About a week ago Timo Bracht added another title to his already impressive resume with the win at the Sunsmart Ironman Western Australia. He talked to slowtwitch about that race, Kona and his plans for the future.
Slowtwitch: Timo, congrats on your win in Western Australia.
Timo: Thank you Herbert, it was a great race with a perfect result.
ST: That is certainly a nice way to close out the season. Or do you have something else on the calendar before the year is over?
Timo: You can't be serious thinking I'll do another race this year. I will rest, collect myself and think hard about all kinds of stuff and then work on new plans. It was a long, taxing and very successful year.
ST: Of course we did not think you must race, but you never know. Looking back at you race in Western Australia, which athlete were you most concerned with?
Timo: So late in the season it was clear that I have to be careful with my power and that I should not overdo it. I was able to go all out during the swim, but I was quite conservative on the bike. I was certain that Clayton Fettell and Luke McKenzie would escape during the bike and my task was to limit the losses, take care of the nutrition, pedal round and think positive.
ST: Were you surprised to hear that it was Clayton Fettell hanging out there for so long?
Timo: No, that wasn't a surprise. This guy has quite a bit going and he had a very brave courageous race. But I did not allow him to get away too far and at the turnaround points I could see the fear to be caught in his eyes. When I finally caught him during the run I tried to motivate him to stay strong and finish on the podium.
ST: At what point of the run did you think that this win would be yours?
Timo: I started the run with a few Aussies and we moved along well at a 3:40k pace. I had to be patient and just run and wait. By the 6k point I was alone and was able to gain quite a bit of team on the leader and a little bit after the halfway point of the run I was able to pass Clayton. I was able to keep the pressure up to 30k and then I was able to really enjoy the last 10k of the season. But I wasn't certain of the win until shortly before the finish, because there is always the fear that something could happen.
ST: It really seemed that you have worked on your swim, but that did not show in Kona.
Timo: I really improved my swim this year and came out of the water in good position all summer. In Kona I swam at the back of the front group and there is quite a bit of hoping and panicking that this group won't split up. Unfortunately it happened again - somewhere around 2-3 athletes ahead lost contact just before the turnaround point. On the way back that gap grew to 90 seconds. Usually I can close this gap on the bike, but this year I never got closer and I lost more and more time. I was in a bad spot as I started the run and felt actually a bit dejected and discouraged. But somehow during the run I was able get closer and I did not give up to believe in myself.
ST: Are you satisfied with your race in Kona anyway?
Timo: 5th place is good and so far my best result in Kona. I gave it all during the race. At the halway point of the Marathon I was sitting in 19th place but I ran the last 10k really well and really got it going.
ST: With the end of the year also comes an end to the Commerzbank Team. Did you see that coming?
Timo: The end was certainly in sight. Unfortunately the bank had gotten into difficulties during the financial crisis. The results were certainly there and the whole concept of the team was good, but in the end we triathletes had no chance to keep this going.
ST: When you started with Commerzbank, you were actually their only triathlete, and they kind of inherited the Dresdner Kleinwort Team after. Is this end thus maybe tougher for you?
Timo: Yes and no. I am very pleased to have had such a big sponsor over the last 5 years. But it is a reality in professional sports that sponsors come and go.
ST: Why does it appear that teams in triathlon have a somewhat limited lifespan?
Timo: I think five years is a good, long time. Unfortunately, during that time the financial crisis came and it was very difficult to justify such sponsorship. I think this was the reason why the sponsorship was terminated, no matter how well it ran.
ST: So what is next for you in terms of sponsorship?
Timo: NIn addition to Commerzbank I always had Garmin, Capri Sun and Giant as other other large main sponsors. This year I have a new main sponsor with 21run.com. Over the last couple of years I have other great partnerships with brands such as CEP, Rudy Project, Xendurance and also my Triclub Sopremateam Mannheim. I am also a frequent speaker and consultant for several companies.
I hope that together with my manager Joerg Mayer we can also announce a new main sponsor for 2012. I will definitely wear new colors ...
ST: Is your race calendar set for 2012?
Timo: No, not yet, only the Ironman in Hawaii, and I want to race in July either Challenge Roth or Ironman Frankfurt.
ST: Anything else we should know?
Timo: I'm waiting for snow so I can go skiing plus I will attend some crazy parties this year.
