At first glance the calendar looks just like one would expect at the turnover point between triathlon and duathlon - not much there! A closer look would, however, reveal that for around 2,500 people it's the one weekend that they have been working towards for a year, a decade and, often, and entire career in the sport. It is, of course, that magic weekend: Ironman Hawaii. As one who has been there (and, no, I've not actually done it!) I know just how much it takes and costs to get to that point of standing on the tiny scrap of sand called Dig Me Beach waiting for the start cannon to boom. Come Saturday evening in the UK we'll be glued to the internet feed to watch it all unfold - and unravel in some cases...
Now, that means we regularly get asked "so, how do I watch it and what time does it start... in the UK?" Let us help you...
HOW TO WATCH THE IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2016
That link contains pretty much everything you'll need to know - even if you want to sleep through half of it and switch on for the run, we've worked out all of that too!
You can also WIN prizes too! Predict the #KonaTop3 finishers and you could win one of three prizes from Skechers Performance shoes. It's simple to enter, takes seconds - click on the banner and get your entries in now!
We've got LOADS of coverage coming in from Kona, including Pro and Age-Group interviews, images, product news and much, much more - and a shiny place to host it all too. Keep up to date and visit our special edition Kona microsite: kona.tri247.com.
Kona aside, there's Ironman Louisville on Sunday for age groupers looking to get an early spot on the start line in Kailuha Kona next year and there's the Barcelona Triathlon by Santander.
There seems to be an ever-increasing number of 'tougher' events getting added to the calendar and this weekend there's the Bison Duathlon on Saturday and the Storm the Fort Duathlon on Sunday which both make much of their difficulty. Perhaps folk are going to use them as warm-up races for the Ballbuster next month?
Triathlon-wise there are still a few races on the books: the End of Season Epworth Triathlon in Yorkshire, the Ferndown Try a Tri in Dorset, the Osprey Sprint on Portland, the Peninsular Triathlon in Suffolk and the Last Tri at Lydney in the Forest of Dean.
Duathletes are getting a bigger share of the races, aside from the two already mentioned there's the Moorgreen Duathlon and the Fast and Furious Duathlon to cater for the run and bike folk.
Autumn is also the time that aquathlons help to fill out the menu of races, this weekend sees the Devil's Aquathlon in Cheltenham and the Burnham on Sea Autumn Aquathlon as alternatives for those who have already packed away the road bike for the winter.
FULL WEEKEND RACE LISTINGS
Weekend preview: October 08-09
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Pre-Kona 2016 GB Pro interviews
Check out the pre-race thoughts of the British Pro athletes in Kona
It has been, by a long way, the biggest Kona coverage we've ever put together for the 2016 IRONMAN World Championship.
If you are an IRONMAN fan, head over to our dedicated event microsite here: kona.tri247.com and have a good look around.
There are nine British Pro athletes racing this year, and Joanne Murphy (www.tritalkingsport.co.uk) managed to speak to seven of them for us this week on the big island. See how they were feeling in these links.
Check out our #GBKona 2016 Pro Pre-Race interviews on these links:
Lucy Gossage
Jodie Swallow
Susie Cheetham
Will Clarke
David McNamee
Joe Skipper
Harry Wiltshire
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HUUB extend partnership with Dave Scott
HUUB Design announces continued partnership with six-time Ironman World Champion Dave Scott
Multi-award winning Triathlon outfitters HUUB Design are pleased to announce a continued partnership with six-time Ironman world champion, Dave Scott, for a further three years.
The continued affiliation between HUUB and Scott will see them embark on advanced research projects and bring exciting new developments to the bestselling Dave Scott line, designed to ensure comfort and breathability in a faster garment.
The new line will feature training items and improved suits which will continue to set the benchmark for ultimate triathlon comfort across the three disciplines, whilst ensuring enhanced performance with improved aerodynamics.
Dean Jackson founder of HUUB Design said; “Dave is a hugely influential individual in the industry and having him on board for another three years is a huge asset to our brand. He is pivotal to the line’s success, giving us invaluable intel and development ideas so we’re every excited to continue to work closely together in order to bring more innovation to the new line.”
“I’m very proud to attach my name to the award-winning HUUB Dave Scott line of triathlon apparel. It represents our mutual commitment to producing the very best. Its innovative fit, style and function make it the preferred choice among serious triathletes worldwide. I’m honoured to work with a company like HUUB that is always raising the standards of what’s possible in technical apparel,” said six-time Ironman world champion Dave Scott.
Coach to some of the world’s greatest triathlete's, Dave Scott will also be supporting HUUB with training advice and guidance which can be found on the website www.huubdesign.com.
2016 has been another hugely successful year for HUUB Design; winning 'Best Triathlon Wetsuit Brand’ for a third year in a row at the 220 Triathlon Awards and picking up the award for ‘Best Tri Suit Brand’, supporting several Paralympians and Olympians including the Brownlee brothers who won gold and silver at Rio 2016 and also announcing an exciting new partnership with Swim Serpentine, London's newest open water festival. They have also pioneered scientific research with their Measuring Active Drag (MAD) system, a key component in empirically proving performance enhancement in developed suit technology.
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Is this tough enough for you?
Is this Europe's next iconic 'Extreme' Triathlon? The Evergreen Endurance 228
Earlier this year we featured the Evergreen Endurance Triathlon (www.evergreen-endurance.com), the second edition of a Chamonix (France) based event that is "arguably the most beautiful yet testing triathlon in the world."
Offering a number of distances, the flagship Evergreen 228 covers 4km of swimming, 181 kilometres (with, 7,400m of altitude gain...), before a 43km trail run into Chamonix.
