May 2021 – Page 38 – BLOGGERPARUNG

Both Holland and Stanford have reached a WTS podium this season: Holland won gold in Cape Town, then added a silver to her collection in Hamburg. Stanford joined her on the podium in Hamburg by taking home the bronze medal. Both women also secured step one of a two-step process for qualifying for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic team for their federation by making podium in the Rio Test Event in August. Step two could be accomplished by reaching the podium at the Grand Final in Chicago.

Britain’s two-time World Champion Helen Jenkins is still returning back to form after an injury that saw her sidelined for most of the 2015 season, but after a convincing win at last month’s London Triathlon she looks ready to return in fighting form.

Lining up with #1 next to her name for the first time this season is Rachel Klamer (NED). While she has yet to step into the WTS spotlight this season, she has succeeded in making a name for herself in the European competitions. She was second in the Baku European Games and also tallied a victory at the Holten ETU Triathlon Premium European Cup while etching out consistent performances in Series races.

Flora Duffy (BER) carried on a breakthrough consistent season in Stockholm when she scored her third top 5 WTS finish of the year. Duffy’s tenacity on the bike is unmatched and will be the key for the Berumuda athlete to score a second podium this weekend.

The Aussies will also have a strong showing in Canada. Emma Moffatt and Ashleigh Gentle are tough competitors and are ones to look out for. Both women made podium in Yokohama with Gentle earning the silver, while Moffatt took the bronze. Emma Jackson is another Aussie to watch, as is Olympic bronze medallist Erin Densham. Plagued with injury and illness since 2012, Densham showed signs of a return to form with her finishes in London and Stockholm. Full start list.

The women’s race will be held on Sunday, September 6 at 1:30pm local time (8.30pm UK time). UK viewers can watch the race live on the BBC Red Button service (free), or online at triathlonlive.tv (£).

In his drive for five World Championship titles, Javier Gomez Noya (ESP) is in Edmonton to top off the men’s roster, and sports the golden number one. After dominating the competition in Stockholm, the Spaniard remains in strong contention to become the first athlete ever to win five ITU World Championships.

However, he’s been suffering from illness after WTS Stockholm and couldn’t manage better than bronze at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships a few days ago.

With Britain’s Brownlee brothers sitting this out yet another WTS race due to injury, it’s fellow Spaniard Mario Mola who looks most likely to challenge Gomez. Sitting in second in the Columbia Threadneedle rankings, Mola is right on the coattails, trailing by just 447 points. His incredible running strength means if Mola makes it in the lead group in the swim and bike, there should be nothing stopping him from making podium.

Another talented runner is South Africa’s Richard Murray. He wowed the spectators at the Rio Test Event when he made up a minute after the bike leg and blew past over twenty men to ultimately earn the bronze medal. Murray has not seen the likes of a WTS podium since Abu Dhabi and is overdue for a medal this weekend.

To do so, however, he will have to go head-to-head with Vincent Luis (FRA) in addition to the Spaniards. The young French triathlete has been the name to watch this season in sprint races after countless strong performances throughout the whole season. He has made the podium in every single race that he has contested and was finally able to secure his first gold medal in Hamburg. A tactical racer whose swim, bike and run are all on par with the best, look for Luis to be a leader this weekend.

Sole elite male Brits racing in Edmonton are Adam Bowden and Tom Bishop. Check out the men’s start list.

The men’s race will be held on Sunday, September 6 at 3:30pm local time (10.30pm UK time). UK viewers can watch the race live on the BBC Red Button service (free), or online at triathlonlive.tv (£).

The Vitruvian 2015 – Race Report

Posted on May 7, 2021 by BLOGGERPARUNG

Saturday 29th August saw the 13th edition of the Vitruvian Triathlon, and the award-winning middle-distance race was blessed with the best of the weather from an otherwise soggy bank holiday weekend.

In warm temperatures and bright sunshine it was an early start as always for the 800 entrants, with waves starting from 6:15am to begin the the 1.9km lake swim. Swimmers completed two 950m laps, broken up by a brief exit from the water and a 25m run back into the jetty to complete the swim course.

The 85km 2-lap bike course had some nasty surprises packed in, including a huge, lung-busting climb halfway into each lap – however warm sunshine ensured the route was well-spectated and dry throughout.

