The new 2018 course will combine elements of the old, traditional course with the new course introduced in 2017, and is now just one-lap with only 160 metres of elevation, instead of the 330 metres in 2017. Will this see a return to fast times and another long-course record attempt from Daniela Ryf?
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Büchenbach remains, the canal returns
As previously, the new course heads from Transition Zone 2 to the Roth Canal, through the industrial area before branching off south to the first turn around at Eckersmühlen lock. From there it heads back to Roth industrial area and continues north to the Leerstetten lock (turning point 2), then along the canal back to Roth. After a short loop on the Alte Allersberger road, the athletes run through Rothgrund to the Roth town centre. Then, as in 2017, it’s off to Büchenbach before heading back to the centre of Roth and finally to the finish line stadium.
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Better run course design with unchanged spectator-friendliness
With this course, TEAMCHALLENGE combines all the advantages of the previous two courses. The result is a run which is almost as flat as the traditional course with only 160 meters of altitude, but which offers athletes more safety and a higher level of running comfort with less crowding on the canal. Another advantage is that the elimination of last year’s two-way track, again, relieving congestion. But it’s important to note the spectator experience that was so universally welcomed in 2017 is not compromised. 17 hotspots along the course remain with plans to add new ones.
Less altitude equals more speed
The significantly reduced elevation, along with the fast running surface will make the athletes happy. Feedback after the 2017 race from the athletes indicated they found the double trip to Büchenbach very demanding, but they really enjoyed the amazing atmosphere at the hot spot there and the general spectator-friendliness of the course.
Challenge CEO, Felix Walchshöfer, comments, “It was clear to us from the outset that changing a three-decade-long tradition would be an on-going process to ensure the best result. That’s why we planned from the beginning to conduct a post-race interview and take the athletes’ suggestions into consideration. The feedback from our athletes is our most important source of knowledge and it goes without saying our philosophy is respect these wishes. But I think that we have found the ideal route with the combination of the two previous courses. Our anniversary athletes can look forward to a very special running experience on 1 July.”
The 2018 run course in detail:
From Transition Zone 2 to Gartenstraße / ACUNA practice clinic as before (500 meters).
Unchanged via Espaner Berg, past the WÜST hot spot in front of Nüssli to Kanal-Lände and continue Speck hot spot, then branch off to the right along the canal to the Eckersmühlen lock to the outskirts of Haimpfarrich. The first turn around is directly in front of the lock wall at 8km.
From the Eckersmühlen lock the course returns along the canal back to the Roth industrial area and there straight on along the canal to the north to the Leerstetten lock. The second turn around is at 18.1km. It returns back along the canal to Lände Roth.
Via Speck Pumpen back towards Rothgrund, first straight ahead into the Alte Al-Lersberger Straße. From there you continue to the WÜST-Hotspot and Espaner Berg and back to Roth, then on the Gartenstraße turn left into the Mühlgasse and continue to the right to the Sparkasse.
Past Sparkasse to Kugelbühl, then between the town hall and church to the market square and on to Willy Supf-Platz.
Now heading towards Pfaffenhofen, after “Blumen Basso” turn left into Sandgasse. Straight on to the end of the road, cross over the Rednitz Rive towards the sewage treatment plant. From there follow the road to Büchenbach.
Via school centre continue towards Rathausplatz and from there around the village pond (MemmertWeiherschleife – turnaround 4)
From there back to Roth, through the Sandgasse, past Willy-Supf-Platz, market place, Kugelbühl, along Gartenstraße to the ACUNA practice clinic / Espaner Berg.
There turn right from Gartenstraße into the street “Am Espan” and as before to the finish in the finish line stadium (900 metres).
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The new course is flat except for a rise just before Büchenbach and the recent addition towards Lände and is completely on paved, closed roads. Only (as before) the short wooded area to Lände and the short stretch of the canal is run on gravel paths.
Olympic champ Alistair Brownlee has announced he is kicking off his season by racing Ironman Dubai 70.3 this Friday. Last year Ali marked his move to Ironman 70.3 racing by winning the Ironman 70.3 North American Pro Championship in St. George in dominating style and qualified for the70.3 worlds.
