Search
shop

Joe Skipper wins ETU Long Distance European Championship title in Almere

Why an ETU Long Distance Triathlon European Championship title for Joe Skipper at Challenge Almere-Amsterdam means a new coffee machine!
Chief Correspondent
Last updated -
STRENGTH. ENDURANCE. PERFORMANCE.

Second career ‘Sub-8’ for new European Long Distance Champion Joe Skipper

(Click HERE for the Great Britain Age-Group medals from Almere)

As we’ve reported having been on-site at IRONMAN Wales, wind and rain – lots of it – were part of the day in Tenby. It would appear that Saturday’s Challenge Almere-Amsterdam, the host of the 2017 ETU Long Distance Triathlon European Championships also featured its share of adverse conditions too.

The 37th edition of the Almere event proved to be a great day for Great Britain’s Joe Skipper. Having decided earlier in the year to cancel any plans to chase Kona qualification after a puncture-impacted DNF at IRONMAN Texas, he returned to Challenge Roth in July and once again took second place in Bavaria. Despite a string of fast times and podium results over the past three years, Joe has more often than not been the proverbial “bridesmaid rather than bride”, and so the ETU Long Distance Triathlon European Championships provided a great incentive to secure the top step of the podium.

Three minutes down after the opening 3.km swim, which saw four athletes (Jaroslav Kovacic (SLO), Evert Sheltinga (NED), Georgy Kaurov (RUS) and Your Severin (NED)), Joe set the second fastest bike split of the race (4:22:35) to get right back into the mix, with Kristian Hogenhaug (DEN) having set a blistering 4:13:25 to reach T2 alone, with Joe well in the mix for the podium in fourth place.

Skipper is confident of his running ability – and would need it too – battling late into the race with the Ukrainian veteran, Viktor Zyemtsev, who caught the young Brit. Digging deep, Skipper responded and would push on, push away and – with one eye on the clock – push on to the finish, even managing to sprint to the line to break the eight hour mark for his second ‘Sub-8’.

Joe stopped the clock at 7:59:39, having run a 2:41:05 for the marathon. Joe’s present to himself after that? A new coffee machine!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BY1CciGFlG6/?taken-by=notanotheraveragejoe

While fifth place would be the best finish, courtesy of Evert Scheltinga, for the home nation in the Elite Men’s race, it was a different story for the women, where Yvonne Van Vlerken continued her amazing career with another title and a 13th time under the nine-hour mark over the distance.

Almere-Amsterdam ETU Challenge Long Distance Triathlon European Championships
Saturday 9th September 2017 – 3.8km / 180km / 42.2km

ELITE MEN

1st – Joe Skipper (GBR) – 7:59:39
2nd – Viktor Zyemtsev (UKR) – 8:03:14
3rd – Jaroslav Kovacic (SLO) – 8:05:40
4th – Kristian Hogenhaug (DEN) – 8:08:40
5th – Evert Sheltinga (NED) – 8:12:37

ELITE WOMEN

1st – Yvonne Van Vlerken (NED) – 8:51:13
2nd – Sarissa De Vries (NED) – 9:09:44
3rd – Hanna Maksimava (BLR) – 9:20:02
4th – Lina-Kristin Schink (GER) – 9:27:42
5th – Lucie Zelenkova (CZE) – 9:34:02

John Levison
Written by
John Levison
TRI247's Chief Correspondent, John has been involved in triathlon for well over 30 years, 15 of those writing on these pages, whilst he can also be found commentating for events across the UK.
Discover more
Dave Ellis / Luke Pollard - World Para Triathlon Championships Pontevedra 2023
Golden opportunity – British Triathlon launches search for LA2028 paratriathlon guides
IRONMAN Lanzarote 2024 - Anne Haug on run course
Best marathon shoes for Ironman – the ‘legal’ super shoes you CAN wear to level up your run split
Challenge Sanremo 2024 - Photo: Jose Luis Hourcade
How to fuel your triathlon training: Expert nutritionist tips to help you nail every session
swim start IRONMAN World Championship Kona 2024 photo credit Tony Svensson IRONMAN
Level up your Ironman swim split – must-read tips from an expert swim coach
Ironman gear guide – everything you need to get to the finish line of a full distance triathlon
latest News
Richard Varga Jonny Brownlee Arzachena
Triathlon legend Jonny Brownlee reveals ‘Last Dance’ motivation behind latest challenge
IRONMAN Kona 2022 Age Group Results
How will “re-imagined” IRONMAN World Championship at Kona actually look for Age Groupers?
Lucy Charles-Barclay IRONMAN World Championship Kona 2023 Finish
IRONMAN World Championship goes ALL IN on Kona again with men and women to race on same day from 2026
Laura Philipp and Kat Matthews on the run at the 2024 IRONMAN World Championship
Nice gets consolation prize of 70.3 Worlds after IRONMAN World Championships return to Kona
Kona scenic 2022 photo credit Getty Images for IRONMAN
The survey results which prompted IRONMAN’s dramatic Kona U-turn
triathlon on your terms
Never miss out with our triathlon alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.
The 247 Group

The home of endurance sports

Share to...