If you like things tough, but in totally stunning surroundings, well - this could be the challenge for you.
“To me this event is more than a race, it is a true adventure that will push anyone’s limits once you commit to the challenge" was the feedback from the Karin Sloove, first female across the line just a few seconds inside the 19 hour mark.
Given the popularity of events such as Norseman, Celtman, Swissman, Embrunman and The Brutal among others, I'd say that the Evergreen Endurance 228 has all the hallmarks of a "must do" event for those that like something different and very challenging.
The epic Alpine adventure, Evergreen Endurance Triathlon grows from strength-to-strength in 2016
Evergreen 228 winner comes home in an epic time of just over 16 hours, putting the event up there with the toughest
Following on from a successful inaugural event in 2015, the Evergreen Endurance Triathlon weekend of racing, 10-11th September, experienced huge growth in just its second year, with 362 athletes lining up at the three distances, over twice the number from the previous year.
Each race was set to a picture-postcard backdrop rivalled by none other. With jaw-dropping mountain vistas as far as the eye can see, together with the spectacular race route that encapsulates all that nature has to offer, the competitors were treated to a breath-taking two-days of swimming, cycling and running.
The flagship event of the action-packed weekend is the Evergreen 228, covering 228 kilometres and over 7,400m of altitude gain along the way. Starting with a striking 4km swim in the Alpine Lac de Montriand, athletes then tackle a mountainous 181km bike leg up and down the Alpine roads favoured annually by Tour de France pros, before finishing with a 43km trail run to the line in Chamonix. The 173 brave triathletes lining up on the start line early on the Saturday morning made for a sight to savour. Each and every one showed true grit and determination out on the route and, together with all other gutsy participants at the world’s most beautiful triathlon, they kicked off a hugely successful weekend of racing.
Looking back at the race, co-founder Carlton Rowlands, a British international elite trail runner himself, said: “Firstly, a huge thank you to everybody who came out to race this year and all of those who helped make the event possible – it was amazing to see how we have grown since last year. We’re still only in our second year and we’ve got people telling us how it’s the most amazing event they’ve every raced, and that they’re already thinking about how they can improve their preparations for next year. Now what we need is to see some more Brits make the journey over to discover what it’s like to race here in Chamonix. You won’t be disappointed!”
The winner of the 2016 Evergreen 228 was Frederic Frech, who finished in a time of 16h 19’ 19”. The first woman over the line – also making Evergreen Endurance history as the first Evergreen 228 female finisher – was Karin Sloove, racing to a time of 18h 59’45”. In total 112 athletes finished the Evergreen 228; from 117 starters, 115 finished the Evergreen 118, and of the 81 who entered the shorter Evergreen 58 race, 77 came across the finish line, with the winner, Jérôme Goussard, finishing in an impressive time of 4h 56’ 39”.
Karin Sloove, the first ever female Evergreen 228 finisher, said after the race: “To me this event is more than a race, it is a true adventure that will push anyone’s limits once you commit to the challenge. I simply cannot choose one highlight as there are just too many! The magical swim in Lac de Montriond. The crazy switchback descents on the bike. The first glance of the Mont Blanc massif when descending from Megève. The moment you get off the bike and realise what you just did (and what awaits!). And, of course, the finish.”
True to the green spirit of Evergreen Endurance, each competitor received a sapling, to be planted as part of the event’s commitment to give back to the environment. As well as being entirely paperless, using electrical and low emission vehicles as well as biodegradable transition equipment, having a strict littering penalty system, and the many efforts the event makes to reduce its carbon footprint, Evergreen Endurance remains on track to be 100% carbon neutral by 2019.
With only a small number of Brits on the start line, Evergreen Endurance is calling out to you! Come and join in for 2017, and look out for news on the confirmation of the event dates, together with early bird offers. Stay up to date on the website, or across the Evergreen Endurance social media channels – Facebook and Twitter.
www.evergreen-endurance.com/en/welcome/
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Jan Frodeno, Daniela Ryf repeat in Kona
Daniela Ryf smashes Kona course record in "my best race ever"
Jan Frodeno leads a German podium sweep in Hawaii
Race still in progress at time of writing, but for the very latest results / reports / news on the Pro races from Kona, visit these links on our dedicated Kona microsite, kona.tri247.com.
MEN'S REPORT
WOMEN'S REPORT
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#GBKona 2016: The fastest Brits in Hawaii
ALL of the Great Britain and Ireland results from the 2016 IRONMAN World Championship
It has been a busy, BUSY, time at Tri247 Towers over the past week or so as we've put together - by far - the biggest coverage we've ever undertaken on the 2016 IRONMAN World Championship, this year all on a shiny new, dedicated microsite >>> kona.tri247.com. If you are a fan of this event, you really need to take a look around there.
The Pro races of course were both won by the defending champions and pre-race favourites, Jan Frodeno (report and pictures HERE) and Daneila Ryf (report and pictures HERE), with Daniela samshing the Kona course record in the process.
We also wanted to look - in depth - at the results of the British and Irish athletes in Kona, Pro and Age-Group, and so we've compiled our now annual review to include ALL of the entrants who qualifed to race at triathlon's biggest race of the year.
GB & IRELAND Ironman World Championship results 2016 - WOMEN
An amazing top-nine finish for Lucy Gossage and an Age-Group win for Jane Hansom (pictured below) were just a couple of highlights from Saturday's race. Click on the link above for all of the details and analysis.
