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March 13, 2021 | News | No Comments
Another year, another formidable performance from Daniela Ryf at the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. The Swiss star made it four consecutive wins in Kona today and, in doing so, matched Chrissie Wellington’s victory count in Hawaii and smashed the course record. And this included a nasty jellyfish sting on the swim that made her consider quitting after the swim leg.
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After breaking the swim course record, Britain’s Lucy Charles would finish second once again, and in doing so would produce the second-fastest time in women’s Hawaii history.
CHARLES STRIKES FIRST
British interest in the women’s professional event was largely centred on rising superstar Lucy Charles (head here for the elite men’s race report featuring David McNamee, Tim Don and Joe Skipper), with the Essex athlete targeting a victory over three-time champ Daniela Ryf after her second place Kona elite breakthough in 2017.
And Charles would prove utterly dominant in the swim leg of the women’s race, with the British athlete leading from the start and all by herself for much of the duration.
She’d exit in 48:13mins, under the course record of 48:43 from 1999 (and in the overall top ten fastest elite times of the day), and hit the bike with a 2min margin over the chasing field and around 10mins to Ryf, who was stung by a jellyfish in the swim under the arm. A message to the three-time Kona champion had been delivered by Charles.
#IMWC @LucyAnneCharles out of the water in with the lead followed by @lb_brandon +2:53, @TeresaJAdam), +3:45, Hele @helle_f +3:48, @sgroffy +3:52, @Liz_Blatchford +3:55, @Rachel_McB +5:50, @JoceMcCauley +5:58 and and @mbkessler +5:59. pic.twitter.com/dxG3wDll2j
— IRONMANLive (@IRONMANLive) October 13, 2018
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By the 90km stage of the bike, Charles’ lead over Ryf was 8mins, with the Swiss athlete having risen through the field to second place. Brit Corinne Abraham was in fourth. Some 20km later and Ryf had chiselled Charles’ advantage down to 7mins, and this theme would continue for the duration of the bike course.
Update: @danielaryf Has again brought down the gap. It’s now just 3.03 just pass Mauna Lani in the QK heading back to town.
March 13, 2021 | News | No Comments
Kona 2018: How all the emotion and action was captured on social media
Ironman World Champs 2018: Patrick Lange is the King of Kona
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Ironman World Champs: Daniela Ryf smashes Kona record
Launch Gallery
March 13, 2021 | News | No Comments
2. 1st female overall was Daniela Ryf (SUI) in a time of 8:26:16: swim 57:26 (struggled with a jelly fish sting), bike 4:26:07 and run 2:57:05, breaking her own course best set in 2016 of 8:46:46.
3. The fastest male swimmer was age-grouper Jan Sibbersen in a time of 46:29, breaking the previous men’s record in Kona of 46:41 that had stood for 20 years, held by Lars Jorgensen. Jan’s bike split was 5:12:51, his run 4:26:24, for a total time of 10:37:33.
4. The fastest female swimmer was GB’s Lucy Charles in a time of 48:13. She averaged 1:15mins per 100m and in doing so set a new female course record, beating Jodi Jackson’s 1991 record of 48:43. She also finished in the overall top-10 fastest elite swim times of the day.
5. Fastest male bike split of the day was set by Cameron Wurf (AUS), a former pro cyclist and rower turned Ironman competitor. He improved his Kona record to 4:09:06 (26.98mph) from the 4:12:54 he set in 2017. His other splits were: swim 50:51; run 3:06:18, for a total time of 8:10:32.
6. Fastest female bike split of the day was set by Daniela Ryf in 4:26:07 (25:39mph), another new Kona record. The previous best time was 4:44:19, set by former time-trial specialist Karin Thürig in 2001.
7. Fastest male marathon run leg of the day came courtesy of Patrick Lange with a 2:41:32.
8. Fastest female marathon run leg of the day was set by Anne Haug 02:55:20.
9. For the first time in Kona history, the 8hr barrier was broken! Twice! First by Lange (7:52:39) and then by runner-up Bart Aernouts (BEL) in 7:56:41. His splits were: swim 54:07; bike 4:12:26; run 2:45:42.
