Patri Lange, Ironman World Champion, tops the list of professionals in the Challenge Mogán Gran Canaria

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The third edition of the Gloria Challenge Mogán Gran Canaria 2018 triathlon is defined as one of the first races of the season for the participating professional athletes.

Among the attendees was the current world champion in the Hawaii Ironman, the German Patrick Lange, who was "very focused and motivated to complete the races well this year" as he wants "win again the World Championship" Lange has extensive experience in mountain biking, so he believes that "I will enjoy tomorrow the ups and downs on the cycling route, which I really want to do and that will be fun". The German indicated that he was "Very happy to start the season at Gloria Challenge Mogán Gran Canaria".

The current Spanish long distance triathlon champion, Anna NogueraHe was also present at the press conference, where he indicated that this will be his third race of the season and that he is in "very good shape " and explained that "being the champion of Spain is a motivation to continue training day by day". Noguera was optimistic about his result in the race, noting that "it is a very tough circuit, but I think it will be quite good".

Among the professional triathletes of the national panorama was also found Clemente Alonso-McKernan, settled in the Canary Islands with a spectacular record that includes national, continental and world titles of junior category, who indicated that "it's a motivation to keep competing to do it with the best in the world" Alonso-McKernan has been living in Gran Canaria for 9 for years and feels "fortunate for the good weather that allows to train on the island all year."

Other professional triathletes of great renown were also present such as the runner-up of the Ironman 70.3 European Championship Elsinore, Andi Böcherer, that will give tomorrow "the 100%, as I always do in the races"; the Switzerland Celine Schaerer, which was ranked in the top 25 last year in the Ironman World Championship from Hawaii and that “I had not planned to come to the race, I have been training in Gran Canaria for 3 months, since I don't like to spend the cold winters in Switzerland. I come from an injury and I had not planned to participate, but I am going to give this test a chance which will also serve as preparation for a race that I have in a few weeks ”; and the dutch Ivone Van Vlerken, winner last year of the Challenge of Almere, which opens in a triathlon in Gran Canaria "had not been on the island before competing in triathlon, 2004 came to do a half marathon." The Dutch, who signed up for the test at the last minute, will try to "give the best tomorrow, whenever I go to a race I will try to win it, although it may be complicated due to the high level of the participants".

In addition, the test will have the presence of Alejandro Santamaría, Gustavo Rodríguez o Pablo Dapena, which comes from making a second place in the Challenge Roma last weekend.

At the press conference, showing their support, attended by organizers and sponsors, among which was the Councilor for Sports of the City of Mogán, Luis Becerra, the director of the Hotel Gloria Palace Amadores, Lara Guillén, representatives of Ford Automotive Acosta and representatives of Challenge Family.

Triathlon Elite

The event will challenge tomorrow the resistance of the participating 478 triathletes with a tour of the coast of Mogán, in its average distance in which there are 223 registered, of 1,9 kilometers of swimming, 90 kilometers in bicycle and 21 kilometers of race. In this modality, the Middle distance Canary Islands Championship for age groups. The short distance, which has 222 participants, will have 1,9 kilometers of swimming, 40 kilometers of cycling and 10 kilometers of running. In addition, 34 people will participate in the relay events.

Approximately one 40% of the total registered are foreigners of 24 nationalities that will represent Germany, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Czech Republic, Colombia, Denmark, Slovakia, Slovenia, United States, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, United Kingdom, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine and Uruguay.

The remaining 60% of the participants is comprised mostly -some more of registered 200- residents in the province of Las Palmas, among which is a score of registered Mogán. Residents of the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and the rest of the Spanish territory will also participate.

Further information: http://challengegrancanaria.com/