At the front of the race, Ben Terry of RAF Triathlon was first into T2, after putting in the second-fastest swim split of the day and one of the fastest bike legs (2hrs 14mins). Terry’s lead was to be short-lived on the run course, as Richard Ebbage, who had initially clawed back significant time by putting in the fastest bike split of the day (2hrs 11mins) also ran a blistering 1:17:35 half-marathon to win in a time of 4:02:21. Daniel Sims was 2nd with a time of 4:10:01 and Terry held on for 3rd with a time of 4:11:30.

In the women’s race Kelly Murphy was victorious in a time of 4:35:55, and also put in a monster bike leg to give herself a comfortable lead for the remainder of the race. 50-year-old Melissa Dowell also put in a stunning performance to finish 2nd female overall in 4:40:28.

The event, as always, wasn’t without a collection of unusual and inspiring competitors, from a pair completing the bike-leg on an aero-tandem to regulars Rob Argles and Howard Davies, who have completed all 13 Vitruvian events since the first in 2003.

After another successful event, race organiser Mark Shaw said: “After 13 years of the Vitruvian we should be getting things right, and the athletes certainly seem to think so!
“We’re lucky to have such great support from the volunteers and marshals who turn out every year to make this a special race – and of course the one thing you can’t control is the weather, but we were lucky with that one this year as well!”

Did you take part in The Vitruvian, and if so what did you think of the race? Let us know in the comments!

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Race preview: Sweden’s ÖtillÖ celebrates 10th anniversary

Posted on May 7, 2021 by BLOGGERPARUNG

Tomorrow will see Sweden’s ÖtillÖ race celebrate its 10th anniversary, as 120 International teams of two take on one of the world’s most challenging multisport endurance races.

Held on Stockholm’s picturesque archipelago, each team will start at Sandhamn and traverse the 26 islands and sea stretches to complete a total distance of 65km of running and 10km of swimming. The time to beat is last year’s course record by world champions Lennart Moberg and Daniel Hansson from Sweden, who finished in 8 hours 16 minutes – although the race will see competitors enduring the challenging sea swims and rocky, island trail runs for up to 14 hours with a strict cut-off time based on sunset.

UK event to launch

Competition for places is fierce with two qualifying events – Uto and Engadin – held annually, as well as merit places being allocated. However with the rise in popularity of swim-run races, the organisers are planning to expand into Germany and the UK in 2016 with a race in the Lake District being planned. There will then be further qualifying races in France and the Mediterranean in 2017.

Also, Sprint category races next year will give athletes the chance to try the swim-run format. Dates and distances for the UK sprint race are unconfirmed at present, but will be approximately 20km, incorporating 2-3km of swimming.

This year’s ÖtillÖ event see several GB teams taking part, including Pippa Middleton racing with Sweden’s Jöns Bartholdson. Reigning world champions and course record holders in all three disciplines Lennart Moberg and Daniel Hansson (men), Ulrika Eriksson with new team mate Peter Oom (mixed), mother and daughter Bibben Nordblom and Charlotta Nilsson (women) will meet a strong field of athletes. The full start list is here.

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Fundraising initiative

ÖtillÖ have also today announced an initiative #swimrunforlife, to raise funds to help the Red Cross in their work with refugees. Race founder Michael Lemmel said at today’s race briefing: “We want to race for people who are swimming and running for life – to their safety. We’re a really cool community, we want to do something good.” Find out more here.

220 Triathlon are in Sweden reporting on the race and will be tweeting updates through @220Triathlon using #otillo15. Plus, to watch the race live from its start time of approx 6:45am UK time (5:45am in Sweden), visit the video stream here.

GB’s Vicky Holland wins WTS Edmonton 2015

Posted on May 7, 2021 by BLOGGERPARUNG

Overcast and frankly dismal conditions in Edmonton, Canada today, yet Vicky Holland didn’t slow down for the World Triathlon Series’ penultimate stop, coming away with her second gold of 2015 after a ferocious run.

Despite recent algae worries the swim went ahead as planned with a beach start replacing the more usual pontoon. Water temps of 16.1°C were brisk but better than the ambient temperature of 7.6°C. Carolina Routier (ESP) led out of the one-lap swim as she so often does, but two Brits were mere seconds behind – Helen Jenkins in 3rd, and Holland in sixth.