10. Daniela Ryf came 25th overall beating 21 male pros; Lucy Charles came 35th overall.
11. Another Kona first saw the men’s winner propose to his girlfriend after crossing the finish line. Within a minute of finishing, Lange got down on one knee and proposed to Julia Hoffmann – she said yes!
12. Kyle and Brent Pease became the first push-assisted team of brothers to cross the finish line, and only the second pair in that category to complete the race. For the swim, Brent towed his brother in a boat, then completed the bike leg in a specially adapted bike before running with his brother in a specially adapted running chair. The last team to do so was father Dick and son Rick Hoyt in 1999. The Peases finished in a time of 14:29hrs.
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13. GB’s Liz McTernan became only the second female wheelchair participant to complete Kona, and now holds the course record of 14:21:12. McTernan competed in the ‘Physically Challenged’ or PC Division, using a hand bike for 180km and a racing wheelchair for the marathon.
Congratulations #TeamCAF athlete @lizmcternan! Liz crossedthe finish line at #IMKONA as the 2nd wheelchair woman to ever finish the @IRONMANtri World Championship. AND she now holds the course record for fastest time.
March 13, 2021 | News | No Comments
Indonesian authorities lifted a tsunami alert issued after a strong earthquake that hit off the coast of Java island Friday, swaying buildings as far away as the capital and rattling nerves in coastal areas but not causing widespread damage. The U.S. Geological Survey reported the magnitude 6.8 quake was centered 94 miles from Banten province off the island’s southwest coast. It said it hit at a depth of 26.5 miles.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center did not issue a tsunami warning, watch or advisory after the quake. Indonesian authorities, however, issued their own before lifting it two hours later when no wave materialized. Authorities had called on people living in coastal areas to move to higher ground but not to panic. Earlier, officials said the quake risked generating a tsunami 10 feet high, BBC News reported.Buildings in Jakarta swayed for nearly a minute during the evening quake. Television footage showed workers and residents running out of high-rise buildings.
“The chandelier in my apartment was shaking and I just ran from the 19th floor,” Jakarta resident Elisa, 50, told AFP news agency. “Everybody else ran too. It was a really strong jolt and I was very scared.”Radio and television reports said people felt a strong quake in Banten province and in Lampung province along the southern part of Sumatra island. The temblor caused a panic among residents in several cities and villages.The quake brought back bad memories in Banten’s Pandeglang region, which encompasses Unjung Kulon National Park and popular beaches, and is where a deadly tsunami struck in the dark without warning last December.That tsunami followed an eruption and a possible landslide on Anak Krakatau, one of the world’s most famous volcanic islands, about 112 kilometers (69.5 miles) southwest of Jakarta. The waves killed at least 222 people as they smashed into houses, hotels and other beachside buildings along the Sunda Strait.Irna Narulita, the Pandeglang district chief, said at least 22 houses collapsed in the region after Friday’s quake, and most people remained outside due to fear of aftershocks. She said villagers in Sumur, the village hardest hit by the tsunami in December, chose to stay on a hill even after the tsunami alert was lifted.She said no serious injuries were reported so far.The National Disaster Agency spokesman, Agus Wibowo, said they were still gathering information of the damage and injuries. Local television footage and online video showed several houses and buildings in Banten, including a sport stadium and hospitals, suffered minor damage.
March 13, 2021 | News | No Comments
It’s not often swim, bike and run makes football play second fiddle, but there are more spectators here for the inaugural Dubrovnik Triathlon than attended the Croatia v England international – 400 miles north along the Adriatic coast in Rijeka – the previous evening. And given this is a football-obsessed nation whose national team reached the World Cup final, it’s a victory to be celebrated for multisport. (We can gloss over both who they beat in the semi-final and that this recent encounter was played behind closed doors.)
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Triathlon is a new sport in a city famed for its Old Town. Named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979, its siege by Serbian and Montenegrin soldiers became a focal point during the break-up of Yugoslavia in the early nineties, but having taken a pre-race trip inside the medieval bulwarks, I can report it’s now deluged by up to 10,000 tourists a day, disembarking cruise ships to roam its ramparts.