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Unfortunately surgery on his hip meant he was unable to race the worlds last year but after a winter of training it seems he’s back and ready to race… what will the season hold for him?
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Fellow Brits Will Clarke and Mark Buckingham are also on the start list and flying the flag for GB
About to board the plane to my first race of the year. Very excited to be back on a start line after so long off and to be part of @bahrainendurance13 for another year. #triathlon #firstrace #middledistance #dubai70.3
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Registration is now open for the seventh annual Beijing International Triathlon, set to take place on Sunday 23 September at the Garden Expo Park in the Fengtai District of Beijing, China’s capital.
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Last year’s 2,000 race slots for the Olympic- and sprint-distance races sold out within a week. To register, visit www.BeijingInternationalTriathlon.com.
The 2017 champions, Henri Schoeman (pictured) and Paula Findlay, will lead a field of elite pros as they compete for the $100,000 prize purse. The Beijing International Triathlon is now part of the Escape Triathlon Series, serving as a qualifier race for the world-renowned Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon.
The Olympic-distance course will showcase the cultural attractions in Fengtai, including a 1.5km swim through Garden Expo Lake, a challenging 40km bike and up into the Qian Ling Mountain, and a 10km run through the Garden Expo Park.
The sprint element of the triathlon will take triathletes on a 750m lake swim, a 20km bike ride and a 5km run through the lush grounds of the Garden Expo Park. In addition to the individual and relay team entries, the Collegiate Challenge returns as part of this year’s triathlon.
As part of the Escape Triathlon Series, the Beijing International Triathlon will award the top male and female finishers per age group a guaranteed race entry in the 2019 Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon (entry fee is the responsibility of the racer).
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An elite field of pros will participate with a point system tracking their progress as they vie for the 18 professional men’s and 18 professional women’s race slots for the 2019 Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon.
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For information, visit www.beijinginternationaltriathlon.com.
He’s back! Ali Brownlee from Great Britain has put last year’s hip problems behind him and has set down his intent for the season with a masterclass at Ironman 70.3 Dubai today.
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In 2016, he hinted at what he was capable of with two wins at middle-distance racing (including an emphatic win at 70.3 St. George) before hip surgery curtailed his hopes of lifting the Ironman 70.3 World champ title. Could 2018 be his year?
The signs are there that he could. Conditions in the United Arab Emirates were good, sunny and warm but not blustery like previous years.
Leading men are out of the water – @AliBrownleetri leads the race #IM703Dubai pic.twitter.com/cGg3fDUjtF
— IronmanLIVE.com (@IRONMANLive) February 2, 2018
Finishing the one-lap swim in the Arabian Gulf in the lead side-by-side with Johann Ackermann, in a time of 22:36, Brownlee set out on the 90km bike course at a blistering pace and dominated from the start. By 22km he had over a minute lead over Sven Riederer in second place, which he had extended to almost 3mins by 45km.
Dynamic, strong – and pulling away from the rest: @AliBrownleetri has a lead of almost 3 minutes at km 45 – thx for the clip @TalbotCox Talbot Cox #IM703Dubai pic.twitter.com/AKNasH3tiK
— IronmanLIVE.com (@IRONMANLive) February 2, 2018
Finishing the bike leg with the best split of the day in 1:58:51, he set out on the mainly flat, three-lap, run leg along Jumeirah Public Beach with a 3:59 lead over Riederer and it wasn’t a lead he was going to relinquish easily. He ran the first 10.3km in 31:28 minutes and had extended the gap to almost 5mins. This pace continued and he also clocked up the fastest run split of the day with a time of 1:09:36.
His overall winning time was 3:35:32, with a 6:35 minute margin over Riederer who finished second.
“It did go over smoothly,” says Brownlee. “Didn’t feel great on the swim, had a couple of bad patches on the bike but on the run I just felt great, I was in control and I actually really enjoyed the last 10-18K. I was just kind of soaking it in, enjoying the cheers. Obviously it’s so fantastic to be back after too much time spent at the gym the past six months,” says Ali. What will the rest of the season hold for him?
