Some of the world\u2019s top professional triathletes are gearing up for The Championship, kicking off this Sunday at 8:30 a.m. in \u0160amor\u00edn, Slovakia. At the recent pro press conference, the athletes shared their thoughts ahead of Sunday\u2019s race. It was clear that no one plans to take it easy, with all competitors focused on giving their best from start to finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt feels like a family reunion \u2013 seeing all the finisher shirts and backpacks from our races around the world, worn with pride by the qualifying athletes for The Championship.\u201d Jort Vlam \u2013 Challenge Family CEO<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Frederic Funk (GER)<\/strong> Elisabetta Curridori (ITA)<\/strong> Justus Nieschlag (GER)<\/strong> Hanne de Vet (BEL)<\/strong> Tom Bishop (GBR)<\/strong> Anna Bergsten (SWE)<\/strong> Richard Varga (SVK)<\/strong> Sara Perez Sala (ESP)<\/strong> Kristian H\u00f8genhaug (DEN)<\/strong> Alanis Siffert (SUI)<\/strong> Milan Agnew (AUS)<\/strong> Henri Schoeman (RSA)<\/strong> Some of the world\u2019s top professional triathletes are gearing up for The Championship, kicking off this Sunday at 8:30 a.m. in \u0160amor\u00edn, Slovakia. At the recent pro press conference, the athletes shared their thoughts ahead of Sunday\u2019s race. It was clear that no one plans to take it easy, with all competitors focused on giving […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":120,"featured_media":27597,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[218,21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27596","news","type-news","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n
\u201cI planned to win the last six times I was here! Let\u2019s see how I feel on Sunday but I will definitely tackle the race to finally get the top spot. I trained 2.5 months in Noosa in heat and humidity then sent to altitude for three weeks and came down yesterday. I am hoping that training in tough conditions for last few months will help my fitness.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt was so special I went through some very tough time last 3 years doubting myself and wondering if I could still call myself a pro. It was very special to win Challenge Salou on the 10th anniversary. At the moment I\u2019m feeling a little bit tired. But I know I will start feeling better tomorrow and even better by Sunday.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMaybe middle distance suits me better than short course. I\u2019ve been injury free for a year, I feel like I\u2019m still improving on the run and hopefully there will be a race where everything comes together and hopefully it\u2019s on Sunday.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ll see how I feel on Sunday \u2013 I\u2019m just grateful to be here, healthy and fit and excited to race. I\u2019ll give it a big hit on Sunday and see where it brings me on the finish line. I\u2019ve made a lot of silly mistakes last year in races, so I hope I\u2019m getting smarter. I\u2019m excited to see how it all comes together on Sunday.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ve studied the start list and it\u2019s going to be a chase from start to finish. I know Fred\u2019s going to make it hard on the bike and we\u2019ve got some of the best swimmers in tri history here as well. The run is really great course for crowd support, but it\u2019s tough as well. It\u2019s interesting as it\u2019s a really tough course but it\u2019s really fast.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m going on a run recce tonight and maybe tomorrow twice so I don\u2019t go the wrong way this year! I like to do the Pacman strategy and eat as many up on the way to the front. It\u2019s a challenging course and I quite like to have a few curve balls. We will be a bit challenged with a cold swim, but otherwise it\u2019s a pretty easy swim for a weak swimmer. I like fast bike courses so hoping it will be that although challenging with the wind. The run changes a lot with lots of variety with grass, sand and asphalt.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last year I felt like that\u2019s it for me for racing, my body wasn\u2019t having it anymore. I wanted to do my last race in Thailand but it wasn\u2019t feeling right. It didn\u2019t feel right to finish somewhere that is not home. This is the biggest race in Slovakia and what better way to finish with athletes like these, it\u2019s a shame Johnny (Brownlee) isn\u2019t here, we carry so many stories and experiences together. But to say goodbye with the people I\u2019ve raced with for years is the best way to finish and it\u2019s amazing to do it here at The Championship.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTo be here for the fourth time with the best athletes is amazing for me, it\u2019s like a dream. It\u2019s a very fast race and the dynamics and power in the legs is very important. I feel very confident in flat races but the other girls are young and very strong and I think they can catch me and I hope to be able to ride together with them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSticking with Fred, I think it\u2019s something I have to try and do \u2013 sometimes I can\u2019t hold myself back, it may not tactically be the best, but it\u2019s the most fun. Getting third last year made me believe in myself so I have very good memories of this race, There\u2019s great energy here, I feel like the body is there and also the head.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAfter all the Challenge races I\u2019ve done, I had to come here as I\u2019ve heard so many good things. I\u2019m really looking forward to it because the atmosphere will be amazing. I really like discovering new places, I\u2019m so young and to have the privilege to go around the world and race, I have to make the most of it and I really like to dive into the culture and make the most of it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Being Europe in the last six weeks has been good for me. Coming from the hottest summer in Australia, I\u2019m glad I\u2019ve had time to acclimatize to this weather, I\u2019m looking forward to the weekend, I\u2019ve had some good training and I\u2019m exciting to see where I\u2019m at.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s amazing to be here for the first time. First impressions are it\u2019s bit cold compared to Durban but it\u2019s amazing facilities here, and being around all the athletes, great roads to run and cycle on. I\u2019ve watched this race so it\u2019s great to be racing here this weekend. The one thing that I love is a challenge \u2013 Roth will be my first full distance and I\u2019m super excited to see what I can learn from it. They\u2019re going to make it hard and make it fast, and what better way to learn in the sport than racing with the best. I\u2019m using this race to get my fitness a little bit higher for putting my head down for my final weeks of training.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"