Part of the attraction is the baroque, renaissance and gothic architecture, but it’s also the phenomenon that is Game of Thrones, the fantasy television drama that was filmed here. Given I’ve never watched a second of the show, my pop culture references end here, but at least it’ll save you from laboured puns being crowbarred into the race report, such as Game of Triathlons (attempt a faux European accent and switch ‘ons’ for ‘owns’).
On to a less hectic affair than the Old Town – the race – and a sprint or standard distance option, starting from Gruz Harbour, with a transition zone neatly slotted between moored luxury yachts. It’s a 2pm start and the untriathlonly time is virtue of the organisers being given a one-hour window between the aforementioned hulking cruise liners docking and setting sail. After that strict deadline the port is back open for business, so there’s significant motivation to make the swim cut-off.
SCRIPTED DEBUT
The area is trying to carve its own niche in activity breaks. There’s a half-marathon here in April that finishes on the Stradun – Dubrovnik’s most famous limestone-paved street in the Old Town – and 60 miles away in Kotor, Montenegro, the Ocean Lava middle distance race takes place in May. It’s not a tricky place to get to and here we’ve 15 different nationalities, many from former Yugoslav republics, plus a scattering of Brits.
For a first-time event, it almost feels scripted. The weather is blissfully mid-20s, and the harbour water 21 degrees, making it just cool enough for novices (or those hellbent on winning) to wear a wetsuit. The bike course follows the coast to the small village of Komolac, and is both the prettiest dragstrip imaginable and seemingly the only flat stretch of road in the region. The run is out and back along the harbour edge where the most taxing element is keeping count of your laps.
As I’m about to plop in for the deep-water start, I try to recall the last time I undertook a standard-distance triathlon. My fumbling excuse is that my time has been better served agonising over topics for my 220 Triathlon column, although that’s probably best left for others to judge. Conclusion: “It’s been a while – and it’ll take a while.” And so it plays out.
The two-lap anticlockwise swim is rather too pleasant – not a jellyfish in sight (take note as an alternative race option for next year, Daniela Ryf). About 60 people have signed up for the standard distance, a similar number for the sprint, plus a handful of relay teams, and both the water and opposition are calmness personified. My only gripe is with the toddlers’ swim caps provided, as the silicon dome pings from my bonce about midway through the first lap, striking another blow to marine welfare.
Out on to the road bike (I’ve borrowed from the organisers) in 39mins (including T1, I’m sure it was long), I spend the majority of the four laps daydreaming at the scenery, reading the derrieres of tri-suits and wondering how they’re pronounced (my straw poll of waiters confirms the Croatian language is brutish to grasp), and hoping I’ll overtake someone who isn’t on a mountain bike. The tranquillity is occasionally broken when some lunatic on a TT bike and deep-dished wheels comes whooping past (my one piece of serious advice would be to pack a TT bike if you want to compete), but they pretty sharply bugger off into the distance anyway.
Returning 1:24hr later, I head out for a fairly uneventful run, where the sun beats down and I have to pass the finish gantry 11 times (yes, I just worked it out), before I can actually jog under the arch in 45mins for a less-than-competitive 2:49:32 and just sneak into the top 30.
CRUISES, COFFEE AND CRAP CANNONS
My race aside, the Dubrovnik Triathlon has a lot going for it. No matter how many risk assessments are undertaken, first-time events are fraught with the potential for unforeseen hiccups. It’s compounded when a venue is not au fait with triathlon, and judging by the motorists in the town, it will be a while before a cycling culture takes off.
Yet enthusiasm – and Dubrovnik has a two-year-old 20-strong tri club getting behind it – can go a long way. It also helps when you bring in John Lunt and Co, the team behind the successful Brighton and Hove Tri, with Lunt formerly triathlon course manager for the London 2012 Olympics. So, while I’m sure there are a few teething issues, they’re well-hidden and certainly no disasters.
It isn’t just the finishing chute where the red (ok, blue) carpet has been rolled out either. There’s a familiarisation swim at Banje Beach the morning before the race – the reward being free coffee and doughnuts bigger than lifebuoys – and a triathletes’ reception in Sponza Palace in the Old Town in the evening where a welcoming British consul informs us it’s British week in Dubrovnik, although the Beatles tribute act crooning in the main square in front of a London bus was already a slight giveaway.
