Virginia Berasategi wins the rowers challenge the ría from Bilbao

The triathlete Virginia Berasategi won the challenge against the Deustu rowers in the Bilbao estuary by swimming in the rain in the first act of the activities scheduled for the Bilbao Triathlon scheduled for May 19.

Within 24 hours of her return from South Africa, where she was sixth in a test ironman (70.3 miles), the Bilbao native dared this afternoon to take on the challenge against the youth crew of the Deustu Rowing Club trainerilla and won by a narrow margin of two seconds.

Virginia Berasategi, long-distance triathlon specialist - world champion in 2003 and holder of three bronze medals in as many World Cup events - swam 300 meters under a persistent curtain of water while the six rowers and the skipper covered the distance of 900 meters.

In the preamble to a new edition of what was already a brilliant Bilbao Triathlon in 2011, the head of Innevento Sports - promoter of the competition -, Andrés Novo, commented to journalists that “the Bilbao Triathlon cannot be born and die on the same day, It is an ambitious appointment and that is why we have designed a series of previous actions, the first being this.”

It was announced that on April 28 there will be a departure in bike to recognise the cycling segment of the Bilbao Triathlon and a swimming, cycling and running training session on 5 and 6 May.

The promoters confirmed the total closure of registrations for the May 19 event in Bilbao with 650, a goal met in just 30 days.

Source: deia.com