How online video inspired World Championship qualification

"The reason I got into triathlon was because I watched a YouTube video about three years ago and then I was hooked instantly," explains Ethan Woodhead.

"I signed up for the try-tri over here and then started doing the Guernsey tri clubs and now I've entered all these races and I wouldn't look back, it's brilliant."

Ethan's journey to the 70.3 Ironman World Championships has been an unusual one.

The 24-year-old from Guernsey has gone from being inspired by watching a video of the sport online to earning a place among the world's best in Chattanooga, Tennessee next year.

He qualified for the event after finishing eighth in the Ironman 70.3 Weymouth event in Dorset earlier this month completing the half Ironman course of a 1.2-mile (1.9 km) swim, a 56-mile (90 km) bike ride, and a 13.1-mile (21.1 km) run in a time of 4:20:45.

"It hasn't really sunk in yet, I'm still on cloud nine," he told BBC Guernsey.

"I think I need to sit down and kind of think about it because it's a pretty surreal feeling."

Woodhead trains around 18 hours a week around Guernsey, which can have its limitations for preparation.

"The running and the swimming I don't find too bad, but the cycling is a struggle because Guernsey is not that big," he added.

"So doing a five-hour cycle on this tiny island includes a lot of laps and inland and repetitiveness so that makes it difficult."

Woodhead is realistic about his chances in the United States next year, but hopes it can be a springboard for him to improve and advance his career.

"I'd love to do really well in the world championships, but I'm not going to set my bar too high," he said.

"I'm just going to go, enjoy it and gain a lot of experience from it because I'm hoping this won't be the last one and I'll be able to learn from this and do many more of these in the future."