Asia Triathlon

The second day of the European Championships is dedicated to the relay races. The youth competed during the morning.

The atmosphere during the relay events was different than in the individual triathlons we used to see. The “team spirit” is everywhere and you can see team mates joined before the race, motivating each other. Great!

The women race (17 youth teams) started with a massive challange to get the first turning buoy first. Gambaiani/ITA did it and she got on the bike leading the group. She worked together with Van Berkel/SUI, but Avil/GBR passed both them during the bike and she pass the relay clearly in front. The second relay produce two couples GBR and SUI in the lead, AUT and HUN half minute behind and Italy 1m20s after the leaders. The final results was decided in the 3rd athlete run. Pozsonyi/HUN and Facchin/ITA came in front behind with an incredible run and climb to the podium position. Only SUI could maintain the position gained by their previous athletes.

25 starters in Rijeka poonton joined for the Youth Boys European Championships. A big leading group with 15 teams was the picture of the first relay till a crash was happened: bad luck for the Austrians, they had to abandon the race. As a consequence the group splited into two. After the run the relay change was exciting with ISR, HUN, ITA and POR almost together and 10 seconds after it was GBR. The group remained the same during the second relay always with GBR in front and a chasing group of six including SLO, SUI and POR. Again the last run was exhausting, exciting and… excellent!, noone could catch Brownlee but the Portuguese Silva got an important silver. The 600 meters sprint for the bronze was for HUN with SLO in fourth place.

The U23 women relay was held under the clouds and with the sound of the storm coming from the other side of the mountain. The best European teams took the start in the hottest hour of the day. Since the very beginning a leading group with UKR, CZE, ITA and POL opened a gap with the rest of the field. This 4 women worked together during the bike segment. Climbing the hill to Opatija. Yatsenko/UKR attack and only Vodickova/CZE followed her. Within 20 seconds the couple ITA/POR gave the relay. The second relay was the definitive one. Yelistratova/UKR attack several time and she left Trnkova/CZE behind, who joined with Viglinio/ITA. Working together they caught again the leader. During the run Yelistratova established the definive distance. The third relay was a battle with Prystayko/UKR, escaped alone, versus Bonin/ITA and Frintova/CZE working together. Today the Ukranian were the best. The silver medal went for CZE, thanks to the fast run of one of the best runners in the world.

A very slight rain fall previous to the men start, but the road remained dry because the asphalt was very hot after the sunny day. The U23 men composed a strong field and the differences among them were very small. Out of the water in the first relay all the athletes were together in a compact group, led by the teams from HUN, RUS and ESP. 12 teams ride the bike together and only the transition ability produced slight differences and Daubord/FRA start to run clearly in front. During the run Lopez/ESP overpass him to ensure a relay change free of traffic. The high speed of the swim maintain the positions. During the bike, Vassiliev/RUS, broke away from the pack and then the leading group had only 4 teams: SUI, FRA, RUS and ESP. 20 seconds later the second group with ITA, CZE, HUN, and ITA 2. The third relay was a big battle for the medals, during the run: ESP and SUI produced an spectacular sprint with a fair victory for the Swiss. RUS got the bronze beating France.

Medal standings after the European Championships:
           G S   B   
1. GBR   2   1   0
2. SUI    1   1   0
2. POR   1   1   0
4. HUN   1   0   2
5. UKR    1   0   0
6. FRA    0   1   0
6. ESP    0   1   0
6. CZE    0   1   0
9. ITA    0   0   2
10. LUX    0   0   1
10. RUS    0   0   1

Visit the Rijeka event page to get the results .