We Noticed: Chelsea Sodaro Validates for Kona, Final Worlds Spots Decided, XTERRA European Champs and More
Racing at the first XTERRA Ruidoso. Photo: XTERRA
It was a busy weekend of racing around the world, including the final IRONMAN World Championship qualifying races in Kalmar and Copenhagen, some fast racing despite the scorching conditions in Louisville (check out our photo gallery from that race) and a pair of big XTERRA events including the European Championships and the first XTERRA Ruidoso race, which served as a dress rehearsal for next year’s world championship.
Here’s some of the highlights from the weekend’s racing:
She’s Validated … But it Wasn’t Easy
2022 IRONMAN world champ Chelsea Sodaro achieved her main goal at IRONMAN Kalmar-Sweden, finishing the race and thus validating her Kona slot. Things looked promising for the American early in the race as she exited the water in second place (“one of my best ever swims,” she reported), just a few seconds behind Hannah Munday, but from there things got a bit tougher.
Katrine Graesboell Christensen and Marlene De Boer would ride and run away from the American to take the first two spots on the podium, but considering all she needed to do was finish, Sodaro toughed out the final spot on the podium.
Admitting she hasn’t had a “healthy” build up to the race, Sodaro now has a couple of months to get ready for another big day on the Big Island.
Speaking of Kalmar … Lots of Records
It certainly was a fast day of racing in Sweden as Graesboell Christensen shattered De Boer’s course record from last year (8:39:31) with her 8:27:49 finish. De Boer was also quicker, finishing in 8:33:02. Sodaro might not have had the best day, but still managed a speedy 8:45:42.
De Boer did manage to set a new bike course record – her 4:31:55 split was just four seconds faster than Graesboell Christensen, but over two minutes faster than Corinne Abraham’s 4:34:32 set in 2018.
In terms of IRONMAN World Championship qualifying, there was one spot up for grabs on the pro side of things in Kalmar. Graesboell Christensen had already qualified at IRONMAN South Africa earlier this year, which means that De Boer will claim the final Kona pro spot.
More Records in Copenhagen
The pro men were on deck in Copenhagen on Sunday, with Germany’s Finn Große-Freese taking the win (7:27:34) and breaking Cam Wurf’s course record (7:46:05). He also took the run course record thanks to his 2:32:43 split, besting Mads Vittrup’s 2:38:58 from 2011.
The men’s bike course record was broken, too. Rasmus Svenningssen rode a 3:54:00 split, but since he pulled out at 10 km into the run, Wurf’s previous course record of 4:02:18 was eclipsed by Matthew Palmer, who rode 3:58:30 on his way to an 8:14:04 finish.
Mathias Petersen (DEN) was a close second in the race, crossing the line in 7:28:10, with Jesper Svensson rounding out the podium (7:30:10). Since Große-Freese and Petersen already had Nice slots, the spot rolled down to Svensson, but he chose not to take it. That made Zack Cooper a very happy fourth-place finisher (see below).
Thorsten Radde’s TriRating site has the full list of Nice and Kona qualifiers – you can see that page here.
XTERRA European Championship
With a rich history of racing, Zittau, Germany served as the host for last weekend’s XTERRA European Championship. The area is nestled amongst the borders of Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic, and there were more than 1,000 athletes on hand for the weekend of racing.
Aneta Grabmuller (CZE) was second, Solenne Billouin (FRA) won and Isla Hedley (GBR) took third. Photo: XTERRA
In the men’s race, Dane Jens Emil Sloth Nielsen took the win ahead of France’s Arthur Serrieres and his countryman Felix Forisseur.
You can see full results here.
Photo: XTERRA
Thanks to her fourth-place finish, Marta Menditto (above) earned enough points to take the XTERRA World Cup crown. The men’s title will come down to the final World Cup event of the season, the short track race at the upcoming world championships in Molveno, Italy, next month between French brothers Felix and Arthur Forissier.
First XTERRA Ruidoso
Amanda Felder. Photo: XTERRA
Earlier this year we reported on the new venue for the XTERRA World Championship starting next year – Ruidoso, New Mexico. On the weekend the inaugural XTERRA Ruidoso took place, with Amanda Felder (USA) taking the women’s elite title. Reed Legg, an American racing in the 20 to 24 age group, was the fastest on the day in the men’s race, finishing 19 seconds ahead of Josiah Middaugh, who topped the men’s elite field.
Photo: XTERRA
You can see full results here.
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