Javier Gómez Noya and Helene Alberdi win the OTSO vi half gasteiz 2024
The 2024 edition of the OTSO vi half gasteiz began punctually at 12:30 in the morning in a spectacular atmosphere.
The Galician, Olympic medalist and five-time world champion Javier Gómez Noya, as well as the Bilbao-born European distance champion in 2022 Helene Alberdi, have made good predictions and have won in an OTSO vi half gasteiz that has once again set the focus of the triathlon in the capital of Alava.
First, the men's category started and three minutes later the women did so, jumping into the waters of Ullibarri-Gamboa from the Garaio Park to complete the 1900 meters of swimming.
In this sector, Gómez Noya scored the best partial and took the reins and leadership of the race that he would not leave until the end.
The brand new winner stopped the clock in a final time of 3 hours, 41 minutes and 44 seconds, which gave him a comfortable and hard-fought lead of just under 7 minutes over the second-place finisher.
The Valencian Emilio Aguayo, National long-distance champion in 2023 once again climbed a prestigious podium, thus leaving behind a host of injuries that caused him to undergo surgery at the beginning of the year.
The third place was for Joanes Goitisolo who stopped the clock at 3 hours, 54 minutes and 53 seconds to complete a spectacular race in which he demonstrated great physical fitness.
In females it was Helene Alberdi who dominated the test, leaving with a wide advantage over Ruth Brito and Chloe Nicolas and thus began a great performance by the Bilbao native that would take her to victory at the finish line of this third edition of the OTSO vi half gasteiz after an authentic exhibition in her first participation in the test. Alberdi completed the test in a final time of 4 hours, 16 minutes and 33 seconds.
Ruth Brito She entered in second position, thus completing her third podium in the event in the three editions held with a record of 4 hours, 20 minutes and 18 seconds, being the only athlete to achieve this milestone in the history of the OTSO vi half gasteiz.
Completing the women's podium was the french triathletes, based in valencia, Chloe Nicholas, just over 1 minute from the second plaza.
In this scenario, and in a city dedicated to the OTSO, I saw half gasteiz and its participants, both participants, organization, sponsors and institutions have agreed to classify the test as a resounding success.
An edition that undoubtedly certifies this event as one of the places of pilgrimage for lovers of sports in general and triathlon in particular, thanks, as its organizers have commented, “to the excellent work of the more than 400 volunteers and the collaboration and confidence of the participants.”
