LESLIE Dalley was the first Brit home in his age group in an “incredibly tough” international off-road triathlon race in Malta.

The Ledbury ace competed against athletes from around the globe in the first round of the Xterra, off-road Triathlon European Tour.

The race comprised of a 1,500-metre ocean swim, 30k off-road mtb and 11k trail run to finish.

Dalley crossed the line in sixth placed in a very competitive age group and a superb 84th out of 250 overall out of all categories including the professionals.

“Being a volcanic and a very rocky island, Xterra Malta was an incredibly tough race indeed,” said Dalley, a member of Malvern Cyclesport.

“The bike leg was technical and testing, with rocks and boulders making up a large percentage of the route.”