Noelia Juan and Antonio Serrat winners of the Fetri Protour of Malaga
For the first time, Malaga hosted a major triathlon competition and, without a doubt, the Test Event, an event co-organized by the Spanish Triathlon Federation and the Junta de Andalucía, with three events taking place; the ProTour, the Paralympic Triathlon World Cup and the Pho3nix Kids By Javi Gómez Noya children's event.
Protour Malaga 2023
This explosive test in Super Sprint distance eliminatory format was the one that opened and closed the day of the Test Event, in the morning with the semifinals and in the afternoon with the Grand final.
The semis already left great moments and also served to meet the 24 triathletes who would compete for victory in the finals in both sexes.
First would come the turn of the women's test. Noelia Juan and Claudia Aulinas had won their respective series, although favoritism seemed reserved for the Valencian.
And the truth is that all the omens were fulfilled, although not without emotion until the last meter of the final stretch of the finish line where Noelia Juan was able to prevail over Anna Godoy.
Both dominated the test from the second Super Sprint and only Marta Pintanel was able to get close to them at some point, but without success.
After finishing the last transition, Pintanel was finally left behind and victory could only be a matter of two, Noelia Juan or Anna Godoy.
Godoy gave her all in the last running race with the aim of becoming Protour champion again as she did in Pontevedra 2019, but Noelia Juan was able to win in a very exciting sprint that made the Malaga public vibrate, thus proclaiming herself champion. of the Protour de Málaga 2023. Marta Pintanel completed the podium, moving up to third place in the box.
"It has been a super exciting race until the end. “I tried to let Anna go first on the bike and then running, but there was no way and luckily I was able to beat her to the finish line,” commented an excited Noelia Juan.
Top 10 women's Protour 2023
| Job title | Athlete | Country (Club) | Final time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JOHN SHEPHERD | CEA BETERA | 46:34 |
| 2 | ANNA GODOY CONTRERAS | CITY OF LUGO FLUVIAL | 46:36 |
| 3 | MARTA PINTANEL RAYMUNDO | RIVAS DIABLILLOS TRIATLON CLUB | 46:58 |
| 4 | CLARA AULINAS PRAT | CE KATOA BARCELONA | 48:23 |
| 4 | ALEJANDRA SEGUÍ SORIA | CEA BETERA | 48:23 |
| 6 | ELSA PENA VICENTE | CITY OF LUGO FLUVIAL | 48:43 |
| 7 | IRATXE ARENAL ARRIBAS | NAUTICAL AD OF NARON | 48:53 |
| 8 | MARINA MUÑOZ HERNANDO | SORIANO TRIATHLON CLUB | 49:13 |
| 9 | MARINA CARABALLO IBAÑEZ | ISBILYA - SLOPPY JOE'S | 49:23 |
| 10 | MARTA CABELLO ARIAS | RIVAS DIABLILLOS TRIATLON CLUB | 49:40 |
And without time to take a break after the women's final, the party came to an end with the men's final, which also ended up being a face to face between two triathletes.
In this case the protagonists were the Galician Antonio Serrat and the Murcian Sergio Baxter and again the winner would be determined in the last meters of the finish line.
Serrat managed to beat Baxter with a brilliant attack after the last transition from the bike to the run. Baxter just attacked a few seconds before getting off the bike, gaining one second of distance, but Serrat after putting on his boots proved to be the strongest and in just a few meters he had returned the play to the Murcian, already dominating with tyranny until the end against a Baxter who tried to reach him without success.
Serrat maintained his composure and ended up entering a few seconds ahead of Baxter, proclaiming himself champion in Malaga and taking over the throne from Mario Mola, winner in the last edition in Madrid.
The podium would end up being completed by Genis Grau in third position, ahead of Cantero 4th, Castro 5th and Godoy 6th.
"It has been a very hard and very beautiful race and of course very special for me for having been able to take the victory. The atmosphere has been spectacular and I thank the public of Malaga”said the brand new winner of the men's ProTour, Antonio Serrat.
Top 10 men's Protour 2023
| Job title | Athlete | Country (Club) | Final time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ANTONIO SERRAT SEOANE | CITY OF LUGO FLUVIAL | 41:29 |
| 2 | SERGIO BAXTER CABRERA | CT MURCIA UNIDATA | 41:35 |
| 3 | GENIS GRAU FLAT | ISBILYA - SLOPPY JOE'S | 42:22 |
| 4 | DAVID CANTERO OF THE FIELD | UNIVERSITY OF ALICANTE | 42:29 |
| 5 | DAVID CASTRO FAJARDO | EQTR - RODACAL BEYEM | 42:32 |
| 6 | FRANCESC GODOY CONTRERAS | SALTOKI TRIKIDEAK | 42:35 |
| 7 | JUAN GONZALEZ GARCIA | RIVAS DIABLILLOS TRIATLON CLUB | 42:40 |
| 8 | SERGIO ORTIZ VELASCO | ISBILYA - SLOPPY JOE'S | 42:43 |
| 9 | JESUS CANDLE CANDLE | ALUSIGMA DENTAL PEÑOTA | 42:46 |
| 10 | KEVIN TAREK VIÑUELA GONZÁLEZ | CITY OF LUGO FLUVIAL | 42:49 |