The Ironman 70.3 Dubai is first race of the Nasser Bin Hamad Triple Crown series, with the other two being Ironman 70.3 Middle East Championship Bahrain and the Ironman 70.3 World Championships. If an athlete wins all three races they will take home $1,000,000 in prize money – could Ali Brownlee win it in 2018?
The top 10 in Dubai
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1. 3:35:30 Alistair Brownlee
2. 3:42:05 Sven Riederer
3. 3:42:42 Ruedi Wild
4. 3:43:38 Maurice Clavel
5. 3:44:19 Nicholas Kastelein
6. 3:45:35 Ilia Prasolov
7. 3:45:41 Jesper Svensson
8. 3:47:08 Ronnie Schildknecht
9. 3:47:10 Bertrand Billard
10. 3:47:53 Kevin Maurel
Want to train like Ali Brownlee? Here’s his key triathlon training sessions with adaptions for age-groupers
From February 23 – 25, the UK’s largest triathlon show, Triathlon Show: London will return to London’s ExCeL for 2018. The show caters for swimmers, cyclists, runners and triathletes with 100’s of exhibitors, whilst providing visitors the opportunity to take part in swim coaching sessions, to test the latest bikes or to take part in a 10km run, as well as the best information on nutrition, training and events. British triathlete and four time World Ironman Champion Chrissie Wellington will be headlining the performance theatre on Saturday.
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7 reasons to visit the Triathlon Show: London 2018
And of this wasn’t enough, we’ve prepared a gift bag, worth over £35, containing 220’s March issue, a Bontrager water bottle, 10% off entry into the London-Paris bike event with HotChillee, goodies from Vitabiotics, Alpecin, Vit Stix and more – all for just £5
If you haven’t bought your tickets to the show yet you can order your gift bag from the Triathlon show: London website when you purchase your tickets. Select the option 220 Triathlon Gift Bag with your show entry ticket and collect from the 220 Triathlon stand TR421
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/triathlon-show-london-tickets
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You can also save 10% on ticket by quoting code 22010.
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Are you a Zwifter? Do you want to become a Zwift national champion? Zwift are to host the first Zwift Nationals Championships event on Saturday February 24, 2018, when Zwifters from the top 15 nations worldwide will compete to earn the right to wear their national jersey in Zwift for a year.
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Each national championship will include men’s and women’s individual races, which will take place on the Watopia Volcano Climb Course. The men’s will complete three laps of the 14.2 mile circuit, taking in a total of 2,007ft of climbing, while the women’s will take place over two laps of the same course, totalling 1,338ft of climbing.
The 15 countries with the most Zwifters have been selected to compete in the first Zwift National Championships. These countries are; USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, Japan, Netherlands presented KNWU, the Dutch National Cycling Federation, Norway, Belgium, Sweden, South Korea, Denmark, Switzerland, France and Poland. All events take place on Feb 24 with the exception of Australia. The Australian Zwift National Championships will take place later this year to fall in line with their winter cycling season.
As with all regular national championship events, you must enter the championship corresponding to your registered nationality, rather than country of residence. If your home nation isn’t featured, don’t worry, more countries will be added in 2019.
Zwift National Championships Rules
Riders are required to wear a heart rate monitor to be eligible for the win.
Riders will have to use a power meter or smart trainer to be considered for the win; ZPower on traditional trainers or rollers will not be eligible
Riders producing over 5w/kg average will be automatically disqualified. These riders can be reinstated after providing similar real-life matching performances verified by ZADA.
Strava data for the Zwift National Championship races must be open (not private or hidden).
Riders must register at www.zwiftpower.com before the race.
By entering this event, riders agree to the terms and conditions at www.zwiftpower.com.
Eligibility is based on a rider’s Zwift account country/flag, not the rider’s place of residence.
