Riesler, current ETU long distance champion, starts his season in the Triathlon of Portocolom

The International Triathlon of Portocolom, which is held next 13 in April and has been recently awarded as 'Triathlon of the year in the Balearic Islands', has been the test chosen by Diana Riesler, reigning European champion Long-distance ETU to start its 2014 season.

 

Riesler, who has been living in Felanitx for this pre-season, he knows perfectly the 111 and Portocolom format, and thinks that it fits perfectly for all types of triathletes, professionals and popular. In addition, the Portocolom International Triathlon is presented this weekend in the Triathlon Show 2014 in London, the most important fair in the world of British triathlon.

 

 

The german Diana Riesler, twice sub 9 hours in distance Ironman and current long distance European champion, has announced that it will participate in the International Triathlon of Portocolom next April 13 since it is "a perfect event, with a hard cycling segment and 100 km, with a very innovative format that allows you to continue training hard even the day after the competition. I really like the 111 format (1 km of swimming, 100 km of cycling and 10 km running) and Portocolom and Felanitx".

 

INTERVIEW WITH DIANA RIESLER:

 

Q: Diana, are you going to compete in the Portocolom International Triathlon? Why?

Diana Riesler: Yes! I met Jaume Vicens, the test director in December and he told me about the race. I really liked what he told me and then other triathletes told me about their great experiences here. As I will be training in Felanitx until May, it fits perfectly into my calendar and will be my first test in 2014.

 

Q: Do you know the format? What do you like most about the 111 format?

DR: Of course, a few years ago I was the winner of the TriStar Sardinia (Sardinia) which was 222, twice as much as this one. The best thing is that you run 10 km at the end, which allows you to recover very well in a short time, it's not like running a half marathon in an Ironman half. You do not feel so tired later.

 

Q: What do you hope to do in Portocolom? How much do you think you can take in the timed climb to Sant Salvador?

DR: I ride very often through Sant Salvador (I live in Felanitx), at least twice a week. The truth is that I clock it and I know how much I do, but it is not the same to do it in a competition, so I'm not sure what my "roof" is. But what makes this cycling triathlon sector hard is not having to go up to Sant Salvador twice, but it is a bit of a leg breaker and you can always go to the top, there is no time to relax and recover. I think I can easily do it under 20 minutes, but we'll see in April ...

 

P: Why did you decide to come to Felanitx / Mallorca to start the season?

DR: Since December we live in Felanitx. Mallorca is perfect for training. We had to leave our house in Germany because the area is under construction now and we decided to come to a place where we could train all winter. Thailand is very far, Canary Islands also for us from Germany, South Africa is not very safe to roll on the roads ... At 2012 we were in Felanitx on vacation and fell in love with how people treated us, always kind and friendly. So we were clear that this was the perfect place to come and live and train: great facilities, like the pool, the roads around, also the proximity to Manacor and Sineu, the weather ... and the people.

 

Q: What are your goals this season?

DR: Keep me healthy and fit, as I have had many physical problems the last two years including a traffic accident, stress fractures from training ... I want to recover the sensations training hard and I would almost be satisfied with continuing to accumulate training and competitions without injury .

 

Q: Are you more proud of getting off the 9 hours in an Ironman or of being a European champion?

DR: Although in Challenge Vichy it was not the first time that I dropped below 9 hours, I also achieved it in Ironman Austria (8:53 am), this time it was very special, because this route is much more complicated. The bike is much tougher and I was only able to train specifically for the race for 4 weeks. I think it's the sum of the two, because it was a perfect day. Being the European ETU champion has been very important for my career. I still have many sporting dreams to fulfill, and I am going to fight to achieve them. Of course, to achieve those dreams I have to keep falling below 9 o'clock, if you are not competitive enough.

 

TRIATHLON DE PORTOCOLOM

Once again, the Portocolom International Triathlon will be one of the first triathlons of the season at 2014, the next 13 in April, keeping the attractive 55.5 and 111 formats (1 kilometer of swimming, 100 of cycling and 10 of foot race). Registrations are open on the official website www.triathlonportocolom.com and there will be a limit of 800 available seats, 400 for each distance. Portocolom is an especially attractive destination to start the triathlon season in Europe thanks to its good weather in April and how easy and economical it can be to fly to Mallorca from any point of the peninsula and the old continent. In 2013, athletes from 16 different countries enjoyed the demanding double ascent to Sant Salvador by bike.

 

The two tests on 111 and 55.5 km will take the triathletes the next 13 in April to the same routes as in 2013. Those registered to the 111 will have to give two laps to the cycling circuit while those of the 55.5 will only give one, climbing only once the 494 meters of Sant Salvador. Swimming will be in the crystal clear waters of Club Nautic de Portocolom, while the final walking race of 5 or 10 km will have the goal in the urban heart of this Mediterranean town.

 

In the last edition, the former Mallorcan cyclist Toni Colom and the German Natascha Schmitt won the 111 victory, and there were many familiar faces at the starting line, such as former professional cyclist Marcel Wust and former Formula 1 driver Alex Wurz .

 

In addition to the two events, in which you can also compete for relay teams, there will also be a duathlon for minors (TriKids) on Saturday 12 in April, which in previous editions has been the test of this modality with greater participation in Mallorca .

 

TRIATHLON DE PORTOCOLOM THIS WEEKEND AT THE TRIATHLON SHOW

Kumulus will have a stand at the next Triathlon Show (28 in February and 1 and 2 in March) which is held in the exhibition area of ​​the Sandown Park racetrack, in London, and which after 12 editions has established itself as the fair most important of Great Britain and a world reference with all the main continental brands and events, dedicated solely and exclusively to triathlon. The organization figures in more than 7.000 visitors who come to the Triathlon Show. Triathlon of Portocolom and Let's Tri join forces and will also develop some promotional events and actively participate not only with a stand, but will be present at the seminars, competitions around the fair and meetings with the main references of the triathlon industry.  www.triathlonshow.co.uk