GB & IRELAND Ironman World Championship results 2016 - MEN
Scotland's David McNamee set the fastet British time in Kona this year... and EVER, while Andy Greenleaf (pictured below) was the only male British or Irish athlete to make the Kona podium, finishing 5th in the 30-34 category.
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How to qualify for Kona: Part One
How to Qualify for the IRONMAN World Championship - Part One
Ali'i Drive, Dig Me Beach, The Queen K, Lave Java - the sights, sounds (and even coffee shops) of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, are the ultimate dream destination for many hundreds of thousands of triathletes around the world.
I'm sure many (most?) of you, like us, spent most of Saturday and Sunday tracking the IRONMAN World Championship live on your computer screens perhaps with thoughts of, "one day, that will be me'.
But... how do you qualify for the IRONMAN World Championship?
That's the question we put to multiple Kona-qualifier himself and now triathlon coach, Russell Cox (www.coachcox.co.uk). As well as spending many years training to get to Kona himself, and several more coaching others to get there, Russell has probably also spent more time than anyone we can think of analysing the statistics of Ironman results and the qualifying process.
In this first piece, Russell looks at the logistics of qualifying for Kona. In part two - coming soon - he will look more in depth about 'what it takes' to reach the standards required to earn your place on the Kona start line.
CLICK HERE FOR PART ONE
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ERDINGER Athlete of the Month: September
ERDINGER Athlete of the Month - September 2016. And the winner is...
Last month we announced Ruth Purbrook as our ERDINGER Athlete of the Month, presenting her with our award for August 2016.
It's now time to reveal the recipient of our recognition for the month of September 2016.
The month was headlined by events including the ITU Triathlon World Championships in Cozumel, the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Mooloolaba, ETU Middle Distance Championships in Walschsee, The Vitruvian (TE Middle Distance Champs), Brighton and Hove Triathlon, Ironman Weymouth, Ironman Wales, Woburn Abbey Triathlon, The Sandman, Braveheart, Hever Castle... the list goes on!
As we've said from the outset, picking a winner for this award can be based upon a range of factors including (but not limited to!):
Outstanding performance at one race,
Consistent performances over a number of events,
Recognition of an athletes efforts over many months, years…or even decades in some cases!
Overcoming setbacks, challenges or obstacles.
We have a long list of people here that we would be massively pleased to present this award to... but we have to select just one, from the many very worthy potential recipients.
Please do continue to keep your nominations coming in through the year, it really is appreciated and they are all reviewed. Read on to find out this months winner...
CLICK HERE TO VIEW ALL OF THE WINNERS FROM 2015 and 2016
Our selection for September recognises an athlete who has been producing top-level performances in his age-group for many years now, but in Cozumel, Mexico produced not one, but three medal winning World Championship results in just five days.
When you add that to an already packed season of success, it really has been quite a year for out latest ERDINGER Athlete of the Month winner.
SEPTEMBER 2016: MICHAEL SMALLWOOD
The ITU World Triathlon Grand Final in Cozumel, Mexico provided three medal winning opportunities for Age-Group athletes across the week, in Aquathlon, Sprint Triathlon and Standard Distance Triathlon. The large travelling Great Britain team had eleven athletes racing across all three races... but one man took the headlines, earning two Gold and one Silver from his three outings in the sweltering heat of Mexico. That is why Michael Smallwood from Rugby Tri Club is out Athlete of the Month for September 2016.
Those results alone would represent an amazing season for anybody, but Michael has been busy all year collecting medals at Triathlon England, British, European and World level. Among his feats this year, he is now British, European and World Champion at Sprint Distance Triathlon for the 70-74 category. Here is a quick summary of some of his 2016 championship racing:
April: British Duathlon Championships, Windsor - SILVER
April: ETU Sprint Duathlon European Championships, Kalkar - GOLD
May: Triathlon England Standard Distance Triathlon Championships, St Neots - GOLD
May: British Sprint Triathlon Championships, Emberton - GOLD
May: ETU Sprint Triathlon European Championships, Lisbon - GOLD
June: ETU Aquathlon European Championships, Chateauroux - GOLD
August: British Standard Distance Triathlon Championships - GOLD
September: ITU Aquathlon World Championships, Cozumel - GOLD
September: ITU Sprint Distance Triathlon World Championships, Cozumel - GOLD
September: ITU Standard Distance Triathlon World Championships, Cozumel - SILVER
Congratulations on a great year Michael - and especially on the 'Cozumel triple'!
We are delighted to make Michael Smallwood our ERDINGER Alkoholfrei AOTM for September 2016. Michael will also receive these great prizes courtesy of ERDINGER Alkoholfrei:
1 x 24case ERDINGER Alkoholfrei Cans
2 x Water Bottles
1 x Rucksack
1 x Visor
1 x Multifunctional Scarf
1 x Small Towel
Help us find the Athlete of the Month for October 2016! - #AOTM
We want YOU to help us identify an Athlete of the Month candidate each month through 2016!
Perhaps you have got a friend, rival or club-mate who you feels deserves recognition for their efforts - as well as some tasty cans of ERDINGER Alkoholfrei plus some great prizes? The criteria is up to you - they may be the fastest, have recovered from injury, have sacrificed their own performances from others, shown consistency... anything you think is worthy of recognition!
How can I nominate someone?
Simple - two really easy options:
Simply email aotm@tri247.com with who you would like to see recognised and a brief note on why, or,
If you are on Twitter, use the hastag #AOTM and tweet us @tri247 and let us know when you have seen a noteworthy performance, or have someone you would like us to recognise!