Post-race there’s an awards party offering a bellyful of pasta and apple strudel, a few tunes and a live stream of the Ironman World Championship, jellyfish and all, on the big screen. Then it’s all aboard for a cruise around the bay at 9am the following morning in a replica 16th-century Karaka, which, for all intents and purposes is a pirate ship with crap cannons, air-conditioning and cappuccinos.
TICKS THE 2019 BOXES
Given there are so many options on the racing calendar, does Dubrovnik deserve its place on your itinerary next year? There are races that offer a calm wetsuit-optional sea swim, there are others that provide closed bike courses that are flat and safe for novices, and still more that provide a scenic backdrop.
You can also find affordable races (£65/£50 for the standard/sprint distance) within a two-hour EasyJet flight of the UK, where you have a choice of accommodation from luxury hotels to affordable AirBnBs, and some also offer plenty of cultural options when you strip off the Lycra. But a destination that ticks all those boxes is a challenge, and that’s where the Dubrovnik Triathlon wins out.
The late Lord Bryon called the city the Pearl of the Adriatic. It’s less known that he’s also credited for starting the modern age of open-water swimming in 1810. I’ve a feeling that if he were still alive today, the legendary poet would be first in the queue to slip on his race belt… because this is one event you Don Juan a miss.
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March 13, 2021 | News | No Comments
The CEO of Cathay Pacific Airways resigned Friday following pressure by Beijing on the Hong Kong carrier over participation by some of its employees in anti-government protests. Rupert Hogg resigned “to take responsibility as a leader of the company in view of recent events,” the company said in a statement.
Rupert Hogg became the highest-profile corporate casualty of official Chinese pressure on companies to support the ruling Communist Party’s position. In a statement, Hogg said recent weeks had been “challenging” for the airline. Beijing jolted Hong Kong companies last week when it warned that Cathay Pacific employees who “support or take part in illegal protests” would be barred from flying to or over the mainland. Cathay Pacific said a pilot who was charged with rioting had been removed from flying duties.
“There is no doubt that our reputation and brand are under immense pressure and this pressure has been building for some weeks, particularly in the all-important market of Mainland China,” Hogg in an internal memo, according to The Wall Street Journal. Hong Kong is in its third month of protests that started in opposition to a proposed extradition law but have expanded to include demands for a more democratic system.Cathay Pacific needs new management to “reset confidence” because its commitment to safety and security had been “called into question,” company Chairman John Slosar said in a statement.Augustus Tang, a veteran of the company’s operations in Hong Kong, Japan and Malaysia, was named to succeed Hogg, the airline said.
March 13, 2021 | News | No Comments
Quest Wales will be staged in the surroundings of Snowdonia National Park, and challenges athletes to trail run, bike and kayak their way across the mountains of North Wales.
Set for Saturday 8 June 2019, Quest Wales is targeted at all fitness levels and abilities, and athletess have the option of three scenic routes; 25km Challenge, 42km Sport or 53km Expert.
– The 25km Challenge consists of: 8km road bike/1km kayak/6km run/10km road bike.
– The 42km Sport is: 6km trail run/13km road bike/1km kayak/11km trail run/11km road bike.
– The 53km Challenge is: a 6km trail run/13km road bike/1km kayak/11km trail run/15km road bike/7km run.
Kayaks are provided as part of your entry fee and bikes are available to hire at an additional cost.
Oliver Kirwan, Race Director at Quest Adventure Series, says: “Even if you’ve only done a 10k previously, you can do this! Just bring your sense of adventure and we’ll provide the atmosphere and an unforgettable experience. A lot of our participants sign-up as part of a team and adventure races are a great excuse to plan a weekend away with friends and like-minded people to work hard and then, play hard too.”
Quest Wales is part of the Quest Adventure Series which encompasses a number of one-day adventure races across Ireland in Killarney, Kenmare, Glendalough and Achill, which attracted over 8,000 participants in 2018.
