Norway stands tall at winter championships

Norway swept the women’s and men’s elites races at the ETU Winter Triathlon European Championships in Latky Mlaky, Slovakia today. With gold in the under-23 women’s event as well, Norway was victorious in half of the six individual races.

Arne Post (center) dominated the elite men's field for his first winter triathlon European Championship. Andreas Svanebo (left) of Sweden took silver, and Daniel Antonioli (right) of Italy took bronze.

In the elite women’s field, last year’s silver-medalist Carina Wasle of Austria got off to a great start with the fastest opening run time among the women. But Wasle couldn’t hold onto the lead as Norway’s Camilla Hott Johansen dominated the mountain bike portion and then posted the fastest cross-country ski leg and coasted to victory. Wasle finished 31 seconds back of Hott Johansen to claim her second straight silver medal. Russia’s Tatiana Charochkina secured the bronze.

Norway’s 4-time world champion Arne Post dominated the elite men’s field for his first winter triathlon European championship. Post and Alessandro De Gasperi of Italy were the leaders after the opening run. Two-time world champion Sigi Bauer of Austria was fastest on the mountain bike portion to get within striking distance after a poor start. But Post put the hammer down in the final ski leg and cruised to the finish line by more than a full minute. Swede Andreas Svanebo easily came across for the silver, falling short in his quest for three straight European titles. Italian Daniel Antonioli took the bronze ahead of teammate De Gasperi.

Gold in the under-23 women’s division made it three for Norway. Elisabeth Sveum dominated the field winning by almost a 7-minute margin. Estonia and Russia took silver and bronze respectively.

Peter Mosny delighted the home Slovak fans by winning gold in the under-23 men’s field. In the closest finish of the day, Mosny emerged victorious over Russian Dmitriy Bregeda. Norway’s Johan Noraker Nossen came across for bronze, 35 seconds behind Mosny.

Source: www.universalsports.com