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For more information on the Zwift National Championships, head to zwift.com/events/series/2018-zwift-national-championships/
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Top 5 men to watch
Mario Mola
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Starts favourite having emerged from the shadow of five-time winner and countryman Javier Gomez to win the past two ITU world titles. Last year’s success was aided by a four-race mid-season winning streak that started on Gold Coast, so the Spaniard will relish the return to Queensland for this season Grand Final.
Jonny Brownlee
Losing a sprint finish in London in 2013 and overheating in Cozumel in 2016 means Brownlee still has just one individual WTS title (2012), despite being one of the most consistent triathletes in the world. Last year was mediocre by his exceptional standards. Struggling for form and fitness he won just once, in Stockholm. Likely to be joined by cameo appearances from older brother Alistair in both Abu Dhabi and Leeds.
Kristian Blummenfelt
The Norwegian burst into serious contention for honours with three consecutive runners-up spots to conclude last season’s World Series, including in the Grand Final in Rotterdam where he defeated world champion Mola. Still improving at 24 years old, he further proved his mettle in winning the new mixed format Super League Triathlon contest in Jersey in September.
Richard Murray
The South African has already put down a marker with victory at the second-tier World Cup event in Cape Town in February. The 29-year-old hasn’t placed lower than seventh in a race since a disqualification in Hamburg in July 2016, but has also not won on the WTS circuit since Edmonton in 2015.
Tom Bishop
The emerging Derbyshire athlete finished a creditable seventh in the WTS rankings last year having enjoyed a breakthrough race to open the season and finish runner-up in Abu Dhabi. Steady improvement would see him add more WTS podiums and look for a top five finish in the series.
Top 5 women to watch
Flora Duffy
Will take some stopping. Seized the mantle from Gwen Jorgensen by beating the newly-crowned Olympic champ in the 2016 Grand Final in Cozumel and then strung together a run of victories almost as impressive as the American. Duffy has suffered defeat just once in her past eight WTS races and has landed two world titles in the process.
Ashleigh Gentle
A traditional powerhouse of triathlon, Australia hasn’t had a WTS champion since Emma Moffatt in 2010, but it may not be beyond Gentle’s reach. The Brisbane triathlete had the best season of her career in 2017 and became the only woman to beat Duffy in landing a first WTS win in Montreal. Will be buoyed by home crowd support should she reach Gold Coast’s Grand Final in September in contention.
Jess Learmonth
A latecomer to the sport, Learmonth was originally considered as a support athlete in big races due to her strong swim-bike combination and comparatively weak run. That changed last season after she sacrificed a race in Leeds, but unshackled from team orders won the European title five days later. A third place in the Grand Final in Rotterdam suggests a first WTS win is not beyond question.
Jess Learmonth reveals her swim training secrets
Katie Zafares
Despite Jorgensen pledging her future to marathon running, the US remain the No 1 nation in draft-legal women’s triathlon. Current top dog is Zafares, who finished third in last year’s series and was second in the Grand Final behind Duffy. She has also tasted individual success in the WTS with a 2016 win in Hamburg.
Taylor Knibb
While compatriots Zafares, Kirsten Kasper, Summer Cook, Taylor Spivey and Renee Tomlin all rank higher than Knibb, the back-to-back world youth champion has age on her side. She became the youngest triathlete to make a WTS podium in Edmonton last season, and only turns 20 this year. If her rate of improvement continues, expect more top three finishes in 2018.
The courses
Abu Dhabi, March 2, Sprint
Now the regular WTS curtain-raiser, the sprint format means a sharp jolt back to racing after the winter break. Flat, fast and hot, it can throw up surprise victors given its early scheduling, but this season may be different with Commonwealth athletes looking to peak early due to the Games on Gold Coast. That also suggests high calibre racing, underlined by both Brownlees being on the provisional start list.
Bermuda, April 28, Standard
The North Atlantic island hosts a WTS event for the first time, with all eyes on the women’s race as reigning champion – and home hero – Flora Duffy looks for a third successive world title. After a sea swim, it promises a challenging bike leg to suit the 30-year-old’s strengths, followed by a 10km harbourside run in Hamilton, the island’s capital. As a new venue a seven-hour flight away, expect the Brits to turn up in force.
