This weekend in glorious sunshine and on a new course, the Elite long-distance titles for the ever tough ETU Powerman Championships went to the Belgian, Kenneth Vandendriessche and the Swiss Laura Hrebec. Over the shorter but still tough Sprint Distance, titles went to the Italian Alberto Della Pasqua and defending champion Franziska Scheffler from Germany.
Right from the start Vandendriessche decided to go with defending champion and fellow-Belgian, Rob Woestenborghs. For 38 year-old Woestenborghs this race was to be his last in a long line of appearances at the very top level. After so many years of racing at the very top he had decided it was time to step aside and concentrate on activities other than racing. At only 24, Vandendriessche took over the Belgian mantle and ensured his country had its 12th victory in the 25 years that Powerman Holland has been running. Although stepping down, Woestenborghs still put in a stellar performance and came away with bronze, leaving the silver to go to a powerfully running Polish athlete, Daniel Formela.
The women’s‘ race was won by the World ranked number 3, Laura Hrebec from Switzerland. She was down some 30 seconds on the run with Sara Dossena ITA strongly in front. Out onto the bike and it was here that Swedish athlete, Eva Nystrom showed her strength. Losing a little time in T2 she left for the final run just behind Hrebec but then dropped pace and was overtaken by Dossena who claimed silver with bronze going to Maja Stage Nielsen DEN. A look at the results shows that the first five athletes finished within 4 minutes and with the distances involved this shows the great depth of field at the top elite level. Long distance duathlon has never been stronger.
The ETU Powerman European Sprint Championships (Elite and U23) was a flat out 100% in the red race from start to finish. A lead group of ten after the first 5k set off together on the bike. It was Stein Posthuma NED who managed to make a break from this group and came into T2 with 45 seconds on the chase pack. A fumbling transition resulted in a penalty pushing him down from the lead to 5th place as he watched the others from the penalty box.
Victory went to the Italian favourite Alberto della Pasqua, who had Dutchman Jorik van Egdom, breathing down his neck for most of the race. He took second position in the race and took the title for the U23. It was defending champion Silvio Silva POR who took bronze.
For the women it was gold for Germany with Franziska Scheffler successfully defending her title. Her decision to race with pedal adapters paid off and her transition times saved valuable seconds.
It was silver to Italian athlete Giorgia Priarone, who came in only 21 seconds behind and then bronze to the Austrian Duathlon National Champion Sandrina Illes.
The para-duathletes were out as well to battle over the long distance and the medals went mostly eastwards over the border to Germany with Andrea Thamm and Lars Hansen doing the honours in Schwarz, Rot, Gold and Geert Schipper bringing home gold for the home nation.
It was also the chance for old friendships and rivalries to be blended together in that magical way that our Age Group athletes have. From around Europe the run/bike/run specialists came. The new venue was a great topic of discussion. The ease with which you can get to Horst was once again commented on as a great way to host championship events. The weather, and the wind in particular, was also of course discussed.
This weekend was, however, a great one for sunshine and the athletes with their families and spectators had a great chance for some early season sunshine and to relax afterwards with a glass of beer or wine in the sun and discuss their race. From Jon Cowell, one of GB’s most experienced duathletes who has long championed this sport, “The event was well-marshalled and the location was great. The host hotel was very welcoming. Lovely scenery there! The run course was perfect; the bike course was good but a little tight in places with testing corners but very fast with some good long stretches. Missed the town crowds but the location made up for it.”
The bigger federations that always make our European Championships such a great spectacle were of course there in great numbers.
Team GB made the trip over the water and was rewarded with a haul of 12 medals (5 gold, 3 silver and 4 bronze). The German team was out in force and as the accompanying photos show, had great team support from their own media team. A massive 6 golds rewarded them, with 2 silvers and 3 bronzes.
Click here for Full Age Group Results.
With many thanks to the following for allowing us to use their excellent photos, Marcel Hilger, the German Triathlon Union, and Henry Dullink who took his photos after winning gold in the 55-59 category !