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Weekend preview: October 15-16
After the hoopla and excitement of the IRONMAN World Championships last weekend it's pretty much back to business - or at least the sort of business you expect at this time of the year. Which is another way of saying that it's pretty quiet! Not that everything has completely shut down but definitely it's all at a much-reduced volume.
For the international stuff this weekend, Saturday sees the Challenge folk heading for Paguera-Mallorca; that's the race that held the ETU Middle Distance European Championships a couple of years ago, a race we were at and thoroughly enjoyed. If you were a GB Age-Group athlete that day, we likely captured you in one of our galleries. There's a good turn out from the Brits theie once again with the Pro's listed including Nicole Walters (who guided Melissa Reid to Paralympic Bronze), Suzie Richards, Catherine Jameson, Ritchie Nicholls, Jack Lawson, Thomas Davis, Fraser Cartmell and David Bishop (his debut over the distance).
Sunday has two WTC events: Ironman 70.3 Arizona which is an age-group event and Ironman 70.3 Hefei in China where the pro list is pretty decent and includes GB representation from Stuart Hayes, Parys Edwards and Emma Pallant.
The ETU has its season finale at Alanya in Turkey with Chris Perham, Callum Johnson, James Teagle, Lucy Hall, Jessica Learmonth and Sophie Coldwell in the senior event and Lucy Farquhar in the junior one.
Back on home soil, literally, on Saturday as it's the first of OSB Event's off-road duathlon and trail runs at Clumber Park, while the year round multisport action continues at Eton Dorney/Dorney Lake with the first race of the F3 Events Autumn Classic Windsor Duathlon Series (Standard, sprint and Super Sprint options), plus Fun Run events over 5km, 10km, 15km and 20km.
And keeping the duathlon theme going on Sunday there's the Bedford Autodrome Duathlon with ETU slots available in the sprint distance, the Chilham Castle Duathlon, the 1485 No Frills Duathlon nd the Greenwich Tritons Team Relay Duathlon at the Lee Valley VeloPark.
Two charity triathlons on Sunday keep the SBR contingent in action: the St Luke's Hospice Triathlon and the St James Palace Sprint Triathlon which has a duathlon option for the water-averse.
FULL WEEKEND RACE LISTINGS
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The bikes of Robin Williams go to auction
The bikes of actor and comedian Robin Williams
The extensive cycle collection of the late Robin Williams is now available to buy by auction, with funds raised from the sale going to the Challenged Athletes Foundation and Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation.
The extremely popular actor and comedian was a huge cycling fan, and as well as being a regular visitor to events including the Tour de France, was clearly a big fan of the technology and equipment too. In total, 87 different lots feature a wide range of road, time trial, mountain, touring and electric bikes, from a wide range of brands including Pinarello, Zipp, Softride, Trek, Kestrel, Casati, Orbea, Lemond, Giant, Ciocc, Merlin, Colnago, BMC and many more. We've selected just a few highlights in the images below.
The Williams' family said "We hope these bikes will bring their new owners as much joy as riding them, and helping these causes, always brought him."
The auction closes on 25th October 2016 with prices currently ranging from $650 up to $10,000. Take a look at the link below for the full online catalogue.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL AUCTION DETAILS
Pinarello Montello TT
Cervelo P3C
Zipp 2001
Pinarello Dogma 6.1 (Team Sky)
Trek USPS TT
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New from HIGH5: Protein Hit
New Product Alert: HIGH5 Protein Hit
HIGH5, the award winning sports nutrition brand, are delighted to launch a brand new addition to their healthy snack range with Protein Hit in three indulgent gluten free flavours.
Packed with flavour and nutritious goodness for an energising boost, Protein Hit is the snack for your busy lifestyle, with no added sugar. Lovingly moulded with the highest quality ingredients, Protein Hit provides you with a balanced mix of protein, fats and carbohydrates ensuring you can stay switched on, even when you’re running on empty.
Wendy Lee, HIGH5 General Manager said: “This has already been a hit with our community of world class athletes as a healthy snack in their busy lifestyles. With no artificial colours, preservatives or sweeteners, we have three great tasting flavours, suitable for the whole family. Protein Hit bridges the gap between a sports and an everyday product.”
Emma Johansson, Silver medallist from Rio 2016 and riding for Wiggle HIGH5, has already incorporated Protein Hit into her training regime: “Coconut, Lemon & Raspberry is my favourite. I find them really useful to sustain my energy levels when I am feeling hungry. I have been looking for a quick fix to add more protein to my diet and this is a healthy, convenient way to do so.”
HIGH5 Protein Hit is available in three exciting flavours:
Cacao & OrangeSavour this new indulgent Cacao & Orange ball. A revitalising snack with a zesty twist will have you radiating energy all day long.
Peanut & CaramelThis ball is for the nut lover. Enjoy snacking on a crunchy mix of goodness and with a touch of salty caramel, it will leave you wanting more. This energising Peanut & Caramel ball will set you up for the day, whether that’s a big session in the gym or a day out.
Coconut, Lemon & RaspberryPunch above your weight with a refreshing mix of coconuts and raspberries, topped by a lemony zing. It will bring the sun to your living room, transform your next office meeting into a Caribbean party and have you brimming with energy, ready to take on new challenges ahead.
Protein Hit contains fruits and nuts for fast and slow releasing energy. With the addition of whey protein, the cold pressed balls serve as the perfect snack to support the growth and maintenance of muscle mass. The convenient gluten free ball is also suitable for vegetarians and contains no added sugar.