Yokohama, May 12, Standard
A frequent host of WTS racing, the Japanese city just south of Tokyo has been an annual stopover since 2011. A flat course but often beset with heavy rainfall, the most challenging part of the event can be staying upright on the bike. Has been dominated by the Spanish on the men’s side in the past four years, with Javier Gomez and Mario Mola sharing two wins apiece.
Leeds, June 10, Standard
Back to Leeds for a third successive year on a course made for – and by – the Brownlees. Alistair and Jonathan finished one-two in 2016 and 2017 and should the Yorkshire duo be fit and motivated, don’t rule out a repeat. The challenging test – a fierce climb straight out of T1 – plays to their strengths, and with triathletes scoring from a maximum five WTS races, their major rivals often decide this chillier venue is a good one to skip.
Hamburg, July 14, Sprint
The only city to have hosted a race every season since WTS inception in 2009, Hamburg claims to be the ‘world’s biggest triathlon’ with crowds estimated into six figures. The elite races are set over sprint distance on Saturday, with the four-strong mixed relay events taking centre stage in the city centre on Sunday. Jodie Stimpson, in 2013, is the only British woman to have won here.
220 named Hamburg as the 25th best triathlon in the world
Edmonton, July 27-29, Sprint
The Canadian city has embraced the series since hosting the Grand Final in 2014, and is again chosen for the season finale in 2020. Like Yokohama, results are often dictated more by conditions than the course. In 2015, temperatures dropped to seven degrees with driving rain and strong winds. It was a race that suited Britain’s Vicky Holland, who mastered the challenge of Hawrelak Park to claim the the second of her two WTS wins.
Montreal – August 25-26, Standard
Quebec marks the penultimate round of the WTS and a chance top up the ranking points before the Grand Final. Notable for its cobbled sections on the bike course, Montreal made its debut in the series in 2017 with wins for veteran Javier Gomez of Spain and Australia’s Ashleigh Gentle.
Gold Coast, September 12-16, Standard
After hosting the Commonwealth Games in April, the Queensland resort is certainly getting its triathlon fix for 2018. A flat, technical test, often raced in sweltering heat. It’s the first venue to play Grand Final host for a second time. In 2009, Alistair Brownlee ran away from Javier Gomez to win his first world title in an undefeated WTS season.
And don’t forget… World Mixed Relays (Nottingham, June 7; Hamburg, July 14; Edmonton – July 27-29) Having been accepted into the Olympic Games for Tokyo 2020 , the two-man, two-woman mixed relay is upping the ante for 2018. A standalone event in Nottingham, then a further qualifier in Hamburg, act as a precursor for the World Relay Finals in Canada. Britain, Australia and the USA will be among the favourites, but with a 300m swim, 7.5km bike and 1.5km run, the event can be as unpredictable as it is tactical.
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220 named the National Club Relays in Nottingham, UK as the 26th best triathlon in the world
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Sri Lanka’s capital city of Colombo played host to a new Ironman 70.3 event yesterday, with 63 countries represented in total across the age-group field.
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The race took place at Galle Face Green urban park in Colombo’s port area, with closed road bike and run courses along the harbour away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Colombo. With the water a balmy 27c, a non-wetsuit swim kicked proceedings off at 6.15am in the Indian Ocean, with a three lap bike course that was windy in places but pan flat.
The two-lap run course was similarly flat but exposed, heading along the harbour and back before finishing at Galle Face Green.
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Male winner Olivier Godhart, who stormed to victory in a time of 4:06:06. Credit: Ironman
Just over 556 triathletes conquered the course, with many others succumbing to the heat as temperatures reached the 30’s. First over the line was Olivier Godhart of Luxemburg, who had no such problem by finishing with a huge 17 minute cushion over the second-placed finisher in 4:06:06. Godhart was only one of three to record a run split of under 1hr 30mins, preceded by a race-best 2:08:55 bike split.
