In less than 48 hours of opening, the organising team at Challenge Madrid 2019 notes that it has already closed registrations for next year’s middle distance race and has currently tripled the number of triathletes registered for its main 2019 long distance event.
The race organisers announced at this year’s event that the 2019 edition would include a middle distance race and a complete revision of the cycling route. Taking place next year on September 29th, 2019 – the race, now in its fourth edition, will exit from San Martin de Valdeiglesias, a medieval village on the banks of the San Juan reservoir, and continue with a cycle route through the Western Sierra of the province of Madrid, whilst still maintaining its finish line at Puerta del Sol.
Another revamp introduced for Challenge Madrid 2019 is the swimming segment, which will take place at the Virgen Nueva Beach (also known as ‘The Beach of Madrid’). This was declared a Blue Flag in 2018, ‘a hallmark of the standards of clarity, proposed and introduced by the City of San Martín de Valdeiglesias.’ It is the first inland beach to be recognised with the Blue Flag of the Community of Madrid.
Alfonso Rodríguez de Sadia, Race Director of Challenge Madrid, said “To speak in a language that all triathletes will understand, during the thre editions held, all the team that make up Challenge Madrid has faced many obstacles to make this project a reality. In the end, we have achieved our goal with strength and tenacity.”
He continued, “Challenge Madrid 2019 is a consolidated project thanks to you, our triathletes, but also thanks to the work and enthusiasm of the Madrid Triathlon Federation, clubs, volunteers, organization, sponsors, civil guard, civil protection, local police, municipalities of the community of Madrid, public administrations, media, etc. Thank you all; and I assure you, that we will continue working and persevering so that this project will become a benchmark for all triathletes worldwide.”
Juanan Fernández, Director of Challenge Spain, added “When Challenge Family took control of the Triathlon Madrid KM0 we were fully aware that the economic investment would be high and that the initial economic results would be negative, but we were also aware that we were facing a project with a medium to long term future, in other words, a ‘middle and long distance’ mission.
“Similar to us, a lot of athletes also encounter a number of obstacles before they win, but they manage to succeed and reach their goals by not being discouraged by their defeats, by their failures, or by the difficulties they encountered to achieve success. They achieved it because they beat the obstacles and persevered to remove the barriers. Today Challenge Madrid is a reality and a prime example within the Challenge Family organisation.”