To celebrate the launch of Protein Hit you can win a bunch of goodies worth over £300: http://www.highfive.co.uk/win-protein-hit
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Alexander & Minchin to host BTF Awards Dinner
BBC personalities set to headline British Triathlon Awards Dinner Today (Friday 14 October) it was announced that BBC sports reporter, Vassos Alexander, will host the annual awards ceremony, showcasing the stand-out moments in triathlon over the last 12 months. The well-known voice of the Chris Evans Breakfast Show, who recently commentated at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, will be joined by BBC Breakfast presenter Louise Minchin at Royal Armouries International, Leeds, for the event on Saturday 12 November. Vassos’ career at the BBC has spanned 12 years, seeing him voice everything from Wimbledon to the World Darts Championships on BBC Radio 5Live.
Vassos said: “It’s an honour to be part of the British Triathlon Awards Dinner following a hugely successful year for the sport.
“There have been some fantastic achievements across all levels of triathlon throughout 2016, reaching a crescendo in Rio at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and I’m greatly looking forward to re-living them next month in Leeds.” Louise, a famous face on both television and amongst the Great Britain Age-Group Team, will use her triathlon knowledge to lead a question and answer session with a number of Rio Olympic and Paralympic medallists on the night, including Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee.
Louise said: “An amateur triathlete myself, I was glued to the Olympics and Paralympics this summer, witnessing some of the greatest achievements in sport. It’ll be wonderful to share some of the athlete’s incredible stories from the Games with the triathlon community. “From moments like these, to recognising the work of support staff behind the scenes, it’s set to be an incredible evening, not to miss.” Tickets, priced at £55, are now available for the British Triathlon Awards Dinner. To book, please visit here. The day also features a number of expert-led triathlon workshops, covering everything from the journey from novice to the international stage, to bone-stress prevention and treatment. These sessions, priced at £15, have limited capacity. For more information and to book, please visit here.
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Hayes and Pallant earn Silver in China
Twin Silvers for the Team Dillon pairing of Hayes and Pallant in China
While not the first Ironman or Ironman 70.3 events to be held in China, Sunday's IRONMAN 70.3 Hefei represented the beginning of a new era in the country, with Ironman now under the ownership of the Chinese Wanda Sports holding company. With further events in Xiamen (November) and another three races starting in 2017 (Liuzhou, Quijing and Chongqing), the brand is certainly moving ahead swiftly with the roll-out and development of the sport in China. The Hefei event also had the added attraction of 50 qualifying slots to Kona - one of the few opportunities to qualify over the 70.3 distance.
A $25,000 Pro purse was also in place to attract the Pro's, and making the long journey worthwhile were Stuart Hayes and Emma Pallant, who both took second place and collected $2,750 for their efforts.
Pro Men
New Zealand's Graham O'Graday (22:56) headed out the swim, holding a 20 second lead over Jesper Svensson (SWE), with Luke Bell (AUS), Hao Mia (CHN), Brad Kahlefeldt (AUS), Evgenii Khabarov (RUS) and Stuart Hayes around 60 seconds down on the Kiwi.
O'Grady continued to lead from the front through the full 90km, but after losing almost four minutes in the water it was Brad Williams (USA) who reached T2 with a deficit of just one minute, with another hard-riding New Zealander, Dougal Allen, also recovering from a sluggish swim to reach T2 in third. Now close on six minutes down on the leader, the group of Kahlefeldt, Svensson, Hayes, Bell and Mikolaj Luft (POL) arrived together. Would the leading trio pay for their efforts on the bike?
O'Grady continued to lead from the front on the run, but behind the chasers were closing fast and by 15km, Brad Kahlefeldt had reversed his T2 position to move into the lead. Hayes was running well too and he would move through to second, while the long-time leader O'Grady really suffered over the final couple of kilometres and would eventually finish down in seventh, with Brad Williams rewarded for his fastest bike split effort with third place overall, just five seconds clear of Luke Bell.
That result adds to previous 70.3 podium finishes this year for Stuart Hayes in Weymouth,Zell am See and Malaysia.
Well done @sticksy for the win and happy to find my running legs again in China, thanks @Teamdillon pic.twitter.com/xEtm5ROLEg
— Stuart Hayes (@StuHayes13) October 16, 2016
Pro Women
The small Pro women's field was headed out of the swim by Heather Lendway (USA), with the experienced Radka Vodickova (CZE) just a few seconds down. They had both gained an advantage of just over one minute on two-time World Duathlon Champion, Emma Pallant. Great Britain's other representative, Parys Edwards, was six minutes down on the leader at this point but no doubt looking forward to her strongest disciplines to come.
Most of those gaps were eliminated on the bike, with T2 seeing the arrival of Robin Pomeroy (USA), Vodickova, Lendway and Pallant all within seconds, with Edwards now eight minutes down. While Pallant took the lead on the run early, by the midway point Vodickova had regained first place and at the 12km marker they were separated by just 10 seconds. The Czech athlete was able to push on and extend her lead with the fastest run of the day, 1:22:59 versus the 1:25:56 of Pallant, with Pomeroy completing the podium.
While she didn't make the podium this time, Edwards can certainly be pleased with her closing half marathon of 1:24:28.
