WIN
A 3-NIGHT STAY AT
CLUB LA SANTA
ENTER NOW
Club La Santa

Can Sebastian Kienle right a ‘wrong’ at Challenge St Pölten?

News Director

Sebastian Kienle heads the men’s field at Challenge St Pölten this weekend, bidding to right what he – and others – feels was a wrong – and you can watch how he gets on right here.

The triathlon legend is enjoying a farewell season as a pro, ticking off plenty of bucket list races and he looked to be in with a strong chance of adding another victory to his incredible palmares at Challenge Fréjus last Sunday.

For he’d worked his way into the lead on the bike only to be hit with a controversial five-minute drafting penalty.

Advertisement

‘Tough to swallow’

After paying tribute to eventual winner Bart Aernouts, he said of that episode: “This is definitely tough to swallow, it leaves a bitter taste because I felt really good and I hope I do next week.”

Seven days on he’s lining up in the Austrian countryside in a race you can watch live via the video embed below – with the English language commentary coming from our Chief Correspondent John Levison.

But he’s unlikely to have things all his own way as fellow Germans Nicolas Mann (winner 12 months ago) and Ruben Zepuntke line up against him.

All thrive on the bike and run so the testing St Pölten course should play to their strengths – and Kienle’s.

And Mann comes goes there in prime form following his first IRONMAN 70.3 victory at Marbella a couple of weeks ago where he attacked on the bike and opened up what would prove to be a decisive gap.

Advertisement

Kiley and Iemmolo stand out

In the women’s race, Australian Renee Kiley and France’s Julie Iemmolo, third at Challenge Fréjus, are among the favourites. Look out too for Germany’s Daniela Kleiser. The Age-Group winner at both the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship and Challenge Family’s The Championship in 2021, she was recently third at IRONMAN 70.3 Marbella – and is a very speedy runner too.

And in a break from the norm, ‘ladies first’ is the motto on race day when as the professional female athletes will jump into the Ratzersdorfer See first at 7am local time and open the race.

The professional men and the entire AG athlete field will follow 20 minutes later.

Jonathan Turner
Written by
Jonathan Turner
Jonathan Turner is News Director for both TRI247 and RUN247, and is accustomed to big-name interviews, breaking news stories and providing unrivalled coverage for endurance sports.  
Latest News
Gwen Jorgensen World Triathlon Cup Tongyeong 2023 finish
Gwen Jorgensen on finding joy in her ‘fun’ triathlon comeback season
Beth Potter wins WTCS Abu Dhabi 2023 photo credit Tommy Zaferes World Triathlon
World Triathlon add events to 2024 calendar as Abu Dhabi hosts 2026 Multisport Championship
Laura Siddall Patagonman Xtreme Triathlon 2023
Laura Siddall takes first win since IRONMAN Brazil car collision at Patagonman Xtreme Triathlon
Summer Rappaport SLT Malibu Bike
Olympic hopeful Summer Rappaport ‘finally’ on the mend after injury hit end to the season
Matt Hanson Collins Cup 2021
A 2:22 marathon for Matt Hanson – but he labels it a ‘failure’ as he strives for more