Powerman World Championship Zofingen

Stefan Riesen new Powerman World Champion

Swiss Stefan Riesen won the Powerman World Championship in Zofingen before Benny Vansteelant (BEL) and Huub Maas (NDL).

The compact runner field only broke away on the 150 km bike course. Benny Vansteelant, Stefan Riesen, Huub Maas and French Vincent Aldebert took the lead and broke away on km 39. Riesen then attacked 30 km before the second transition and increased his lead up to 4 minutes on Aldebert when getting on the second running course. Vansteelant couldn’t keep up with the head’s speed and followed in 4^th position behind Maas and 4 and a half minutes behind Riesen. On the last 30 km running the race got very exciting. Vansteelant started catching up on Riesen, passed Maas and Aldebert on the first lap and then Riesen on the second. But Riesen could share his energy better and passed by Vansteelant, who run out of sugar, 5 km before the arrival.

Stefan Riesen, on whose website you can read his motto “Born to win!”, explained in his nice Bern accent that he is very excited to be on the highest podest. Riesen who was second last year, finally got the gold medal.
”They told me that I could win, but I lack experience on long distance courses”, so Benny Vansteelant who won the Duathlon World Championship two weeks ago in Affoltern am Albis.“ This is my first long distance competition. But I will come back next year and win.”

Men: 10 km run/ 150 km bike/ 30 km run
1. Stefan Riesen (SUI) 6:28:45.
2. Benny Vansteelant (BEL) 2:08.
3. Huub Maas (NDL) 3:39.
4. Vincent Aldebert (FRA) 7:23.
5. Clas Bjorling (SWE) 9:02.
6. Nico Huyberechts (BEL) 18:05.
7. Dominique Duchene (FRA) 20:07.
8. Marc Pschebizin (GER) 21:06.
9. Franck Ronco (FRA) 21:30.
10. Richard Graemiger (SUI) 22:41.

For the women it was German Tina Walter after her 2003 wins in the Powerman Zeitz and Parma who dominated the race for over 190 km. She clocked the best split on the first run ahead of Natalie Kuhn (SUI), Bella Comerford (GBR), Fiona Docherty (NZL) and Erika Csomor (HUN). Walter increased her lead on the demanding bike course up to 6:16 min ahead of Csomor and Swiss Maja Jacober, but then slowed down. Csomor came up to 1:15 after the second transition and after 4 km took over the lead, while Tina Walker got out of the race after 11 km. So the way seemed to be free for the Zofingen 2001 2nd Csomor but Fiona Docherty came closer and closer and passed the Hungarian just 2 km before the finish line. Docherty clocked the win in her first ever long distance race 41 sec ahead of Erika Csomor. Final third place was for Scotish Athlete Bella Comerford 1:52 min behind. “My goal was to achieve the top 3”, said Docherty, who paced herself on the first run and managed to fight the decision on the second run leg. While last year’s Worldchampion and 2002 Zofingen winner Karin Thürig was absent while racing at an road bike event in France, the seven time Zofingen Champion Olivier Bernhard did not start after his wife Christine gave life to the twins Niklas and Anna-Kyra last thursday.

Results Powerman Championship 2003

1. Fiona Docherty (NZL) 7:37:47.
2. Erika Csomor (HUN) 7:38:29.
3. Bella Comerford (GBR) 7:39:40.
4. Maja Jacober (SUI) 7:54:21.
5. Natalie Kuhn (SUI) 8:00:14.
6. Katrin Aeschlimann (SUI) 8:09:35.
7. Sonja Heubach (GER) 8:11:02.
8. Barbara Thuner (SUI) 8:17:57.
9. Dorte Morell (DEN) 8:32:19.
10. Sandra Sommer (SUI) 8:45:31.

Powerman Final World Ranking Women

Powerman Final World Rankging Men