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Entries for Quest Wales start at £68.00 and you can register at https://www.questadventureseries.com/race/quest-wales/
March 13, 2021 | News | No Comments
Transgender model Teddy Quinlivan is making fashion history. She is the first openly transgender model to be hired for a Chanel campaign, Quinlivan announced on Instagram Monday.
In an emotional post featuring a video and photo from her Chanel Beauty campaign, Quinlivan shared the tough moments she’s experienced trying to find her place in the modeling industry. “My whole life has been a fight,” she wrote on Instagram. “From being bullied at school consistently, kids threatening to kill me and going into graphic detail how they were going to do it, my own father beating me and calling me a fagot, to receiving industry blowback after speaking publicly about being sexually assaulted on the job… This was a victory that made all of that s*** worth it.”The 25-year-old walked runway shows for Chanel before coming out as transgender in 2017. She said on Instagram that she assumed she would no longer be able to work with the design house after coming out.
“But here I am in Chanel Beauty Advertising,” she wrote. “I am the first openly trans person to work for the house of Chanel, and I am deeply humbled and proud to represent my community.”Since coming out, Quinlivan has worked with brands including Milk Makeup, Porter Magazine, Louis Vuitton, Maison Margiela Fragrances and Redken. She’s also been an outspoken advocate for transgender models and the #MeToo movement. “The world will kick you down, spit on you, and tell you you’re worthless,” she wrote. “It’s your job to have the strength to stand up and push on, to keep fighting, Because if you give up then you will never experience the tears of triumph.”
March 13, 2021 | News | No Comments
The new 70.3 race is to take place on October 27 2019, and athletes will take in many of the famous monuments and landmarks historic Marrakech is famous for, including the Medina of Marrakech, the Bahia Palace, the Madrasa, the Koutoubia Mosque and Minaret, the Jemaa el-Fnaa Square and the Majorelle Garden.
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“It is a dream come true that the iconic and internationally acclaimed competition, the Ironman 70.3 triathlon, will be held for the first time in the Maghreb by Morocco,” said Simo Azelarab, President of NAPECO and event organiser. “This event is sure to attract athletes from across the globe and will inspire Moroccan athletes to compete in one of the most personally-satisfying endurance challenges in the world.”
The triathletes will begin their race with a single-loop 1.2-mile (1.9 km) swim in Lake Lalla Takerkoust, before embarking on the 56-mile (90 km) cycling course, which winds through the Berber village of Tahanaout and the green meadows of the Ourika Valley with the snow-capped Atlas Mountain peaks as a backdrop. The two-loop 13.1-mile (21 km) run takes place in the heart of the Red City where athletes will pass historical monuments such as the Koutoubia Mosque and Minaret.
The race concludes in the iconic Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan, providing a never-to-be-forgotten finish for those racing in Marrakech.
“Marrakech is one of Morocco’s most memorable experiences. It shines by its exceptional cultural and natural heritage,” added Azelarab. “Visitors can either immerse themselves in the history of this city through its various monuments, palaces, museums and wonderful gardens or discover its various avant-garde and cosmopolitan places. October in Marrakech is also a month of blissful equilibrium after the heat of the summer, leaving idyllic racing conditions for the athletes.”
The Ironman 70.3 Marrakech triathlon will offer 30 age-group qualifying slots for the 2020 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship Taupō, New Zealand taking place on November 28-29, 2020.
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Visit www.ironman.com/marrakech70.3 for more information.
March 13, 2021 | News | No Comments
Berlin — The United Nations’ atomic watchdog confirmed Monday that Iran has moved ahead with preparations to use more advanced centrifuges, in breach of limitations set by the unraveling 2015 nuclear deal with major powers. The International Atomic Energy Agency said its inspectors verified new centrifuges, including 30 advanced IR-6 and three IR-6s models, had been or were being installed but not yet tested.
The announcement followed the return from Tehran Sunday of IAEA Acting Director General Cornel Feruta, who was expected to brief the agency’s board of governors later on Monday after his trip. He was also expected to shed more light on a report by the Reuters news agency that IAEA inspectors had discovered trace amounts of uranium at a facility in Tehran, flagged by Israel last year as a “secret atomic warehouse,” which Iran has thus far not explained.
