Diana Riesler (GER) and Andrej Vistica (CRO) were crowned ETU European Long Distance Champions at Challenge Vichy on Sunday.

Both athletes endured over eight hours of swimming, biking and running, to become European Champions for the first time.

Riesler, who finished 9th overall, completed the gruelling 3,8km swim, 180km bike and 42.195km in just under 9hrs – 8:59:49

Vistica, who finished 12th at the ITU World Long Distance Championships in Belfort in June and whose previous best in European Long Distance competition was 8th in 2010, completed the course in 8:21:17 – and had the honour of being the first competitor across the finish line.