France have maintained their status as mixed relay European champions after a tight race in Weert ©F.F.TRI.

France maintained their status as mixed relay champions at the European Triathlon Union Triathlon European Championships following a tight race in Weert in the Netherlands.

The French team of Sandra Dodet, Paul Georgenthum, Emilie Morier and Léo Bergere pipped Germany to keep hold of the title they won last year.

German quartet Nina Eim, Jonas Breinlinger, Caroline Pohle and Justus Nieschlag were edged out by just two seconds.

There was joy for the home crowd, meanwhile, as the Netherlands team of Maya Kingma, Marco Van Der Stel, Rachel Klamer and Jorik Van Egdom finished in third place.

Britain could not complete an elite treble as they finished in sixth.

Alistair Brownlee and Beth Potter had triumphed in the men's and women's elite races earlier this weekend.

The mixed relay event concluded the weekend's action.

Each team member had to swim 300 metres, cycle 6.4 kilometres and run 1,500m.