Uranium traces at Tehran facilityThe 2015 nuclear deal demanded a complete accounting by Iran of all its previous atomic work, and oversight of all ongoing work. The nuclear work at this facility appeared to fall outside of the details handed over by Tehran as part of the agreement.It was not immediately clear, however — and has not been since Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu first touted the facility as evidence Iran tried to conceal a nuclear weapons program — whether the materials at the Tehran facility predated the 2015 accord or showed any violation of it. Iran denies it has ever sought to develop nuclear weapons.IAEA Spokesman Fredrik Dahl told CBS News’ Pamela Falk that the Agency’s visit to Iran over the weekend was part of, “ongoing interactions between the IAEA and Iran related to the implementation of the Safeguards Agreement and Additional Protocol, and the IAEA’s verification and monitoring in Iran under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (the nuclear deal).”Falk said the Director General’s report to the Board was to lay out everything the inspectors discovered during their visit and in their discussions with Iranian officials. The prepared opening statement from the IAEA chief to the board appeared to acknowledge the ongoing failure by Iran to explain the traces of uranium detected at the Tehran facility.Feruta was to tell the board that the IAEA “continues to verify the non-diversion of nuclear material declared by Iran under its Safeguards Agreement. Evaluations regarding the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran continue.”He said he had emphasized to Iranian officials “the importance of full and timely cooperation by Iran… I also stressed the need for Iran to respond promptly to Agency questions related to the completeness of Iran’s safeguards declarations. The Agency will continue its efforts and will remain actively engaged. Time is of the essence.”
Proof of Israel’s allegations?Even before the report, Israel and the U.S. were quick to use the new information to heap more pressure on Iran. President Trump’s National Security Adviser, a long-time hawk on Iran, alluded to the revelation that uranium was found at the facility in a tweet over the weekend, saying it proved Iran “may be concealing nuclear material and/or activities.” He said the U.S. and other IAEA member states were “eager to get a full report as soon as possible.”Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon claimed the IAEA appeared to be verifying Israel’s initial assertion about the Tehran site, telling Falk before the meeting on Monday that the agency’s inspectors showed there were enrichment activities at the facility that were not reported as required.Israel and the Trump administration have long criticized the Iran nuclear deal as too generous to Tehran, arguing that it allowed the Islamic Republic to continue other nefarious activities, including its conventional missile program and support for proxy groups across the Middle East, unchecked. Maximum pressure and rising tensionIran was infuriated by the Trump administration’s unilateral decision to walk away from the deal signed by former President Barack Obama and the subsequent “maximum pressure” campaign of sanctions imposed by Mr. Trump. Iran calls the sanctions “economic warfare,” and says the impact is primarily on regular Iranians. The White House insists the sanctions are meant to force the Iranian regime back to the table to renegotiate the terms of the nuclear deal. But Tehran has refused to re-open negotiations with the U.S., and has instead pushed the other parties to the 2015 agreement, mainly Europe, to find a way to allow Iran to keep selling its crude oil abroad — essentially to evade the U.S. sanctions. Europe failed to do that before a deadline set by Tehran last Friday, leading to the latest breach by Iran of the nuclear deal’s terms.
A centrifuge enriches uranium by spinning uranium hexafluoride gas. Under the atomic accord, Iran is limited to operating 5,060 older IR-1 centrifuges. Bringing the more advanced centrifuges online would give the Iranians’ the ability to enrich more uranium, and to a higher degree of purity. Iran has warned that if the nuclear deal continues to unravel, it will do just that.Right now it is limited to enriching uranium to less than 5% purity, which makes fissile material usable for medical and research purposes. If they refine to 20%, a level they have yet to reach, it would be a short technological step to the purity required to manufacture a nuclear warhead. Both the U.S. and Israel have vowed that Iran will never be allowed to gain that capacity. As the war of words between Iran and the U.S. continues, the Islamic Republic has also shown it’s ire at the U.S. withdrawal from the agreement by interfering in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and with increased attacks by proxy groups in Lebanon and Iraq.