News

Tenby: 10,000 visitors for the excitement and thrill of Ironman 2017

Published

9 years ago

September 10, 2017

TENBY is welcoming over 10,000 visitors today (Sept 10) for the excitement and thrill of one of the world’s toughest races – Ironman Wales. Athletes from 45 countries are participating and are in Tenby for the county of Pembrokeshire’s biggest sporting event. The 2017 instalment of this epic test of human edurance will feature again some of the world’s best professional Ironman athletes competing alongside close to 2200 age group athletes.

Heading up the professional men’s field will be Frenchman Romain Guillaume and Bas Diederen from the Netherlands, along with Harry Wiltshire and Philip Graves from the UK.

As an athlete who thrives on tough courses, France’s Guillaume will be well-suited to the Ironman Wales bike course. He usually adopts the tactic of going hard on the bike, amassing a lead before holding off challenges on the run.

The course in Wales could play to his strengths giving him an early advantage. In terms of results, Guillaume has had a successful, but not perfect season so far.

A good win at Ironman 70.3 South Africa in January was followed up with second place finishes at Ironman 70.3 Staffordshire and Ironman 70.3 Dublin.

At IronmanUK he was in a strong position leading the race on the bike before a fall unfortunately ended his race prematurely.

The Netherlands’ Diederen is an Ironman champion with wins at Ironman Maastricht-Limburg to his name along with strong performances at big races. Similarly to Guillaume, the Dutch athlete is strong on the bike and usually attacks early.

Runner-up in 2016, Great Britain’s Philip Graves, returns to Wales this year with designs on the top spot after narrowly missing out last year.

Another athlete who is strong on the bike, Graves recorded the fastest professional bike split at Ironman Wales in 2016 and with Guillaume and Diederen in the field, an intriguing battle could develop.

Lucy Gossage will be the professional women’s favourite as she comes into the race in supreme form. Gossage has already won Ironman 70.3 Staffordshire and Ironman UK and recorded a second place at Ironman 70.3 Edinburgh.

She has been a near ever-present on the Ironman UK and Ireland calendar in 2017 but was forced to withdraw from Ironman 70.3 Dublin on race morning due to illness.

An athlete with experience at Ironman Wales is Great Britain’s Kate Comber.

Comber placed fifth in Wales in 2016 and has since kicked on, racing in strong fields in 2017.

She narrowly missed out on a top ten at the Ironman African Championship before a 6th place at Ironman Lanzarote and recently achieved her first Ironman podium at Ironman Maastricht-Limburg in the Netherlands with a well-earned third place. She will be aiming to move into the podium positions in Wales this year.

The USA’s Dede Griesbauer will also be one of the podium contenders in Tenby. Griesbauer is a three-time Ironman champion including Ironman UK and has multiple top ten finishes at the Ironman World Championship to her name. The American has the experience of racing at the top level and could be one to watch for a podium.

The 2017 edition of the race will see 2200 athletes from 45 different countries taking on the 2.4 mile swim at Tenby’s North Beach, 112 mile bike through Pembrokeshire and the 26.2 mile run in and around Tenby.

Of the total field, 38.6 per cent of the athletes racing will be racing at Ironman Wales for the first time and the race will once again have Wales rugby legends, Shane Williams and Ryan Jones taking part.

The 2017 edition of Ironman Wales takes place on Sunday with the race getting underway at 6.55 am from Tenby’s North Beach.

Crime

Broad Haven man remanded in custody over sexual harm prevention order breach

Published

19 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Court Reporter

Defendant admitted using Xbox without informing police as required under court order

ANTHONY COOMBES, aged 26, of Sand Banks, Broad Haven, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Mar 20) charged with breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

The court heard that between February 26 and March 19, 2026, at Haverfordwest, Coombes repeatedly breached the order by using an Xbox device without informing police within three days, as required.

The offences relate to a sexual harm prevention order imposed at Swansea Crown Court on October 20, 2021.

Coombes indicated guilty pleas to the offences at the first hearing.

Magistrates committed the case to Swansea Crown Court for sentence.

He was remanded in custody ahead of the next hearing, which is due to take place at 9:00am on Friday, April 3, at Swansea Crown Court.

The court refused bail on the grounds that he was likely to offend, citing the nature and seriousness of the offences and his previous record and character.

A pre-sentence report was ordered.

News

Man arrested after suspected drugs-related death in Haverfordwest

Published

19 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Police say death not suspicious as 46-year-old arrested over alleged Class A drug supply

A MAN has died following a medical emergency at a property in Haverfordwest, police have confirmed.

Emergency services were called at 3:18pm on Wednesday (March 18) after a report of a medical incident.

A man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Dyfed-Powys Police said the man’s next of kin have been informed and are being supported by officers.

The death is not being treated as suspicious at this time.

However, police confirmed that a man, aged 46, was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.

He has since been released under investigation while enquiries continue.

No further details about the deceased have been formally released.

Crime

Illegal dog breeders ordered to pay over £129,000 after council probe

Published

20 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

FOUR people from Mynyddygarreg, Kidwelly, have been ordered to pay more than £129,000 following a successful prosecution for illegal dog breeding.

At Swansea Crown Court on Tuesday (Mar 10), before His Honour Judge Thomas KC, Stacey May June Edwards, Peter John Edwards, Sian Eleri Thomas and David Malcolm James Thomas, all of Sea Breeze, Mynyddygarreg, pleaded guilty to offences under the Breeding of Dogs (Wales) Regulations 2014.

The court imposed confiscation orders totalling £129,873.41 under the Proceeds of Crime Act across the four defendants. They were also ordered to pay £8,000 in costs, while each defendant received a £2,000 fine.

The investigation began in April 2021 after Carmarthenshire County Council’s Animal Health team received an enquiry from Peter Edwards about obtaining a dog breeding licence. Although licensing guidance was provided and a partial application was submitted in February 2022, this was later withdrawn.

In March 2024, the council received a complaint that puppies were being advertised for sale without the required licence. Officers subsequently contacted online advertising platforms and issued data requests to assess the scale of activity.

Analysis of records from Pets4Homes, Freeads and Gumtree revealed multiple litters being advertised by members of the same household.

Correspondence under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act confirmed that up to 25 dogs were kept at the property, including between 16 and 19 breeding females.

While some defendants claimed joint ownership of the dogs, others attempted to minimise their involvement.

The Herald understands that numerous puppy advertisements were posted between July 2020 and April 2025, demonstrating a sustained pattern of unlicensed breeding.

Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Decarbonisation and Sustainability, Cllr Aled Vaughan Owen, said: “This case demonstrates the council’s firm stance against unlicensed and illegal dog breeding.

“These regulations are in place to protect animal welfare and ensure that breeding activities are subject to proper oversight. The scale of activity uncovered at this property was entirely unacceptable, and we welcome the court’s decision to issue significant confiscation orders under POCA.”

He added: “We urge anyone with concerns about illegal dog breeding to report it. Our Animal Health officers will continue to investigate thoroughly and take action against those who disregard the law.”

Residents are reminded that anyone breeding and selling dogs must comply with licensing regulations designed to protect both animal welfare and consumers.