Hot long distance World Championship in Gyékényes/Nagyatád

At the second weekend in August Gyékényes and Nagyatád hosted the participants of the Long Distance World Championship. As usual in this period of the year the conditions were very hot especially at the running course. This year a new bike course was used which was almost totally closed from the traffic. The event was organised together with the traditional long distance triathlon race (Extrememan) and several side events (like team trial bike, various triathlon distances, relayes and also running races) using the same routes and infrastructure, wit a total participant almost 1000.

Athletes in quadrathlon performed in total 104 km (swim 2,6 km, kayak 20 km, bike 62 km, run 21,1 km). The swimming was started at 7.30 together with the long distance triathlon race so the first part was rather crowded. The water as always was crystal clear with a temperature of 26 degrees, so no Neo was allowed. The 2 laps swim course – with a short running at the beach between the laps was led by Laurent Martinou (FRA) and Ferenc Csima (HUN) close together. Chasers Julian Taylor (GBR) Zoltán Holczer and Arnold Halász (HUN) and Mielke Karsten (GER) came several minutes later. The women’s group was led by Hella Kiss (HUN) followed by Viktória Varga (HUN) Ellen Mielke and Susanne Walter (both GER). The second discipline was kayaking also on the Kotró lake. Competitors performed 20 km in 12 laps around the small island. As expected Csima with a time of 1:33 was able to build a big gap in his favourite discipline against the chasers.

In women’s race Walter and Kiss were kayaking together almost 2 hours long and only with some seconds difference. After the kayaking the quadrathletes left Gyékényes and were cycling to Nagyatád. Road conditions were quite good with some short exceptions (compared to Hungarian general conditions). Best bike time was performed by Martinou (1:42) and Walter (1:51) coming to the first place in woman’s race. The running was done in Nagyatád with 4 laps on flat asphalted roads with 4 refreshment stations. The temperature at the time of the running reached 33 degrees so some athletes really suffered to be able to keep running. The cooling down of the body was a critical question but fortunately the refreshment stations offered cold drinks and also ice for the athletes. Finally, all the athletes were able to finish the race. The Ironman race was won by the former top quadrathlete Gergő Badar with a track record time of just 8 hours and 3 minutes.