She knew even less about bikes and had been borrowing one for the adventure races she had done. That didn’t stop her entering Beyond the Wall.

The first one

The first-ever Triathlon - Beyond the Wall, 2024

Race morning nerves arrived early.

Very early.

“I was one of the first participants on site that morning out of pure fear. Friends will tell you how much I was shaking at the start!”

After registering, Eirin stood back and watched what the more experienced athletes were doing — how they organised their numbers, where everything went in transition and what seemed to happen next.

“I remember watching everyone sorting out their transition setups so I could copy them!”

Eventually there was no more avoiding it.

She got into the water.

She survived the swim.

And then something unexpected happened.

She absolutely loved the rest of it.

The bike was fun. The run was fun. Crossing the finish line was even better. By the end of the day, Eirin had already entered her next race.

She was hooked.

So, what next?

Things progressed quickly from there.

At the end of 2025, Eirin completed Ironman Barcelona. Inevitably, the question afterwards was: so, what next? Going after a place at the 2026 Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Nice was, in her words, “a bit of an impulse decision”.

The winter that followed wasn’t all rigid triathlon preparation. There was plenty of riding bikes, trying gravel and cross-country for the first time and completing a first gravel event at the Lakelander’s Big Dog.

And, of course, there was still work to do on that swim.

More specific 70.3 preparation started at the end of January, and this brought another new experience — speed work. “I was doing ‘speed’ sessions and faster work for the first time. It was totally new to me, but I really enjoyed it.”

Then, in June, Eirin lined up at Ironman Bolton 70.3.

The result?

A qualification place for the 2026 Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Nice, France, taking place on 12–13 September.

Quite a journey for someone who, only a couple of years earlier, had specifically chosen adventure racing because it meant she didn’t have to swim.

Still discovering what’s possible

Ask Eirin about the long-term plan, and there isn’t a carefully mapped-out five-year target.

Not yet, anyway.

“Truthfully, I still feel so new to the sport that I’m still discovering what is out there and what to aim for.”

For now, the next big adventure is Nice, where she will get to experience the atmosphere of an Ironman 70.3 World Championship for the first time.

After that, she is already looking towards another winter of training and more National Series racing next year. And the gravel and XC bikes aren’t going anywhere.

Keep it fun

For Eirin, perhaps the biggest lesson from the journey so far is a simple one: keep it fun.

“Whether that is training with friends, just riding your bike with friends or missing the odd training session for a social occasion or event that you just do not want to miss.”

Training across three sports can become demanding quickly, particularly when it has to fit around work and everything else in life. Keeping that sense of enjoyment matters — and it is clearly something Eirin has carried with her from that first nervous start at Beyond the Wall all the way to qualifying for Nice.

As she puts it: “You’ve got to be enjoying yourself.”