The 2012 World Triathlon Championship leader, Portuguese João Silva, three-time European Triathlon Champion Frederic Belaubre (France), Junior Triathlon World Champions 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 Aurélien Raphael (France), Vicent Luis (France), Mário Mola (Spain) and Fernando Alarza (Spain), are some of the athletes who, on March 31 and April 1, will be in Quarteira, for a major international triathlon event.
In the year in which the Olympic Games take place, the fight for the world ranking is raging and all points count towards stamping the passport to London.
Thus, conditions are in place for many of the world's leading figures in the sport to visit the Algarve to fight for the precious spots or to set out on the route with the best possible preparation.
This year, the elite squad is joined by a large contingent of young athletes who in Quarteira have the possibility of holding the only international competition on European soil before the European Junior and Elite Triathlon Championship, to be disputed three weeks later in Israel.
Elite Triathlon Europe Cup
The Elite Triathlon Europe Cup is a competition in stages that this year comprises nine stages, the first of which in Quarteira. Over the three editions of the event that have already been completed, many famous names in the sport have passed through Quarteira.
In 2012, 25 countries will be represented in the competition. Among the participants is the leader of the World Triathlon Championship 2012, the Portuguese João Silva.
With him, in the list of candidates for the top positions, there are the triathlon European champion Frederic Belaubre (France), the Junior Triathlon World Champions of 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 Aurélien Raphael (France), Vicent Luis (France), Mário Mola (Spain) and Fernando Alarza (Spain) and also the World Cup winners João Pereira and Bruno Pais.
These names also include those of three World Duathlon champions: Uxio Abuin (Spain), Etienne Diemunsch (France) and Alexandro Fabian (Italy).
In the female sector. the startlist includes European champion Emmie Chararayron (France), World Cup medallist Jessica Harrisson (France), Carole Peon (France), Annamaria Mazzetti (Italy), Yuliya Yelistratovae (Ukraine) and Ainhoa Murua (Spain) ), one of the most consistent athletes in the world.
To these, join the Irish Aileen Morrison, an athlete medal in the World Triathlon Championship. Among the candidates for the top positions is also included the name of Anaís Moniz, a Portuguese athlete who in his curriculum boasts the European and world title at the junior level.
Both the men's and women's races will be disputed in the Olympic distance, consisting of 1500 meters of swimming, 40 km of cycling and 10 km of running.
The first to compete are the female athletes who, at 13:45 pm on Saturday, launch themselves into the waters of Quarteira. Followed by 16:30 the male athletes.
Junior Triathlon European Cup
On the following day, Sunday, April 1st, it is the turn of the best European juniors to compete in the first international event of the 2012 season, the European Junior Triathlon Cup.
Considering that only three weeks later the European Triathlon Championship of the echelon is also disputed, there are several European teams that present themselves with a large number of athletes.
In perspective, these countries have not only the participation in the competition, but also take advantage of the excellent training conditions that this region of the country has to offer. Portugal line up in this competition with several athletes capable of fighting side by side with the best for a place on the podium.
The distance to be completed by the juniors is called Sprint, consisting of 750 meters of swimming, 20 km of cycling and 5 km of running. The women's game is scheduled for 8:45 am, followed by 10:00 am for the men's game.
National Club Championship
The event ends with the holding of a competition as part of the National Club Championship, where it is expected that more than 300 enthusiasts of the sport, from all over the country and some foreigners, will participate. The start is scheduled for 11:30 am.
Thus, all the conditions are in place, not only in terms of competition but also because of the infrastructure that Quarteira offers, so that this is another excellent sporting day.
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