Much improved bike leg for 2nd @IRONMANtri Hefei today, cannot thank @Teamdillon enough for buying me a bike n gr8 price from @SigmaSport !! pic.twitter.com/IgytVIdBb1
— Emma Pallant (@EmmaPallant) October 16, 2016
IRONMAN 70.3 Hefei, China - Sunday 16th October 20161.9km / 90km / 21.1km - PRO
Pos
Men
Women
1st
Brad Kahlefeldt (AUS) 3:55:32
Radka Vodikova (CZE) 4:13:50
2nd
Stuart Hayes (GBR) 3:56:46
Emma Pallant (GBR) 4:16:55
3rd
Brad Williams (USA) 3:57:22
Robin Pomeroy (USA) 4:21:47
4th
Luke Bell (AUS) 3:57:27
Parys Edwards (GBR) 4:24:05
5th
Jesper Svensson (SWE) 3:58:38
Heather Lendway (USA) 4:38:33
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How to qualify for Kona: Part Two
How to Qualify for the IRONMAN World Championship - Part Two
Ali'i Drive, Dig Me Beach, The Queen K, Lave Java - the sights, sounds (and even coffee shops) of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, are the ultimate dream destination for many hundreds of thousands of triathletes around the world.
But... how do you qualify for the IRONMAN World Championship?
That's the question we put to multiple Kona-qualifier himself and now triathlon coach, Russell Cox (www.coachcox.co.uk). As well as spending many years training to get to Kona himself, and several more coaching others to get there, Russell has probably also spent more time than anyone we can think of analysing the statistics of Ironman results and the qualifying process.
In part one, Russell covered the logistics (how you qualify) to make it to Hawaii.
In this second piece, Russell looks at what it takes to qualify for Kona.
CLICK HERE FOR PART TWO
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Hall Gold, Coldwell Bronze in Alanya
Gold for Lucy Hall, Bronze for Sophie Coldwell in Alanya
Lucy Hall recovers from bike crash to win ETU Triathlon European Cup Final
Great Britain's Lucy Hall added another Gold medal to finish what has been a successful season for the London 2012 Olympian, by winning the Alanya ETU Triathlon European Cup in Turkey on Saturday.
The small field included three of the best swimmers in the sport - the British trio of Hall, Jessica Learmonth and Sophie Coldwell. Predictably, they set a blistering pace in the water to gain a minute's lead in the water over the chasers which included ETU Series points leader, Yuliya Yelistratova (UKR).
We've seen the tactics many times this year with Hall and Learmonth, but this time it was a trio and they further extended their advantage by working hard on the bike, even overcoming a crash for Hall, where Coldwell and Learmonth waited for their team mate to recover and get back into the race.
Starting the run the Brits had extended their advantage over the Ukrainian to more than two minutes and headed off in search of a podium sweep. A calf injury for Learmonth would soon put her out of the race, but Hall was not going to be challenged. A 37:52 run meant that she lost just 48 seconds over the 10km to Yelistratova, who managed to pass Coldwell for second place.
Such a nice way to end my season. Couldn't have done it without Jess & Soph waiting for me after crashing.🇬🇧 British spirit. Thank you x pic.twitter.com/DrvvNpUFCX
— Lucy Hall (@Lucy_Tri) October 15, 2016
The result meant that Yelistratova took the season rankings ahead of Hall and Valentina Zapatrina(RUS), with Learmonth in fourth.
Alanya ETU Triathlon European Cup - Saturday 15th October 20161.5km / 40km / 10km - ELITE WOMEN
Pos
Women
1st
Lucy Hall (GBR) 2:00:55
2nd
Yuliya Yelistratova (UKR) 2:02:15
3rd
Sophie Coldwell (GBR) 2:02:33
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The Sena Smart Cycling Helmet
Eurobike 2016: The Sena Smart Cycling Helmet
It is fair to say that it has been a busy time for the sport in recent months. From the Olympics and Paralympics to the ITU World Championships to the IRONMAN World Championships and much more, we are certainly beginning to feel the pace here... and we've not even been racing!
So, in the spirit of 'catch-up' we've got a few more videos that we took at this years Eurobike (www.eurobike-show.com) to bring you that slipped through the net last month. This item features a new 'Smart' cycling helment from Sena, which features fully integrated Bluetooth technology and HD camera and much more.
Digital technology was, as you can imagine, a big feature at the 2016 Eurobike Show and we were interested to see Sena (www.sena.com), one of the world's leading motorbike communication experts entering the cycling market with a smart cycling helmet.
Using their knowledge from the world of motorbikes they have created a bluetooth-enabled helmet that will allow you to make calls, listen to music, get info from your bike sensors and get instructions from apps like Strava etc. If your riding buddies also have the helmet then you can use the technology to chat to each other while out riding (I suspect would be to say, “you have dropped me, let me get back on”).
The helmet also features a built-in action camera so you can record if you need to, something which is becoming more and more commonplace especially on the commute.
Eurobike 2016: Sena Smart Cycling Helmet
Here is Sena's own product video:
Currently the helmets are not available in the UK (though we expect that will change soon), but you can find out more via their website: http://www.sena.com/product/smart-cycling-helmet/
Check out more Eurobike 2016 coverage on these links:
Eurobike 2016: Indoor Trainers
Eurobike 2016: Bikes and Bits
Eurobike 2016: Gallery
Zwift for Running too? Yes...
The Future? The Argon18 Smart Bike
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Chilham Castle Duathlon report
RECORDS TUMBLE AT AWARD WINNING CHILHAM CASTLE DUATHLON
Multisport athletes, runners and Canicross athletes converged on Chilham Castle on Sunday, to take part in various events including the awarding-winning Chilham Castle Duathlon.
The duathlon now in it’s sixth year was awarded Club Event of the Year 2016, by Triathlon England South East Region confirming Tri Spirit’s progress as a leading team when organising events.
Liz King, event director of Tri Spirit Events, said: “We are incredibly proud and honoured to have received this award, and so pleased because it gives a huge and well-deserved pat-on-the-back to all of the members of Tri Spirit Team who consistently help make the events friendly, fun and to run smoothly. Without our amazing team, sponsors and volunteers, it would not be possible for the events to even happen, let alone become award-winning. A sincere and heartfelt thanks to everyone.”