The first female finisher was Ling Er Choo of Singapore in a time of 4:43:23, with a three minute cushion over second-placed Svetlana Ushakova (Rus) in 4:46:40.
Despite triathlon being a very new sport in the country (Colombo’s only triathlon club was founded just last year), Sri Lanka was also very well represented at the event. The first local finisher was Suranga Nuwan Kumara in a time of 4:49.36, and thousands of local spectators lined the streets of Colombo to catch some of the action.
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Look out for our feature on Ironman 70.3 Colombo in issue 350 of 220 Triathlon next month
British Olympic medallists Jonathan Brownlee and Vicky Holland are part of a stellar field, which include defending ITU world champions, Mario Mola (ESP) and Flora Duffy (BER), racing Abu Dhabi tomorrow.
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The lineup features nine of last year’s top ten world ranked women, and eight of the top ten men, and names to look out for are Norwegian Kristian Blummenfelt, and Spaniard Fernando Alarza in the men’s, and Aussie Ashleigh Gentle, Brits Non Stanford and Jess Learmonth and Americans Katie Zaferes and Kirsten Kasper, not to mention last year’s winner Kiwi Andrea Hewitt, in the women’s.
Jonathan Brownlee is targeting Series success this year as well as using this first race to help prepare him for the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in April.
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Having not raced in Abu Dhabi since 2015, Brownlee said: “To race on a F1 track is very special. For actually racing, it’s more technical on the bike. You can make the race interesting and hopefully I’m looking forward to a good race on Friday.”
Team England Commonwealth Games team mate, Tom Bishop returns after memorably finishing second last year, achieving his first ever Series podium finish. Olympian, Gordon Benson, and Team Scotland Commonwealth Games athlete, Marc Austin are Britain’s other male competitors.
Vicky Holland arrives in Abu Dhabi having started the season with an ITU World Cup win in South Africa earlier this month following a nine-month injury lay-off. The Rio 2016 bronze medal winner is part of a strong British lineup, including ITU Grand Final podium finisher, Jess Learmonth, former ITU world champion, Non Stanford, and world U23 medal winner, Sophie Coldwell.
Holland said: “This is a really stacked race to begin the year with, you don’t often get that at the first race of the year. I’ll get to test myself against the best.”
Alistair Brownlee has withdrawn from the race to continue treatment of a pulled calf muscle. He plans to travel to Australia next week to join the rest of the home nations teams preparing for the Commonwealth Games.
The ITU World Triathlon Abu Dhabi takes place on Yas Island. The course covers a 750m sea swim, 20km bike and 5km run. The British athletes are Marc Austin, Gordon Benson, Tom Bishop and Jonathan Brownlee in the men’s, and Sophie Coldwell, Vicky Holland, Jess Learmonth and Non Stanford in the women’s.
How to watch
Elite men’s race: BBC Red Button & online live from 9:20am (start 9:36am)
Elite women’s race: BBC Red Button & online live start 11:36am.
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Highlights: BBC One from 1:15pm on Saturday, 3 March.
Professor Greg Whyte is to join Elivar Sports Nutrition as their nutrition expert. Elivar Sports Nutrition develops sports nutrition exclusively for 35-55 year olds
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A physical activity expert and world-renowned sports scientist, Professor Greg Whyte OBE is a former Olympian in modern pentathlon and a World and European Championship medalist. Well-known for his involvement in Comic Relief for well over a decade, training and coaching unlikely heroes such as David Walliams and Davina McCall, and more recently Jo Brand and Radio1 DJ Greg James, to achieve the near impossible. As a result of his work, Greg has helped to raise over £37 million for charity.
As part of the deal with Elivar, Professor Greg Whyte will feature in a series of videos to educate middle-aged athletes about using nutrition to improve performance and support long-term health. In particular, the campaign will focus on addressing issues around the use of carbs during training and protein for recovery.
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Elivar was founded in 2014 by Donal Hanrahan and Len Dunne, two former international rowers who were frustrated at the poor quality of sports nutrition for over 35 year olds. elivar.com
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