While the triathlon and aquabike racing season has already ended in most parts of Europe we had the penultimate aquabike race in Spain last weekend. Or actually races. The ICAN Triathlon Gandia on the Spanish east coast south of Valencia offered aquabike option over the middle distance as well as over the long distance. With rather big numbers of aquabike athletes in both races we saw some remarkable performances and close finishes.

With the fastest bike split on the fast & flat bike course Pedro MOHEDANO GOMEZ won the men´s long distance race. Strong swimmer Antonio Miguel EZNARRIAGA GUTIERREZ came in second, six minutes later, holding off third placed Jon PEY PEREZ by just 18 seconds.

The women´s race was won by current #2 of the Aquabike Ranking Europe Ainara BENAVENTE BABACE. With a strong performance she distanced second placed Miriam DURA MARTINEZ by more than half an hour, while Daniela QUESADA TORTORIELLO came in third. With her win Ainara came pretty close to the rankings current number one Amy Pritchard, missing the lead by just 66 points.

While 20 aquabike athletes finished the long distance race, the middle distance race had 43 aquabikers finishing the race. After the fastest swim as well as the fastest bike split Juan Luis SORIANO PASTOR was first to cross the finishline. Diego BONANAD TORRES came in second about two minutes behind. Jose GARCIA MARTINEZ came in five minutes later, holding off Nantxo JIMENEZ SANTANA by only ten seconds to grab the third spot on the podium.

Even closer was the fight for the win in the women´s race. Delyth WILLIAMS was the first to come out of the water. With the fastest bike split Karlota PERURENA RODRÍGUEZ caught up to her on the bike, crossing the finishline first. Just seven seconds ahead of Delyth, who missed her second win of the season, but might can find some consolation by climbing up the women´s aquabike rankings no less then 19 spots, putting her into third place. Marina ALCARAZ MEROÑO came in third, 14 minutes behind.

And we also have a new entry in the top 10 of the men´s Aquabike Ranking Europe. 64-year-old Angel Fernandez Martinez might not have finished a race in the top ranks this year. But by finishing no less than six middle distance and two long distance races, he´s probably the athlete with the most racing kilometres in the 2022 season, making him now #10 in the men´s ranking. Chapeau!

You can find links to all full results at our aquabike race result search or check out the current Aquabike Ranking Europe.

Chapeau and congratulations to all aquabike finishers of last week´s races!