The day kicked off with the sprint duathlon with many racers returning from previous years. Rory Hopcraft, Medway Tri lead the men’s event home and smashed the course record in 1.18.03. Ian Reid followed in 1.22.01 and Joel Hodges finished shortly afterwards in 1.22.29.
The record was also broken in the ladies event by local athlete Jenny Benson, of Canterbury Harriers, who was first across the line in 1.33.16. Becky Morrish finished second in 1.36.08 and Davina Greenwell of Hadleigh Hares crossed the finishline 1.38.38.
The team winners were Team Buckley in 1.39.24. Tri Spirit team members also racing were George Whelan, 1.42.09 and Mike Blacker in 1.44.36, with Julie Bradford 1.52.15 and Steve Maxted 1.52.38 also racing in team colours.
The standard duathlon is almost double the distance of the sprint, and this very challenging event consists of a 10K cross country run, followed by 40K bike section and a final 5K run to really sap the legs.
Top age grouper and Kona-bound triathlete Claire Shea-Simonds travelled from Leciester to have a rare outing in a duathlon. This proved to be great choice as she won the event in 2.40.46. Tri Spirit’s Tara Symonds bagged second place in 3.05.04 and Karen Wale came in third in 3.14.52.
In the men’s race Simon Shaw romped over the finish line in 2.17.07, followed by late entry Richard Arthur of Clapham Chasers in 2.22.14 and Steve Castle in 3rd in 2.27.29.
In the team event Andrew and Richard Magro, with Rod Archibald won in style again smashing the previous record in 2.12.06.
Also on offer for the day were 5K and 10K Challenge runs over part of the same course as the duathlon. Once again, the runners were in record-breaking form as Yiannis Christodoulou, smashed his previous course record with a fine finish in 20.48. Scott Lynch, Ashford & District RRC 21.26 and Simon Parrin was just 20 seconds behind in 21.46.
The ladies saw Clare Berostad come home first in 30.50, Olivia Windle, 35.34 and Hannah Baker 36.12.
The 10K Challenge run saw Vic Kenny, Tri Spirit Team again smashed the course record and winning the event outright in a time of 41.58. Second lady Helen Bellerby-Brown of Swale Tri Club finished in 50.38 and Melina Matzawrakos was third in 59.56.
Jonny Wells, Ashford & District RRC, won the men’s event and was second overall, finishing in a fast time of 45.33. Greg Wood, Hythe Active, came second in 46.47 and Oliver Riches finished third in 46.47.
New this year at Chilham Castle was a Cani-cross event which is proving more popular as the sport continues to grow in the South East. The 5K race was won by Hayley Empett, Dogfit Ashford in 22.46, with Sarah Lesting, of Aces Run in second in 24.28 and Nicky Parkington finishing third in 25.39.
10K Cani-cross was won by Natalie Songhurst of Kent Cani-cross in 1.10.32.
King added: “The weather, as is often the case at Chilham, was a challenge at times but conditions underfoot were favourable this year, which helped to ensure records were broken. But whether people broke records or simply completed their own personal challenge, it was great as always to see so many people enjoying themselves and smiling throughout the event.”
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Matt Turnbull's 7-in-7 iron-distance challenge
Join Turnbull’s seven iron-distance challenge ending at Outlaw
Hartlepool’s Matt Turnbull was one of the first to sign up for Outlaw 2017 when entries opened last month. When he walks into the regatta lake in Nottingham on 23 July next summer, however, it will be more like the end of a journey than the beginning. The 38 year old will have already completed six long-distance triathlons in the six days leading up to the start, and the Outlaw will mark the end of a week long ultra endurance challenge.
Matt wants to raise £10,000 for the Tiny Lives Special Baby Care Unit and will test himself to the limit in doing so. He said: “Inspired by the USA based athlete ‘the IronCowboy’, I wanted to create a challenge that would test my limits mentally and physically, inspire my children, inspire my local community and raise awareness and funds for an amazing charity.”
He’s completed long distance triathlons and ultra distance events already, so he has an idea of what to expect. He’ll start on 17 July in the shallow, salty waters of Hartlepool Marina's Jackson's Dock, and, having been impressed with the ‘atmosphere and professionalism’ at the Outlaw this summer, he’ll finish his challenge in Nottingham on 23 July.
His motivation to raise money for the Baby Care unit stems from his wife’s job as a midwife and personal tragedy. He said: “A few years ago, our close friends (and God parents to our son), sadly lost their son when he was only days old. Tiny Lives looked after baby Joshua in his final days as well as looking after the family at this terrible time.”
Matt is already heavily into his training plan and building a team around him to support with logistics and shadowing sections of the journey. He’ll cover 16.8 miles of swimming, 784 miles of cycling and 183.4 miles of running during the week.
He said: “At present, my training is focusing on developing and adapting the systems required to complete an iron distance event with plans to increase volume to cope with the demands of a multi day event. Winter training started in August, to give me the longest time possible to prepare.
“As the plan develops, I will be building opportunities to race and train longer distances over back to back days to see how my body copes with fatigue, and test recovery strategies. This will culminate in a three-day challenge in May 2017.”
He added: “I would like other athletes to join me for sections of the challenge. The courses are designed to make this very accessible, and I would like them to try and raise funds alongside me to support, or make a small donation when participating. As well as this, I am hoping to auction off any equipment donated by sporting companies, to raise further funds and I'm currently looking for donations of equipment required to complete this challenge.”
