08 / 16 / 2008

Xterra Snowbasin & Ogden / Utah / USA

In Snowbasin usually take place Alpine Ski downhill and super-G races, such as 2002 the Olympic events. Parts of these slopes we had to bike and run - but upwards.
Altogether we had 4800 feet of vertical gain.
In Pineview reservoir was the start with swimming.

We had some troubles to get to Snowbasin on time. I had to start 2 minutes behind the 300 triathletes. Despite this problem I achieved a top result - 2^nd. If I'd started together with the elite triathletes I'd have won my age group like in Beaver Creek a week ago I'm convinced.

Since the start was rather early at 9 am we got up at 5.30. Some problems with our rental car and to find the shortest way to both transition zones cost us at least 45 minutes. Transition zones for the bike and run where I had to deposit my stuff were about 8 miles apart.
While I was deposing my mountainbike I already heard the starting shot. I only had time to put on my bathing cap and my swim goggles. But there was no time to put on my wetsuit.

I had to run down the rocky reef and cut my sole. Arriving at the lake already spastic swimmers were about a hundred yards ahead of me. As I was not able to close my one-piece triathlon suit I also had an additional resistance. In the water it was also hard to overtake in a zigzag course.
Swimming and changing time (for biking) took me 30 minutes. For a similar distance under "normal conditions" I usually need about 24 minutes in such a race.

Overtaking on very narrow biking trails was rather difficult. Only at the last section at the very steep slops I could overtake several batches.

Cross running I had my normal speed. Only the "crap-brake" (I usually do this business before a race) and to find a bush cost me some extra time. To wear a one-piece suit is not ideal either. At least an additional minute was wasted.
Finally I finished as 2nd in my age group. Under normal conditions I'd been 7-8 minutes faster. I hope at the Xterra Austria - my home race - event I can achieve a top result and time, too.

A lot of international top triathletes took part in this perfectly organized event. The present Xterra world champion Conrad Stoltz (RSA) won, 2nd Mike Vine (CAN) and 3rd Brian Smith (USA).

My age group was won by Will Ross from Alaska (he lives for training reasons in Colorado) an USA-Team triathlete and 3rd was a boy from Canada.

08 / 09 / 2008

Xterra Beaver Creek / USA

About 200 Triathlets from 5 nations took part in this Xterra event in Beaver Creek / Colorado. This location is famous for wintersport and its worldcup races. From there mountainbike and running was kind of hillclimb over slopes. The lake in Avon was rather chilly, too.
But everything was very well organised and spectators saw an interesting event.

It was my first Xterra event and I was very successful:
I won the age group 15-19 (I even had won the age group 20-24 with my total time). Overall I finished as 19th, at the Age-Groupers 10th. The winner was a professional from Canada.

The easiest part was swimming although I had swam in wormer waters already. 15 miles mountainbike were very hard, steep and demanding. There also were a lot of roots on the trails. Runing (6 miles) started with downhill slopes but upwards. I organised my race very well and finished after 2 hours and 42 minutes and was rather relaxed.

08 / 02 / 2008

Vail - Beaver Creek / USA

The journey Frankfurt - Atlanta - Denver was quite ok. The only problem was that we missed a large part of our luggage which arrived with a day delay. I already bought substitute dresses and shoes.

Training in Beaver Creek is rather hard due to the enormous altitude of 8.500 - 12.000 ft.

The Xterra organazier Mike Kloser invited me to a mountainbike race (belongs to the Mountain Challenge Series) in Beaver Creek Wednestay evening.
About 100 bikers took part at the 3x 6 miles cross country race. I was in the leading group but I gave up because I had some problems with the altitude

08 / 02 / 2008

Mürzer Oberland Triathlon - Short Distance

Triathlon in Neuberg / Styria / Austria was my first enter for a short distance triathlon - 1.5k swim, 40k bike (drafting was not allowed) - 10k run.

I won the junior age group and finished at 7^th of all starters and was the second best of my team Funs Sorts Tri Team which organized this event.

About 100 starters and a couple of professionals took part. Two Hungarians ensured a double win in the main race. One of the Hungarians recently won the Ironman in Arizona.

07 / 20 / 2008

Cross Country Austrian Championships Afritz am See:

It was my first race in championships in the age group U23 (under 23).

In the attached picture you can see me with the Austrian elite biker Christoph Soukup who won this race - I was just overtaken by him. Only 6 bikers finished in the same lap as the Austrian champion who will represent Austria as only male mountainbiker at the Olympic Games in Bejing.

I finished as youngest starter of the whole field after 2 hours and 6 minutes as 8th (U23).