The unstoppable Chris Estwanik, Garth Thompson and Eleanor Gardner lived up to their pre-race 'dream team' billing by blitzing their way to victory in the Bank of Bermuda Team Triathlon yesterday.

Racing as a unit for the first ever time, the formidable threesome swallowed up the Hamilton Harbour circuit in just 53 minutes and 21 seconds – before revealing they will re-form for the Escape to Bermuda triathlon later this month.

There were no real surprises in the Individual Triathlon with Evan Naude recording his third win in the annual event, while Karen Smith saw off a spirited challenge from her training partner, Julia Hawley, in the women's contest.

As a consequence of last weekend's team triathlon being called off following the Island's brush with Tropical Storm Kyle, yesterday's event doubled up as both an individual and team competition.

Estwanik, husband of top local female runner Ashley, was first past the finishing line and immediately paid tribute to his teenaged team-mate Gardner for her barnstorming swim.

"Eleanor really set the tempo in the swim and gave us a comfortable lead," said Estwanik. "But there was no slacking off and Garth had a great bike ride and all I had to do was preserve it.

"It's the first time we've all competed together and we'll stay as a team for the Escape to Bermuda triathlon later this month.

"Today's race should prove to be a great warm-up for that. Garth and I had talked about doing this race together for some time and then I got chatting to Eleanor in a restaurant and we sort of formed from there."

National cycle time trial champion Thompson reckoned the team's super-swift time could even turn out to be a race record: "I'm not sure what the race record is but it's hard to imagine any team beating our time," he said.

Naude, who reigned supreme in the individual event in 2005 and 2007, said he believed his 59 minutes and 42 seconds finish was a personal best.

"The conditions today were absolutely perfect – you couldn't ask for better race weather. The sea was like a swimming pool and there was no real wind either," said Naude, whose twin brother Riaan was off the Island and therefore unable to compete against his sibling who narrowly beat him in last year's race.

Trunk Island Swim winner in 2006, John Legge, was first out of the water and made a strong start on the bike before Naude stormed back to overtake him midway through the second stage of the race.

"John had a superb swim," added Naude. "He really forced me to play catch up. It's great to post my third victory and now I'm focusing on the Escape to Bermuda – that's my priority."

Women's winner Karen Smith was elated after claiming victory for a incredible seventh time. Along with last year's winner Hawley, who finished runner-up yesterday, Smith will be heading to Florida in November for the World Championships Half Iron Man.

"I'm delighted to win this race again," said Smith. "The swim was the hardest part of the race for me. As the individual and team athletes were starting at the same time there was a lot of pushing and shoving going on and I got knocked around quite a bit."

Full results – see Scoreboard