There haven´t been too many aquabike races in Europe over the last two weeks. While we had also races in Hungary and Ireland last weekend, the weekend before was a purely English aquabike racing weekend. Some of the aquabike events attracted quite a big number of competitors though.
It´s been a rather quiet weekend of aquabike racing in Europe. The only race that was scheduled on the continent was the National Aquabike Championship over the middle distance at the Poznan Triathlon in Poland. Unfortunately there was a bathing ban at Jezioro Maltańskie – the lake where the swim should have taken place. The local authorities closed the lake the week before the race due to bad water quality after a spread of cyanobacteria. While the Triathlon was switched into a duathlon, the aquabike race obviously had to be cancelled. However, after the championships over the sprint distance in June aquabike athletes in Poland still will have two more championship races (standard and long distance) later this season.
So we only had four races at two locations in England last weekend.
We had a super busy aquabike racing weekend on the British Islands with 149 athletes finishing one of twelve races at eight events. Meanwhile on the continent we only had one aquabike event this weekend. Though the aquabike race at the Triathlon des Gorges de l’Ardèche in southern France is one of the hardest but also one of the most scenic races in Europe and certainly worth some attention.
Last weekend we had the probably biggest aquabike race ever in Europe (except World and European Championships of course), the first ever aquabike race in Sweden, as well as races in Slovakia and Greece. Meanwhile on the British Island the next station of the Castle Triathlon series saw a strong aquabike field especially over the middle distance, besides other middle distance races and also some shorter races.
About 13 weeks left until the European Aquabike Championships in Bilbao. It´s about time to get prepared. And we can help you with that.
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The Ripon Triathlon which was planned to be held last weekend had to be cancelled earlier this year. At the 1066 Triathlon in Hastings the swim had to be cancelled due to bad weather conditions. While the Triathlon was converted into a Duathlon, the aquabike races eventually had to be cancelled. So what remained was a rather quiet weekend of racing. The aquabike races at the Stewartby Lake Triathlon were the only aquabike races in England this weekend. We had a big race in Austria at last year´s location of the European Championships though.
When there are any changes in the top ranks of the Aquabike Ranking Europe I usually write about it in the weekly race reports. But a new number one certainly deserves a little bit more attention.
With no races on the continent last weekend it was a purely British aquabike racing weekend. We had two middle distance races at the A Day In The Lakes Triathlon and the Metric Aquabikus at the Centurion Triathlon Herts, where we also had a long distance race with the Imperial Aquabikus. The races which attracted the most aquabike athletes were a bit shorter though.
With races in Portugal and Austria and of course a bunch of races in England, another busy aquabike racing weekend lies behind us. But let´s start with the National Aquabike Championship race that we had in Ireland last weekend. It was carried out over the sprint distance at the Fingal Skerries Triahtlon. Ross HAMILTON was able to defend his title with a clear win, putting about four and a half minutes into second placed Jack KENNEDY and Michael MCGLOIN another 48 seconds behind. Much closer was the women´s race though. With four women starting the bike leg separated by only 17 seconds the decision had to be made on the bike. It was Danielle O’ RIORDAN who had the strongest bike legs, winning the race by only eight seconds ahead of Jennifer O’SULLIVAN with Cathy CUNNINGHAM following in third also just one more minute behind.
Last weekend the 24th country joined the world of aquabike racing. Poland had it´s first ever aquabike race which also was the National Championship over the sprint distance. With Nationals over standard, middle and long distance also following this year, Poland will be the first country to host championships over four distances. But let´s start with the sprint race which was held at the Triathlon Rzeszów.