VALE competitor Ed Norton has qualified for the Triathle World Championships in the USA later this year.

The 28-year-old from Honeybourne is targeting a top-three finish at the competition in Sarasota, Florida, in late October.

Norton progressed in Dorset from the first United Kingdom Triathle Championships in the senior men’s category for 19 to 35 year olds.

He finished first in his age group and was the only one to beat the qualification time required to represent Great Britain at the worlds.

Norton said: “It was my first attempt at an event of this format, so I hope to improve greatly in the next few months with specific training.

“My goal is to gain a top-three finish in the world championships.

“Due to the sport being in its infancy, we are having to go fully self-funded, so I am currently looking for sponsors to help with travel and training costs.”

Norton trains every evening in the endurance event, which involves shooting, swimming and running, after a long day at work.

Triathle, an invention by UIPM (Union International de Pentathlon Moderne), is only a couple of years old but is starting to gather international momentum and recognition.

It consists of a mass start of competitors in a specific age group.

They run to a shooting range to fire a Laser pistol single-handed at a distance of 10 metres.

After five hits or 50 seconds, competitors run to a transition point and jump in for a swim of 50m before running 800m back to the shooting range.

The circuit is repeated four times.