In the first edition of Ford Challenge Prague last summer more than 1,000 participants took part in the inaugural Challenge Family branded event in the Czech capital – ‘the city of a hundred spires’. The second edition is planned for Saturday 28 July 2018, and is reportedly building momentum. The organising team reports that it has ‘already received almost 800 applications’.
Originally, the TRIPrague event started in 2015 as ‘the biggest triathlon race in the Czech Republic’. In 2017 TRIPrague became part of Challenge Family’s international series of triathlons with a change of event name to Challenge Prague, and subsequently Ford Challenge Prague. The inaugural race was held on 29 July 2017.
“The interest of participants [this year] is huge, but the capacity of the race is limited to 1,500 triathletes,” said Tomas Vrzak, Race Director of Ford Challenge Prague.
He continued, “I believe that we will fill up the capacity a few weeks before the race. We have also noticed that the number of participants from abroad has risen significantly and today we have in our systems more than 37 nationalities from all over the world. The success of the last year’s event is a huge commitment for us, that is why we are intensively working on the preparation: to offer the best service and experience to all participants. In the long term, we want to compete with the most prestigious races in Europe.”
Lenka Kovarova, Chairman of the Czech Triathlon Association added, “Current interest in the races and status of applications are a clear proof that last year was a success in all areas. We aspired for a place in the Challenge Family series for a long time and we are glad that right at the premiere we confirmed that we deserve a place in this prestigious series.”
“Ford Challenge Prague has immediately after the first year become an iconic and unique race in the Challenge Family worldwide triathlon series consisting of 41 races in 21 countries,” said Zibi Szlufcik, CEO of Challenge Family. “I would like to personally thank all who organise Ford Challenge Prague, not only the organising team, but also to the Czech Triathlon Association and capital city of Prague for their support.”
Szlufcik continued, “Positive feedback of the race was really extraordinary. After the race both participants and media representatives wrote us enthusiastic messages. I am convinced that Ford Challenge Prague has with its high organising standard, participants from all over the world and strong media coverage big potential to become one of the most important sporting events that happens in Prague.”
Last year’s premiere of Ford Challenge Prague was won by Pieter Heemeryck from Belgium, who is trained by Czech coach Lubos Bilek. European champion in middle distance triathlon Andreas Dreitz finished in second, the third place belonged to his German colleague Patrick Dirksmeier. The first woman to finish last year was Britain’s Lucy Charles, who was second at the 2017 IRONMAN World Championship in Hawaii. Dutch Yvonne van Vlerken, second at the World Championship in long distance triathlon, finished second in Prague and Polish triathlete Ewa Bugdol was third. Czech triathletes were also successful: Pavel Petrasek finished seventh overall; and Simona Krivankova finished in fourth place.
The second year of Ford Challenge Prague will take place on Saturday 28th July, when all race participants will swim in the Vltava river, and cycle and run in the centre of the Czech capital city.
“The effort of sports federations and associations to enter the international stage in the field of organising international sporting events is definitely positive,” said Milan Hnilicka, government commissioner for sport. “Mainly when it is not an event only for the professionals, but also when general public can do the sports. In this I see the biggest asset of Ford Challenge Prague. Last year’s interest in the race is proof that people look for active sporting possibilities. I am interested how many triathletes will come to the start in July.”
As last year, the start of the swim will be on Strelecky Island; the finish is located in Vítězná Street. A lot of additional races are prepared around the main triathlon event. To kick off the triathlon weekend on Friday a running race for children takes place on Strelecky Island.
On Saturday the main race, Ford Challenge Prague, in which triathletes swim 1.9 km, ride 90 km and run for 21.1 km, is scheduled. The swimming portion takes place in the surroundings of Strelecky Island. Triathletes then head to two laps on the bike, that head out of the historical centre of Prague toward Vrané nad Vltavou and back. There are four running laps, that go alongside both banks of the Vltava river through Rašínovo embankment, Náplavka, Palackého Bridge and Janáčkovo embankment.
After the success in the inaugural year, a ChallengeTryathlon race will be prepared again. This is a shorter distance format for newcomers to the sport. “It is a unique opportunity for all who would like to try out the triathlon or who did not train enough for longer distances,” explained Race Director Tomas Vrzak.
“Our goal is to offer the participants an unforgettable experience of the atmosphere of the international race in the centre of Prague and top service, the same as we offer to the participants of the main race. By preparing of this category, we try to make triathlon attractive and popular between the general public.”
Challenge Prague Relays, which were reportedly popular for healthy competition between corporate teams, will also be back in 2018.
