There were more than a dozen GB age groupers and we forged a pretty good team spirit. We met up for the race briefing and enjoyed the pasta party together. Most of us warmed up together at race start and spent the event giving each other high-fives plus cheers of encouragement.
Great award ceremony and dinner on race night. British girl narrowly beaten into second place in the professional category. A few podium finishes for GB age groupers, including Coventry triathlon legend Steve Howes (4 times Kona qualifier plus channel swimming buddy with Steve Mac and Jamie Goodhead).
Summary
Very Scenic tough hilly run/bike/run 10k/150k/30k.
This is THE Long Course Duathlon. Highly recommended. Terrific
organisation (imagine Challenge Roth without the swim or the flat
bits). As difficult as running/cycling Ditchling Beacon constantly
for 8 hours or so.
Location
Easy 1 hour train journey from Zurich airpost. My hotel in Old
Town Zofingen was 5 mins walk from train station and 5 mins walk
from race start. Beautiful cobbled streets and pretty Swiss
buildings like in a fairy story.Didn't have to cycle on the cobbled
streets, fortunately.
Race
Gorgeous cycle up and down big hills with cows grazing beside
Alpine Chalets. Some challenging sharp turns 30+mph but well
marshalled and no traffic to speak of. Some flat-out TT aero
sections for good measure. Insanely steep for running. Walked up
and sprinted down every hill. Lots of people burned out running up
the hills and were spent by the end, but I kept to HR zones and
finished nice and strong.
Finished about 20-30 mins quicker than I predicted and came 6th in my ITU Age Group category. If I had been 3 months older, I would have taken bronze!!!!!!!
Results
I am delighted with my 8:06 and being top GBR athlete in my
category on the day.
However, if Loz Wintergold had not pulled out with a knee injury
then he would have finished some way in front no doubt.
See video clip
http://www.videoportal.sf.tv/video?id=adab32e3-97e9-414e-950b-4ff87ac19784
The male professional winner's speech got a bit awkward when he revealed the depth of his rivalry with the third place man. Throws darts at a picture of his rival to motivate in training. Read out a spiteful Tweet where the third place man falsely accused him of doping. The organisers cut his speech short when the world number one duathlete revealed he was learning to swim and intended competing in triathlon.
Lucy Gossage won silver as she represented the GE Great Britain
Team at the prestigious Zofingen ITU Powerman Long Distance
Duathlon World Championships in Switzerland
https://www.britishtriathlon.org/news/silver-success-for-gossage-at-european-championships_2259
Gossage said: "I'm very pleased to finish second on what is
definitely the hardest course I have raced. I was certainly not
prepared for the true brutality of the runs! Eva had an incredible
race and thoroughly deserved the win. I'm sure I'll go back one day
now that I know what to expect!"
The men's race was won by Joerie Vansteelant of Belgium. Britain's
Matt Moorhouse was 21st in a time of 7:47.26.
The GE Great Britain Age-Group Team celebrated more medals with
Dominic Rohan-Gates (M25-29) and Nikalas Cook (M35-39) winning gold
and Steven Howes (M50-54) adding a silver medal.
by Jim Graham