SUPER-FIT Dave Clamp admitted he was unlucky not to take the European Double Ultra Triathlon title after clocking the sixth fastest time ever and smashing the British record by some 35 minutes!

The Tottington High School teacher swam 4.8miles - the equivalent of 304 lengths at your local 25 metre swimming pool - then cycled 224 miles and finished off with a 52.2-mile run - the same distance as two full marathons.

He completed the race, held near Vienna, all in a time of just 20 hours and 34 minutes, beating his personal best by just under two and a half hours, but had to settle for third place behind new world record holder Luis Wildpanner and one of his Austrian countrymen.

And, despite his great endurance achievement, he could not help but feel disappointed, claiming his time would have clinched the European crown in any other year.

"It was just a bit unfortunate that I turned up at that event with those two great Austrians in it," said the race-hardened 43-year-old.

"If I had been offered that time in advance of the race, I would have snatched your hand off. But you would expect to win most races with a time in that region."

Such physical exertion would be rewarded by most athletes with a restful summer but Dave has immediately embarked on a rigorous training scheme in preparation for a longer Triple Iron Man race in July.

This time he will swim 7.2miles, cycle 336miles and finish off with a 78-mile run in a race which takes some competitors nearly two and a half days to complete!

Such staggering statistics prompt him to defend his sanity.

"It usually takes me around 39 hours but it's harder for the slower runners," he said.

"There's a cut-off point in these races of 58 hours and by that time you are dealing with serious sleep deprivation.

"I'm not saying it's easy for me but losing one night's sleep is easier to deal with than two.

"There will always be periods when you think you would rather be anywhere else than doing what you're doing. I had one which lasted about four hours last weekend after I was sick twice about 100 miles into the race.

"For the first couple of hours I just kept dropping further and further back and found it really hard going but you somehow find the mental strength to battle on and get through the race."

Dave is now setting his sights on the British Long Course Championships at Wolverhampton on June 30, where he will hope to improve on his third place finish of last year.

But he claimed he would settle for a high finish rather than setting his sights on the title in his ninth year of entry.

"I wouldn't think I have a chance of winning it but I did come third last year, so I would hope to be in the top 10," he said.