Challenge Family notes that its European race season is finishing on a high with impressive fields at its last three European races for 2023: Challenge Barcelona and Challenge Mallorca in Spain, and Challenge Vieux-Boucau in France. These events feature a number of Olympians and five current or former world champions.
Last weekend, Challenge Barcelona featured six Olympians on the start line including two-time gold medallist Alistair Brownlee (GBR) plus Aaron Royle (AUS), Kaidi Kivioja (EST) Lucy Buckingham (GBR), Sara Pérez Sala (ESP) who competed in swimming, and Cam Wurf (AUS) in rowing.
The result was a battle between Brownlee and Youri Keulen (NED) for the win, with Keulen coming out on top to take the inaugural Challenge Barcelona title. In the women’s Imogen Simmonds took the tape ahead of Lucy Buckingham for her third win of the season.
Many of the Barcelona athletes are doubling up and heading to the Mediterranean island of Mallorca for this weekend’s Challenge Peguera Mallorca on October 15, 2023. Current 70.3 world champion, Rico Bogen (DEU) joins former world champions Brownlee and Pablo Dapena Gonzales (ESP), alongside fellow race favourites Frederic Funk (DEU), defending champion Jonathan Wayaffe (BEL) and winner of The Championship 2023, Mathis Margirier (FRA).
In the women’s race, Imogen Simmonds and Lucy Buckingham will once again go head-to-head. Joining them is Kaidi Kivoja who suffered a flat in Barcelona so will be hungry to do well in Mallorca as well as Margie Santimaria (ITA) and Olivia Mitchell (IRE).
Rounding out three weekends of back-to-back world class racing, Challenge Vieux Boucau on October 21 welcomes another competitive field for its first edition on France’s west coast. In the men’s field, Dorian Connix (FRA), joins repeat racers Brownlee, Margierier, Funk, Royle and Bogen plus Olympian Jelle Geens (BEL) as well as Mika Noodt (DEU) and Arthur Horseau (FRA). In the women’s race, Imogen Simmonds, like Alistair Brownlee, returns for round three alongside Daniela Kleiser (DEU) and Caroline Pohle (DEU).
In addition, Sam Laidlow (FRA) returns to a Challenge Family start line for the first time since his win at the 2023 IRONMAN World Championship men’s race in Nice, France. He is part of a relay team with two age group athletes who won the opportunity to race with the current world champion at Challenge Vieux Boucau.
www.challengebarcelona.com
www.challenge-mallorca.com
www.challenge-vieuxboucau.com
