The final weekend of the first half of 2019 was a big one. Hot racing in intense heat was just one element of what was happening at home and abroad.
Check out what was happening, who was racing and how it all played out in the Weekend Roundup.
INTERNATIONAL RACING
IRONMAN European Championship, Frankfurt
It was hot, hot, hot in Frankfurt, and while the Pro men dominated the pre-race headlines, the final stages of the Pro women’s race will live long in the memory of anyone who watched it.
Check out the coverage from Germany on here:
- Frodeno leads a German podium sweep
- Skye Moench wins, Sarah True collapses
- GB Age-Group news: Gill Fullen wins again
World Triathlon Series Montreal
Katie Zaferes wins (again), and the men have another (again…), first time WTS winner, courtesy of Jelle Geens (BEL). Zaferes holds the rankings lead having won (almost) everything, while Fernando Alarza leads the way for the men having not yet secured a podium. It’s a strange old year!
One thing that is consistent is the British Paratriathlon squad performing strongly wherever they go. Montreal was no different.
Check out the news from Canada on these links:
- Triple GB Gold at Paratriathlon World Series
- Zaferes leads Taylor-Brown and Learmonth
- Jelle Geens claims first WTS title
IRONMAN 70.3 Lahti, Finland
Kimberley Morrison won this race in 2018, and the title remained in British hands on Saturday evening (yes, it’s an afternoon start in Finland!), thanks to India Lee. Check out the report from Lahti HERE.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzTtWGihV6u/
Challenge Kaiserwinkl-Walschee
The European heatwave was present in Austria as well as Germany, for the tenth edition of Challenge Kaiserwinkl-Walschee. The venue will host the ETU Middle Distance Triathlon European Championships in 2020.
Second in Samorin recently, Radka Kahlefeldt (CZE) continued her impressive form to take the win ahead of Great Britain’s Emma Pallant.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzVp09wBHBs/
Maurice Clavel lead (another) German podium sweep this weekend, with David Bishop taking fourth place, another strong result from him.
@davidrbishop continuing strong run of performances with 4th @ChallengeWalchs today in stacked field! @huubdesign #derbados #triathlon #tirol #wearetriathlon pic.twitter.com/YfkTakLzBM
— Steve Faulkner PhD (@SHFaulkner) June 30, 2019
After racing seemingly ever week of the season so far, Thomas Davis finally proved he is human by finding out the answer to the, “When is the one race too much point going to come?” question. Shortly after the 8km mark on the run as it turns out!
Pro Women
1st – Radka Kahlefeldt (CZE) – 4:19:45
2nd – Emma Pallant (GBR) – 4:21:33
3rd – Svenja Thoes (GER) – 4:26:45
Pro Men
1st – Maurice Clavel (GER) – 3:50:38
2nd – Frederic Funk (GER) – 3:53:07
3rd – Boris Stein (GER) – 3:59:10
4th – David Bishop (GBR) – 4:02:22
DNF – Thomas Davis (GBR)
IRONMAN France, Nice
Venue of the forthcoming IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in September, IRONMAN France was reduced in distances of 3.8km / 152km / 30km, due to a combination of predicted weather conditions, air pollution and the forecast impacts on the local emergency services.
Seeking a sixth IRONMAN France title, defending champion Frederik Van Lierde lead out a group of six athletes through the swim and with a lead of five minutes 90km of cycling later, the expected script looked like it was being written. Having won IRONMAN Lanzarote and IRONMAN 70.3 Les Sables d’Olonne already this year, his form was looking good.
At 92km Frederik has a lead of almost 5min @Ironman_France 📸 David Pintens pic.twitter.com/hhZd338XAF
— Frederik Van Lierde (@fvanlierde) June 30, 2019
By T2 the 2013 IRONMAN World Champion had extended his lead to six minutes over Kevin Rundstadler (FRA), with James Cunnama (RSA) a further two and a half minutes back. Despite the quickest bike split, Van Lierde was losing time quickly on the run and just 10km in, Rundstadler was less than a minute back, while Cunnama had reduced his T2 deficit by almost five minutes.
The French athletes early pace saw him take the lead, but the middle 10km of the run saw Cunnama turn the tables – at 20km, he was more than a minute and a half clear with Van Lierde over five minutes down, but still clear in third. The South African would continue to build his lead, a 2:04:11 split seeing him well clear. Great Britain’s Robert Brundish, 7th recently at 70.3 Staffordshire finished in fifth.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzVzU49hxTh/
Winner two years ago and second last year, Carrie Lester (AUS) returned to the top of the women’s Pro podium in Nice. She exited the water with a clear lead, rode an almost identical time to second place Tine Deckers (BEL) and then produced the second fastest run to add another IRONMAN France title to her C.V.
