The setting was spectacular and the conditions tough at today’s Challenge Kaiserwinkl-Walchsee but ultimately it was Nina Derron and Fabian Kraft who conquered not only the course, but also the heat to take the wins in 4:08:47 and 3:36:33 respectively.
The day started with the pro women in a non-wetsuit swim with Justine Guerard (FRA) leading out the water in 27:20 followed by Denise Cavallini (ITA), Sophie Fischer (GER) and Sara Sandrini (ITA), all within five seconds. Out on the bike and Guerard set the pace with Milan Agnew (AUS) chasing along with Cavallini and Sandrini. Behind them Derron, who had exited the water over half a minute down in eighth, was riding through the field and as they started the first major climb at around 12km took the lead leaving Guerard and Sandrini chasing for the remainder of the bike following Agnew’s withdrawal. Derron came into T2 with a 2:33 lead and Guerard and Sandrini continued their chase, running together for the full 21km slowly but surely reducing the gap to Derron making for an exciting final lap of the run. In the end, Derron held on to take the win in 4:08:47 and Justine Guerard was just 16 seconds behind her in second in 4:09:02 and Sara Santini rounded out the podium in 4:09:29.
On the finish line, Derron talked about how last year her sister Julie took the win in Walchsee and how it all went according to plan and it was now it was her turn! “It was the plan but it’s for sure not certain and I really had to work hard for it. But I’m really happy she got it, and I’ve got it too!” she said. “I tried to make it a good swim – I had a bit of a gap to the very front but I caught them pretty quickly on the bike and then just kept the pressure on so I could create the gap and then I tried to keep it and keep building it as much as possible. I was here by myself so I didn’t get any real splits, I saw the gap was closing but was unsure if my pace was OK and I didn’t want to blow up. Luckily on the last lap I felt like I could keep the pace but it got pretty close and it was exciting in the end! I was so surprised how many water stations and volunteers there were on the bike and on the run, I was so glad there was an additional station. The volunteers were incredible and they are keeping going now for who knows how much longer – they are the real fighters of today.”
In the men’s race, Kraft was first out the water in 23:44 with countryman Jonas Wechsler hot on his heels with Frederico Murero (ITA). Behind them was a large chase group just over a minute down that included Samuel Studer (SUI), Niklas Ludwig (GER), Rafael Lukatsch (AUT), Alexander Kull (GER), Tom Vaelen (BEL), Manuel Lessing (GER), Paul Weigland (GER) and Tom Hug (GER). Positions changed within this large group throughout the remainder of the 80km ride (shortened due to roadworks), with Ludwig and Kraft dominant. By the final 10km, the front group had shrunk to just five, led by Ludwig with Kraft, Studer, Wechsler and Kull following. Wechsler was first off the bike, closely followed by Kraft and Studer, although Studer missed the dismount line and had to run back, losing valuable seconds in T2. Wechsler headed out onto the run first but by the first kilometre, Kraft had taken the lead. As time went on, the heat claimed its victims. Wechsler dropped back at the halfway point while Weigand and Sattler ran up into second and third. But behind them it was Tom Hug who was running strong up the field and on the hunt. With 4km to go, he made his move, overtaking Sattler into third and just 20 seconds down on Weigand setting up for an exciting battle for the podium. In the end Weigand held on to second in 3:38:03 and Hug secured third in 3:38:13 with Kraft taking the win in 3:36:33.
“It was a great race but also a hot race of course – it was tough from the beginning. The water was warm and it was a fight against the heat and myself,” said Kraft on the finish line. “I’m really happy with the victory and I’ll be back next year. It was such a great job by the local team and it was definitely the right decision to run the race as planned – thanks to all the supporters and volunteers on the course, there was water every 300m on the run course to cool us down and it’s often tougher for them, standing in the heat, than us!”