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Among the lead pack Flora Duffy (BER), Ashleigh Gentle (AUS), Pamela Oliveira (BRA) and Holland all shared the load at the sharp end, while Non Stanford (GBR) had plenty to do at the front of a chase group nearly 1min back.

Kirsten Sweetland (CAN) and Ashleigh Gentle (AUS) managed to effect a breakaway just before the end of lap two on the bike, edging a 10sec gap over the chase pack led by Stanford. Meanwhile, at the front, Flora Duffy made a break for it but was reeled back in by Oliveira. Australia’s Emma Moffat took her turn at the front, her running abilities well known to the others.

Spot the blue carpet from over #WTSEdmonton. LIVE in 5. www.triathlon http://t.co/riRXm1qKhn pic.twitter.com/kBqDcJtOMD

— World Triathlon (@worldtriathlon) September 6, 2015

Lingering surface water meant the frequent corners had to be negotiated carefully as the lead pack closed the final kilometres before T2. Germany’s Anja Knapp had a dream transition, practically flawless, but once Holland had got her running shoes on she wasted no time getting going.

Within minutes Holland had caught and overtaken Knapp, and she quickly assumed pole position with Flora Duffy just behind. There was no respite for the Bermudan though, as Holland kept her cadence high and the gap grew bigger and bigger.

Come the final stages and there could only be one result, Holland looking the best runner out there by a country mile. She crossed the line in 58:55mins, followed by Duffy and Gillian Backhouse (AUS).

Never been so cold in my life! But still all smiles for the @BritTri girls in post race anti doping #WTSEdmonton pic.twitter.com/xf9drnHs0x

— Non Stanford (@NonStanford) September 7, 2015

(Image: Rich Cruse / ITU)

What did you think? Let us know in the comments below!

SA’s Richard Murray outruns rivals for WTS Edmonton 2015 title

Posted on May 7, 2021 by BLOGGERPARUNG

There was a well-deserved win for South Africa’s Richard Murray at WTS Edmonton yesterday, showing great running strength to pull away from series leader Javier Gomez in chilly, wintry conditions.

>>> Richard Murray rules out Triple Crown challenge

Raoul Shaw (FRA) and Eric Lagerstrom (USA) led the men out of the quick 750m one-lap swim and into T1. With no time to create a gap, a group of just over 20 men formed together to make up the lead pack on the four-lap 20km bike.

Tucked safely inside the lead group were pre-race heavyweights Murray, Gomez, and Vincent Luis (FRA), while Aaron Royle (AUS) and Tom Bishop (GBR) consistently hammered away at the front.

However, their efforts weren’t enough to keep away the chasers, which included Mola, from bridging up as more than 40 men came together at the end of the third bike lap.

Britain’s Tom Bishop on the bike at WTS Edmonton

Off the bike, Murray and his South African teammate Wian Sullwald gunned to the front of the pack early on the first of three run laps. But by the end of that lap, Murray had pulled away and Gomez – who won WTS Stockholm two weeks ago followed by a bronze at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships last weekend – showed his tenacity and went with him.

Behind them, Royle ran past Sullwald in an effort to repeat his WTS Stockholm podium. But it wasn’t to be as Mola mustered up the guts to overtake the Australian on the second lap.

While Gomez stayed on Murray’s hip throughout the run, the South African was just too strong on Sunday as he lengthened his stride and pulled far enough away on the last lap to keep the reigning World Champ at a great enough distance to win the race.

A moment that stands in time …. Emotions running wild through me . @WTS_Edmonton worth ever sweat and shiver pic.twitter.com/xopbxyQsqf

— Richard Murray (@RD_murray) September 7, 2015

Gomez held the pace to keep himself in second, and Mola crossed over with the third fastest race of the day in bronze medal position. Britain’s Tom Bishop finished eleventh. Full results here.

“Javi was hanging on the whole time and I really had to give it everything,” said Murray afterwards. “I had some issues at the start of the day. I broke my swim cap, I had to give it everything in the end. My swim was much better than last year, and I managed to push hard on the bike.”

Mola meanwhile reflected on a difficult day’s work: “It’s been the toughest hour of my life. I kept thinking it wasn’t going to end. It was good for me with third. It was important for me to get a good result here to be able to fight for the World Championship in Chicago. Javi isn’t going to make it easy for me.”

WTS Edmonton elite men (750m/20km/5km)

Richard Murray

RSA