With less than two weeks to go until Challenge Family\u2019s flagship event, The Championship, a world-class 70-strong professional field has been confirmed, including the sport\u2019s newest World Triathlon Long Distance World Champions, Cl\u00e9ment Mignon and Marjolaine Pierr\u00e9.<\/p>\n
Taking place at the x-bionic\u00ae sphere Olympic training venue in \u0160amor\u00edn, Slovakia, over 1,200 of Challenge Family\u2019s top professional and age group athletes will line up on 21 May in a bid to claim the ultimate Championship titles over 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21.1km run.<\/p>\n
Joining Mignon on the men\u2019s start line is a strong international field that includes seven of the top 30 ranked athletes Frederic Funk (GER), Aaron Royle (AUS), Matt Hanson (USA), Pieter Heemeryck (BEL), Tom Bishop (GBR) and Pablo Dapena Gonz\u00e1lez (ESP) as well as local Slovakian hero and 2022 runner up, Richard Varga.<\/p>\n
In the women\u2019s race, Pierr\u00e9 will also be up against a competitive international field that includes defending champion, Sara P\u00e9rez Sala (ESP) and Fenella Langridge (GBR), both of whom are returning to \u0160amor\u00edn for a third time. Also in the mix are Rebecca Clarke (NZL), India Lee (GBR), Grace Thek (AUS), Lotte Wilms (NED) and Svenja Thoes (GER), all of whom are closely matched, making for an exciting race ahead.<\/p>\n
The professional athletes are joined by over 1,000 age group athletes who have qualified for the right to compete at The Championship by placing in the top six at one or more of Challenge Family\u2019s 35 middle and long distance races around the world.<\/p>\n
The Championship weekend will start on Saturday 20 May with the Slovak National Championships over the Olympic distance, plus the Special Olympics European Triathlon Competition, Slovak Cup Sprint Distance and a Tryathlon for those inspired to give the sport a go and not forgetting the kids with the Junior Run.<\/p>\n
The start gun for the flagship The Championship race, featuring the 20m non-drafting rule, will go off at 8:30am CEST on Sunday 21 May. Full coverage of the professional race, The Championship Live powered by ROUVY, plus a finish line cam until the last finisher crosses the line, will be provided at www.challenge-family.live<\/a> and on Challenge Family Facebook Live. For further information, visit www.thechampionship.de<\/a>. For a full professional athletes start list, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" With less than two weeks to go until Challenge Family\u2019s flagship event, The Championship, a world-class 70-strong professional field has been confirmed, including the sport\u2019s newest World Triathlon Long Distance World Champions, Cl\u00e9ment Mignon and Marjolaine Pierr\u00e9. Taking place at the x-bionic\u00ae sphere Olympic training venue in \u0160amor\u00edn, Slovakia, over 1,200 of Challenge Family\u2019s top […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":120,"featured_media":19174,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19173","news","type-news","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n