To find out more, including Matt’s proposed schedule, visit www.7ironman7.com.
If you’d like to join him on the final leg at the Outlaw Triathlon, entries are currently still available for the award-winning event via www.osbevents.com.
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2017 ETU LD Champs set for Almere
2017 ETU Long Distance Triathlon European Championship announced as Almere
Planning your 2017 long-distance racing schedule? If the GB (or indeed other...) team is your objective for the ETU Long Distance Championships, then Challenge Almere-Amsterdam on September 9th 2017 is your date.
Now, perhaps your were thinking... I thought that was going to be in Regensburg, Germany? Well, it was (initially announced) as that back in August, however that has now been switched, with Regensburg now already announced as the venue for 2018 instead.
These events complement the ETU Middle Distance Championship which has already been confirmed for Challenge Herning (Denmark) on 10th June 2017.
Here is the full announcement.
The European Triathlon Union (ETU) and CHALLENGEFAMILY have today announced that they will work together to deliver the 2017 Long Distance Triathlon European Championship at CHALLENGEALMERE-AMSTERDAM on September 9, 2017.
A highly rated event among athletes Almere has long been a fantastic host for numerous international championship events.
"After the success of the European Championship in 2014 we are delighted that we can host this championship again in 2017. Our team and volunteers will do everything to create a life-time experience for our participants,” said race director, Richard Belderok.
ETU President, Renato Bertrandi expressed delight that once more the athletes will benefit from the ‘Almere Experience’. “There can be few athletes who have not heard of this race. Diaries should be noted for 9th September, 2017. This event, held every year since 1983 is the second-oldest triathlon in the world. Only Hawaii is older. As a tried and tested venue, Almere has hosted five European Championships (1985, 1991, 1999, 2006 and 2014) and two World Championships (2003 and 2008). The race record, set by Jan van der Marel, of 7:57:46 in 1999, still stands.”
The race is one of the most unique in the world where athletes will be racing at 4.5m below sea level on land reclaimed from the Zuiderzee, which makes it the lowest triathlon in Europe.
“Course enhancements made in 2012 sees the start and finish locations right in the city centre. The swim, bike and run courses all start and finish on the Esplanade. A great event for our athletes to go long,” said Bertrandi.
Zibi Szlufcik, CEO of CHALLENGEFAMILY welcomed the opportunity to once again showcase an incredible CHALLENGEFAMILY race to the world: “To announce the Long Distance ETU European Championship at the wonderful venue of CHALLENGEALMERE-AMSTERDAM is sheer pleasure. This race is one of the most iconic events in the world with a seamless race organization, excellent race operations team and a true athlete-first approach. This partnership fuels our fantastic working relationship with the ETU and we couldn’t ask for a better stage to celebrate this relationship on than in the city of Almere in the wonderful region of Flevoland. I would also like to thank the city of Almere, the Dutch Triathlon Federation, event sponsors, partners, media, volunteers and most of all the athletes competing for the European Champion titles."
More than 2.700 athletes participated in the 2016 edition of CHALLENGEALMERE-AMSTERDAM. Located just 20 minutes from Amsterdam more than 40,000 spectators line the 3.8m swim, 180km bike and 42.2km run with flat courses. Athletes can register now for the 2017 Long Distance Triathlon European Championship at the CHALLENGEALMERE-AMSTERDAM website at www.challenge-almere.com.
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BIKE Channel UK to feature Cervélo P5X
BIKE Channel UK to air exclusive prime-time feature on the all new Cervélo P5X launched at Ironman Kona this month.
Following on from Cervélo’s groundbreaking release of the P5X at the World Ironman Championships in Kona, this is your chance to see the bike up close and personal in action.
Coming to screens on Thursday 20th October at 8pm - Cervélo’s Personal Best. There’s more to the P5X than blowing benchmarks away. For the first time in Cervélo’s history — for the first time in history, period — the unique needs of every triathlete, whether training, racing or travelling, are truly front and centre.
The P5X project began in 2013 with an unequivocal goal: Design the ultimate triathlon bike. Before even contemplating design, however, Cervélo conducted a full year of real-world research. This included taking more than 14,500 photos at 10 Ironman and Ironman 70.3 events; interviewing scores of athletes, fitters, coaches and bike dealers; conducting real-life ride tests with prototypes; and collecting on-board data in a range of conditions, from the extreme wind and heat of Kona to the hills of Ironman France. At the end of this exhaustive process a terabyte-sized database of real-world information was catalogued and analyzed.
Designed with nothing but the triathlete in mind, this incredible ride represents the pinnacle of our systematic, engineering-first approach. In this exclusive feature on BIKE, hear first-hand from the designers, engineers and athletes who all contributed to the P5X.
"Launching the P5X at the Ironman World Championship meant a lot to us,” says Antoine Ballon, Cervélo’s Global Marketing Director. “We have continued to make history there by leading the Kona Bike Count for 11 consecutive years and counting. It’s great that BIKE Channel viewers can now see this for themselves”
Filippo Ubaldini, Founder & CEO of BIKE channel, said: “This is simply not to be missed, there’s no escaping it, the aesthetics cut through opinion as the bike slices through air. A masterclass in aerodynamic engineering and design.”
Cervélo: Personal Best will air on Thursday 20th October, exclusive to BIKE Channel (Sky 464/Virgin Media 552/Freesat 251).
Related Links:
Cervélo P5X: Everything you need to know
Review: the Cervélo P5X
The Cervélo P5X: Is it legal for Ironman?
Where can you see the Cervélo P5X in the UK?
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More Pages to Explore .....
