Ironman 70.3 St. Pölten PRO press conference
Welcome to the Austria IRONMAN 70.3 St. Pölten 2011! The weather is great and we are all set! 42 minutes to go...
The start area is getting full. Some athletes go from transition to the start area and the other wait for the start! A lot of spectators join the starting area at the Viehofner lake. 15 minutes to go...
The weather forecast for today´s race says it will be sunny with several clouds 15°-25°. In the afternoon it will be cloudy and windy with some rain!
Ten minutes to go till the PRO´s make their way on the swim track. The water temperature is about 17 degrees celsius. The crowd and the athletes get more and more nervous. St. Pölten is looking forward to the Austria IRONMAN 70.3!
Filip Ospaly (CZE) is the top favourite for today´s race. But the winner of the Austria IRONMAN 70.3 St. Pölten 2010 has strong opponents: Michi Göhner (GER), Michi Weiss (AUT) or Sven Sundberg (GER) are just some of his opponents.
The womens race will my see the revenge of Erika Csomor (HUN) for the second place against Yvonne van Verken (NED). The womens winner of 2010 will also face Karin Thürig (SUI), Kristin Möller (GER) and Sonja Tajsich (GER)
Start of the Austria IRONMAN 70.3 St. Pölten!
The PRO´s are off their way!!
Right now no one can take the lead. The PRO´s fight hard to get away from the pack
The PRO´s passed the first bouy of three. Still no one can get away.
Two athletes were able to take the lead. Right now they are not recognizeable.
The leaders just passed the second buoy in the Viehofner lake. We still don´t know who leads here in St. Pölten.
Filip Ospaly (CZE) took the lead. The winner of 2010 is first, followed by Dorian Wagner from Germany.
The two leaders are in the lake Ratzersdorf. The pack is still in the Viehofner lake.
The Austrian Michi Weiss came out of the first lake on position 22. Almost two minutes behind the leaders.
The atmosphere is amazing! Filip Ospaly and Dorian Wagner still have the lead
Filip Ospaly is out of the water with 24:16, followed Dorian Wagner +12:30
Ospaly is first out of transition. He will make his way through the beautiful Wachau on the bike track.
Simone Benz from Switzerland is the first women out of the water. Yvonne van Vlerken follows her into the transition.
Filip Ospaly is on the bike track. Followed by Dominik Berger (AUT), Paul Amey (GBR) who left the transition in second and third.
The first women who left the transition area is Erika Czomor (HUN) with 30:31. Followed by Eva Wutti (AUT) +00:50 and Yvonne van Vlerken (NED) + 00:58.
It seems like Csomor really wants her revenge for the second place in 2010. Van Vlerken is on the third place and she will chase after her. But also Sonja Tajsich (GER) + 2:31, Karin Thürig (SUI) + 3: 44 and Kristin Möller (GER) + 3:56 after the first transition will try to get the lead.
The Austrian women are also doing great! Eva Wutti left the transition only 50 seconds behind Csomor and Monika Stadlmann left transition in 4th place 01:20min behind.
The first man Filip Ospaly just left the freeway S33. In about 6k he will pass the first interim time. His has a big lead. Seems like he try´s to attack his own track record.
Ospaly is now coming to the first climb in Krustetten. There is no follower to see.
After 26,6k Ospaly still has the lead. He passed with 1:02:39 followed by Thomas Hellriegel (GER) + 1:26, Widmann Uwe (GER) + 1:28. The first Austrian athelete is Dominik Berger + 1:34 on 6th place.
Austrias Michi Weiss is on the 8th place + 1:38. The other top favorites are also in the pack that goes after Ospaly. Sven Sundberg (GER) is 1:32min behind, Michael Göhner (GER) is on the 10th place. He is 1:39min behind the winner of 2010.
Erika Csomor and the young carinthian lady Eva Wutti (AUT) passed the 26,6k mark. Wutti leads with 01:10:26 after 26,6k. Csomor is one second behind. van Vlerken is on the third place, 2:15min behind the leaders. Karin Thürig (SUI), +2:19min, is on the fourth place. Sonja Tajsich is on the fifth place, + 4:08.
Kevin Mackinnon