Curiosities of the ULTRAMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2019.

Our collaborator Marcos Bonilla, tells us some of the curiosities and a small summary of the Ultraman World Championship which was played this past weekend where Marc Puig has been runner-up and Josef Arjam fifth.

ALOHA FRIENDS!

Hawaii last December 1 had a Canadian flag; two athletes from Canada have been world champions; Jordan Bryden, the current Ultraman champion of Canada, and Tara Norton; who was already champion in Hawaii last year, and this year revalidates title.

How do I say every year, a competition full of emotions and explosions of feelings between teams and triathletes. I love to remember and describe those reactions of any ultraman, how hard it is for us to explain to those of us who have lived through it, and that I won't get tired of saying… they are magnified in Hawaii!

Now the summary

As always, I get to the point and start with a brief summary by sectors and stages:

The first stage

-The swimming and first stage has won Jordan Bryden; with a time of 2 hours 40´ in the 10kms, and stopping the total chrono in 7 hours 57´ after the 140 Kms by bike.

-The bike; Arnaud Selukov (How not!); with 7 hours 56 minutes in the 280kms of the second stage.

-The race; Marc Puig (A joy!); with 6 hours 53 minutes, in the 84,4 kms of the third stage.

For the rest, comment that ... I do not want to take work from Pythoness Lola, but I must say that I was right in my prediction of top 5 in the last article we published on “the favorites to be world champions of ultraman” days before this Ultraman of Hawaii 2019, and although the order was the most difficult to succeed, the truth is that it has been a very easy forecast.

I understand that not everyone is as familiar with the names that we compete in ultraman, as those who compete in Ironman ... But the truth is that, nothing is understood a bit of ultraman, just by looking at the short list of 28 registered to the proof.

It could be clearly identified that the first 5 would be Jordan Bryden, Marc Puig, Rob Gray, Arnaud Selukov, and Josef Ajram. SI just didn't mention Travis Wayth (“Trout”), who most likely, if he hadn't been injured, would have finished fifth ahead Josef.

As I said in the previous article, the short assistance favored the Spaniards and posed an opportunity that few years we can have for two Spaniards to get into the top5, but not only that has been fulfilled, but the joy and surprise has been that Marc Puig got in the last stage to climb to second place, as I say; All a joy.

The protagonists

The ultraman began with the eyes set especially on the three people who, by default, should occupy the first position by leaving with the status of the departed; the only current champion on the roster, Jordan Bryden; UM Canada Champion, Tara Norton; the one that was current world champion in Hawaii 2018, and, not having the presence of the current World Champion; Thompson, all eyes pointed to the great Rob Gray; world champion in 2017 and second in 2016 and 2018.

Of course, what we did not know about Rob is that he did not arrive in his best form due to physical problems, how he ended up confessing on the last day, despite this; He was in second position behind Jordan, stalking first place in the first and second stage ... but in the third he deflated until he fell to third place behind Marc.

Jordan Bryden led the test since he came out of the water keeping the first place of the general in all three stages. The most commented thought was that Arnaud Selukov would make a great bike and overtake him in the second stage and, indeed, Arnaud won with authority the second stage by giving the show that we are used to giving there in the ultraman where he participates, but I do not take as much advantage as He usually takes off on the bike, and didn't cut enough minutes to relieve Jordan of the first position in the general.

Taking into account the accident that he had a few months ago in which a phalanx of the hand was amputated, we can say that just the fact of maintaining a pinch of the state of form of the last 3 years, is a feat. "Cheapu" Arnaud!

If Jordan had to defend his leadership tooth and nail, in the first stage with Rob and in the second stage with Rob and Arnaud, who were second and third overall ... in the double marathon he had to defend himself from Marc, who saw as in the race, he was cutting minutes like a locomotive without brakes, until he climbed to second place, with the collapse and "burst" of Rob and Arnaud in the second marathon, and until he was 17 minutes behind Jordan. Finally Jordan entered second in the race and first in the general, proclaiming himself world champion by stopping the clock in 23 hours and 24 minutes and passing through the goal arch like a basketball player in presentation of the NBA, since he is an athlete of almost 2 meters that inspires that image of a charismatic basketball player.

To Canada's more pride, Tara Norton revalidated her title of world champion, entering second in the double marathon, but with enough margin over the second (only 8 minutes) to win again for the second consecutive year the UM of Hawaii.

The second classified Conny Dauben, who had already participated in other editions years ago, made it very difficult to cut Tara almost an hour since she left the water, and winning the third stage with 8 hours 17minutes. As a curious fact, comment that the two girls have finished sixth and seventh of the general, data that tells us the good level and merit that the participants have had, but also makes clear the obvious lack of male competition for the small number of athletes .

The Spanish

Regarding the role of the Spaniards, we can say that the year has been the best, and the atypical of this edition has favored us, we cannot be happier with Marc Puig in a historic second place in his second year in Hawaii, Josef Ajram in the top 5, and Jby Luis Quero 14o.

It is true that we have been 2º, 5º and 14º of 21, but that is there; the best Spanish representation so far, and what you need to breastfeed and be proud of.

Marc Puig To say that it has been noted that he has been super-trained and that he has surely been the unexpected guest for those above, performing a great feat and tracing with a great double marathon.

Josef Ajram comment that it has been a joy to see the person who opened the path of the ultraman for the Spaniards, 10 years later return to compete and above, despite his punctures and other "problems" finish 5º and as an "islet" in the classification , since it has been more than two hours from the room and has left more than an hour and a half to the next male pursuer. As I say, this year; crazy!

About Juan Luis Quero To say that it is a joy that the thorn has been removed from last year, edition in which he could not leave in the final classification, ending in an 14º position with much merit.

Congratulations from the heart to all three!

As for more curiosities, comment that Gary Wang is still the triathlete who has participated in more UM world championship championships having finished finisher this year too, and they are already 19.

And how pretty curiosity, I would say adorable; the participation of Kurt Madden the first man to cross the goal of Hawaii's Ultraman, and the assistance in his support team of Ardis Bow, the first woman.

And please, keep an eye on the data; Kurt has finished eighth in the world with 64 years (I don't care if they are only 21 participants) doing less than 29 hours in total ... is it or isn't it to take off his hat ??? I hope Josef has had the honor of asking “Where is the limit?” To Kurt.

Now the conclusion

In conclusion; If last year we expected a different ultraman for the change of route, this was something special expected to be the 35º anniversary, and in fact the organization has strived to have an edition with great competition and participation in abundance ... but finally it has remains in a list of registered 28, of which 26 have been submitted, finishing only 21 in the final classification, within which only two women ...

Compared to the rest of the years, we can say that this year has been a somewhat decaffeinated ultraman with a small number of participants and without the presence of the usual ultraman champions from Florida, Australia and Hawaii, who would have helped to add more level while adding more competition in the top positions, in fact, the current ultraman champions came only from Canada, which is the won (Jordan), and the champion of Hawaii 2018, which is the one that won (Tara ).

But this is the greatness and miracle of the ultraman, which despite being a world championship remains a minority test in which few people are willing to leave a lot of money, and only a few romantics are able to leave us the savings of our life in traveling to compete in the ultraman, that is the greatness and the miracle that, despite everything, is still being maintained maintaining the philosophy, without economic awards, for the love of sport, and preaching the essence and meaning of the ultraman; aloha, Ohana, kokua (love, family, help).

Ladies and gentlemen: I don't know if next year I will see it from Hawaii or from Spain, but what is certain is that I will see it! And you?

Lovers of the Ultraman; Remember: ALOHA, OHANA, KOKUA.