#IMFrance – Top 5 women: @cazzlester 8:05:20, @tinedeckers 8:09:18, Genet 8:14:01, Dogana 8:40:56, Steurs 8:46:12 pic.twitter.com/teGkjpn7DG
— IRONMANLive (@IRONMANLive) June 30, 2019
Pro Men
1st – James Cunnama (RSA) – 7:16:16
2nd – Kevin Rundstadler (FRA) – 7:23:43
3rd – Frederik Van Lierde (BEL) – 7:27:09
4th – Diego Van Looy (BEL) – 7:31:43
5th – Robert Brundish (GBR) – 7;33:59
Pro Women
1st – Carrie Lester (AUS) – 8:05:20
2nd – Tine Deckers (BEL) – 8:09:18
3rd – Manon Genet (FRA) – 8:14:01
SUPER LEAGUE TRIATHLON POZNAN, POLAND
One I’d missed from the preview – but which proved to be a very good day for two British athletes.
The Poznan event was one of three races offering the’Golden Ticket’ – three automatic qualification slots to the Super League Triathlon Championship Series, starting in Jersey in late September.
As pictured in the headline image, Olivia Matthias took the overall victory in the Triple Mix format, with Chris Perham finishing second, separating the two Polyanskiy brothers. A good day at the office for both. Full results HERE.
Holten ETU European Cup, The Netherlands
I should really have picked up about Super League (above), after realising that the 2018 winner of the Holten ETU Sprint Triathlon Premium European Cup, Chris Perham, was not racing this year. That at least explained why!
In his absence, top British finisher was Iestyn Harrett (4th) in the men’s race and Bronwen Owen (13th) for the women. Full results can be found HERE. Toby Osman (5th) and Annabel Morton (12th) were the top Brits in the Junior European Cup event – results HERE.
EBERL Chiemsee Triathlon, Germany
As previewed (HERE), this long-standing event was the second round of the inaugural Tri Spirit Series.
Thomas Steger (AUT) took the Men’s win ahead of Michael Raelert (GER), with Caroline Steffen (SUI), Laura Zimmermann (GER) and Great Britain’s Chantal Cummings the women’s Pro podium. Full results HERE.
Chris Standidge finished 7th, Claire Weller 12th and – just a week after winning the Swissman Xtreme Triathlon – Flora Colledge 14th. Chantal now leads the way in the Tri Spirit Rankings.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzXpas9BKRI/
Târgu Mures ETU Multisport European Championships
The first two events took place in Transilvania, Romania over the weekend. The full breakdown on GB Age-Group results (so far) can be found here:
DOMESTIC RACING
The Leeds Castle Triathlon (that’s Leeds in Kent…), saw the Standard distance ITU Qualifier won by Chris Stanton (Tri Surrey) and Jill Cliff (Deal Tri Club), Jill showing the youngsters that she still has speed as a ‘Super Vet’! Full results HERE.
Result from the Centurion Triathlon can be found HERE, where the ‘Imperial’ (long) winners were Patrick Elwood and Ruth Tucker, while the ‘Metric’ winners were Richard Turner and Laura Hicks.
Few races get tougher than Triathlon X, particularly when there are extra miles added to the bike leg due to a diversion! A winning time of over 14 hours for the ‘iron’ (ish) distance tells you something. Congratulations to Harry Putnam (EDI Eagles) and Christine Howard (Matlock AC), the winners. Full results HERE. Christine is no stranger to Triathlon X, having reported on it for us two years ago.
The Bala Big Bash Weekend included the third round of the Welsh Triathlon Super Series. No surprise based on his domestic season to date to see that Liam Lloyd won that one in close racing with Alex Matchett, Sam Wade and Beau Smith, while Megan McDonald was a clear winner in the women’s race from the now veteran, but still racing fantastically, Rhian Roxburgh. Full results from all of the Bala events can be found HERE.
The final event of the weekend I’ll note is the OSB Woodhall Spa Triathlon, part of the Midlands Triathlon Series. Well over 750 starters for this popular pool-based event, where Carl Shaw (Race Hub) was able to run down Simon George (Lincoln Tri) for the win. Good to see Simon back to health and fitness after a nasty bike crash some months ago. Lynsey Carveth (RAF Triathlon) was the women’s champion, closely followed by a trio of Lincoln Tri athletes – Maisie Aubrey, Emily Purbrick and Emily Crooks.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzWTkCwhb_K/
