NEWS

Duathlon World titles on the line in Pontevedra

By Erin Greene | 26 May, 2014

For the second time in four years, Spain will welcome the world’s top multisport athletes to its country as it prepares to host the 2014 Pontevedra ITU Duathlon World Championships on Saturday. An all-star cast of duathletes is set to hit center stage in both the men’s and women’s races across a 10km run, 40km bike, 5km run course.

Women’s Preview
While Susanne Svendsen (DEN) will wear the No. 1 on Saturday, she’ll be hard pressed to keep that top spot with longtime successful duathlon veteran Sandra Levenez (FRA) next to her. Levenez has been on the podium each of the last five years but has failed to ever win. However with recent winners Ai Ueda (JPN), Felicity Sheedy-Ryan (AUS) and Katie Hewison (GBR) missing from the lineup, it could be the year for Levenez.

Svendsen, however, will be a strong contender for the podium with the women’s race fairly wide open. While new to duathlon, Monica Calderon (COL) lines up as one to watch having finished in the top 10 in her home country last year. Sabrina Monmarteau (FRA) will add valuable support to compatriot Levenez while she also goes for her own podium performance.

Women’s start list

Men’s Preview
Rob Woestenborghs (BEL) is back to re-lay his claim as the fastest man on foot and bike after winning the title in Cali lsat year. The Belgian won both the long and short distance race last year, ending a four-year dry spell of medals in the shorter race.

However, he will have his work cut out for him with Spain’s own Emilio Martin second on the start list. Martin won the race in 2012, but lost major ground to Woestenborghs on the bike last year which proved pivotal to defending his title.

Despite having a low starting number, Benoit Nicolas (FRA) is one of the men to beat. The Frenchman is speedy down the finish chute and scorched to the final podium place last year, giving him his third consecutive Duathlon World Championship bronze medal.

One of the few duathletes that contests triathlons regularly, Etienne Diemunsch (FRA) returns to duathlon after just missing the podium two years ago. He was the U23 champion in Gijon in 2011 and with age on his side, look for him to mix it up the leaders. Likewise, Sergey Yakovlev (RUS) and Sergio Silva (POR) are consistent threats in this race.

Men’s start list

In addition to the elites, Pontevedra will welcome age group, paraduathlon, junior and U23 competitors. The elite and U23 women will compete at 15:00, while the elite and U23 men will go off at 18:00.

Live timing will be available pontevedraduatlon2014.com.

Related Event: 2014 Pontevedra ITU Duathlon World Championships
31 - Jun, 2014 • event pageall results
Results: Elite Men
1. Benoit Nicolas FRA 01:50:18
2. Etienne Diemunsch FRA 01:50:39
3. Emilio Martin ESP 01:50:57
4. Philip Wylie GBR 01:51:05
5. Alexis Rodriguez ESP 01:51:41
6. Rob Woestenborghs BEL 01:52:35
7. David Castro Fajardo ESP 01:53:06
8. Toumi Dahmani MAR 01:53:16
9. Raul Amatriain Arraiza ESP 01:53:20
10. Gustavo Rodriguez Iglesias ESP 01:53:31
Results: Elite Women
1. Sandra Levenez FRA 02:04:07
2. Gillian Backhouse AUS 02:05:26
3. Sabrina Monmarteau FRA 02:05:42
4. Franziska Scheffler GER 02:06:13
5. Petra Fasungova SVK 02:06:33
6. Miriam Casillas García ESP 02:06:50
7. Georgina Schwiening GBR 02:07:22
8. Sonia Bejarano ESP 02:07:34
9. Ana Filipa Santos POR 02:08:04
10. Yurie Kato JPN 02:08:27
Results: Junior Men
1. Jacob Birtwhistle AUS 00:54:15
2. Antonio Serrat Seoane ESP 00:54:32
3. Gustav Iden NOR 00:54:36
4. Max Biewer LUX 00:54:53
5. Roberto Sanchez Mantecon ESP 00:55:20
6. Pierre Balty BEL 00:56:20
7. Richard Allen GBR 00:57:45
8. Igor Valente POR 00:57:51
9. David Luis POR 00:57:55
10. Yuuki Tsukano JPN 00:57:56
Results: Junior Women
13. Jessica Alcock RSA 01:11:23
5. Madalena Amaral Almeida POR 01:05:58
12. Jodie Berry RSA 01:07:34
11. Kate Curran GBR 01:06:51
7. Luisa Iogna-Prat ITA 01:06:11
3. Claudia Luna ESP 01:05:32
2. Fumika Matsumoto JPN 01:04:00
1. Angelica Olmo ITA 01:03:38
DNF. Carla Bertos ESP DNF
LAP. Tamara Maksiyanova RUS LAP
Results: U23 Men
1. David Castro Fajardo ESP 01:53:06
2. Fabian Villanueva Moehl MEX 01:53:40
3. Alberto Della Pasqua ITA 01:53:44
4. Jose Luis Cordova MEX 01:53:50
5. João Francisco Ferreira POR 01:54:06
6. Pau Castellvell ESP 01:54:20
7. Ignacio Muller ARG 01:54:25
8. Rafael Antonio Rojas Cumare VEN 01:54:58
9. Andreas Theobald GER 01:55:03
10. Matt Brown AUS 01:55:16
Results: U23 Women
1. Gillian Backhouse AUS 02:05:26
2. Miriam Casillas García ESP 02:06:50
3. Georgina Schwiening GBR 02:07:22
4. Giorgia Priarone ITA 02:08:35
5. Joselyn Daniely Brea Abreu TRI 02:08:54
6. Pien Keulstra NED 02:11:35
DNF. Mozhgan Kavyani IRI DNF
DNF. Yamaguchi Moyu JPN DNF
DNF. Zahra Bahramian IRI DNF
DNF. Haruna Kida JPN DNF