Mckernan, Schumacher win Half Challenge Barcelona
Spain’s Clemente Alonso Mckernan outran Timo Bracht 1:17:22 to 1:19:47 to finish in 4:01:49 and take a 2 minutes 7 seconds margin of victory over the German Ironman star at the inaugural Half Challenge Barcelona-Maresme on May 24.
Wildflower winner Virginia Berasategui of Spain crossed the finish line first in 4:22:34 but was disqualified due to a cycling violation. Berasategui was hardly alone, as a possible record 200-plus triathletes were disqualfied for cycling violations by zealous marshals. This left the half-Ironman distance crown to Germany’s Katja Schumacher, whose stately 31:17 swim still gave her a 4 minutes 1 second advantage on the Netherland’s Yvonne van Vlerken. After virtually equal bikes, Schumacher’s 1:28:27 run only gave back 3 minutes to Van Vlerken. So Schumacher was able to cross the line in 4:22:46 – 12 seconds behind the DQ’d Berasategui and 1 minute 38 seconds ahead of runner-up Van Vlerken.
The inaugural event attracted 2000 triathletes to Spain’s Maresme Coast and is part of a new worldwide series put on by the organization that runs the world famous Quelle Challenge Roth.
Half Challenge Barcelona-Maresme
Barcelona, Spain
May 24, 2009
S 1.2 mi/ B 56 mi/ R 13.1 mi
Results
Overall Men
1. Clemente Alonso McKernan (ESP) 4:01:45
2. Timo Bracht (GER) 4:03:54
3. Paul Ambrose (AUS) 4:04:55
4. Francisco Pontano (ARG) 4:05:34
5. Nils Goerke (GER) 4:05:48
6. Jose Jeuland (FRA) 4:07:07
7. Alvaro Velazquez Gutierrez (ESP) 4:08:07
8. Rasmus Ahlfors Hansen (DEN) 4:08:13
9. Jens Petersen-Bach (DEN) 4:08:22
10. Jarmo Hast (FIN) 4:10:17
Overall Women
1. Katja Schumacher (GER) 4:22:46
2. Yvonne Van Vlerken (NED) 4:24:24
3. Merja Keviranta (FIN) 4:29:11
4. Ana Casares Polo (ESP) 4:30:28
5. Sara Sig Moeller (DEN) 4:31:26
6. Merryn Johnston (NZL) 4:32:15
7. Daniela Weber (GER) 4:33:01
8. Ann Banke (DEN) 4:34:41
9. Nuria Padrisa-Rovira (ESP) 4:42:50
10. Inge Vancauwenberghe (BEL) 4:43:28
