More than 5,000 tough endurance athletes have qualified for the legendary competition that was launched on the Pacific island in 1982, including more Austrians than ever before. There are 64 in the various age groups, including Upper Austrians such as Robert Taferner from the Innviertel region, Harald Schrenk from Linz and many more ambitious amateurs. A real ordeal awaits them, as well as the only red-white-red professional in the field, Michael Weiss.
3.86 kilometers of swimming through the mighty waves of the Pacific, 180 kilometers of cycling in the lava desert and finally another 42.195 kilometers of running in humid, tropical temperatures over the glowing asphalt – the ordeal is considered the ultimate test on the triathlon long distance, Jan Frodeno, the three-time winner calls it “the Wimbledon of our sport”.
The German is not at the start this year because of an injury. Olympic champion and world champion Kristian Blummenfelt makes his Hawaii debut, but is considered the top favorite for victory because of his exceptional position. Likewise his compatriot and training partner Gustav Iden (two-time Half-Ironman World Champion). Weiss, a former mountain biker who competed in the 2004 Olympics, is always a top ten contender for his strength on the bike. But the experienced Lower Austrian also knows: “This race is a story of its own every time.” (free)
Source: Nachrichten
