Swiss long course star Ronnie Schildknecht topped Germany’s Timo Bracht by 2:30 and the Netherland’s Yvonne Van Vlerken edged Austria’s Eva Dollinger by 1:20 to win the second Challenge Walchsee-Kaiserwinkl in Austria.
Five-time Ironman Switzerland champion Schildknecht set a new course record of 3:49:21 in his first attempt at the half Ironman-distance event and Van Vlerken defended her 2010 title in a time of 4:25:11.
Schildknecht swam a third-best 24:24, and then took control on the bike with the fastest split of the day, hitting T2 with approximately a 2:30 lead on Bracht and roughly 4:30 ahead of Dorian Wagner of Germany.
Schildknecht added to his lead halfway through the run, 3:44 ahead of Schildknecht and roughly 5:45 ahead of Wagner after two of four laps on the half marathon course. Schildknecht then relaxed a bit but matched Bracht’s excellent run and hit the line with a 2:40 winning margin. German age grouper Boris Stein then surged from behind to finish 3rd, 4:47 in arrears. Wagner finished 4th, with 2009 Challenge Roth winner Michael Goehner of Germany 5th.
Van Vlerken did not have such a smooth path to her victory, as she had to run hard to overcome a roughly 3 minute deficit off the bike and pass local favorite Eva Dollinger on the final lap to secure the win.
Eva Potuckova of the Czech Republic led out of the water, with Dollinger trailing in 26:12 and Van Vlerken another two minutes back. The current Ironman Austria champion Dollinger then took charge on the bike, leading the women’s field into T2, with an ailing Potuckova second and Van Vlerken roughly 3 minutes 30 seconds back in third.
Dollinger maintained her leading margin on Van Vlerken with a quick first of four run laps, but after three rounds the Dutch champion pared that down to 57 seconds. On the final lap, Van Vlerken was running 2:17 better for the final 5.4k and cruised past Dollinger to defend her title.
Tyrol Challenge Walchsee-Kaiserwinkl
Walchsee, Austria
September 4, 2011
S 1.2 mi. / B 56 mi. / R 13.1 mi.
Results
Men
1. Ronnie Schildknecht (SUI) 3:49:21
2. Timo Bracht (GER) 3:51:51
3. Boris Stein (GER) 3:54:08 * age grouper
4. Dorian Wagner (GER) 3:55:31
5. Michael Goehner (GER) 3:58:35
6. Christian Ritter (GER) 3:58:36
7. Niclas Bock (GER) 3:59:20
8. Massimo Cigana (ITA) 4:01:08
9. Andriy Yastrebov (UKR) 4:05:01
10. Bernd Hagen (GER) 4:07:19
Women
1. Yvonne Van Vlerken (NED) 4:25:11
2. Eva Dollinger (AUT) 4:26:31
3. Mirjam Weerd (NED) 4:27:58
4. Eva Potuckova (CZE) 4:30:52
5. Nina Kuhn (GER) 4:39:33
6. Celia Kuch (GER) 4:42:41
7. Judith Mittelmaier (GER) 4:44:18
8. Gabriella Zelinka (HUN) 4:44:45
9. Anna Kusch (GER 4:46:44 * W24-29
10. Sigrid Mutscheller (GER) 4:47:26 * W35-39
