A special Powerman Zofingen 2021 is now history. Experience the highlights of the live broadcast in the 10-minute summary.

2021 Zofingen Powerman Long Distance Duathlon World Championships from NEP Switzerland AG on Vimeo.

Seldom has it been so difficult to gain an overview before the Powerman Zofingen of who is among the favourites in the race for the long-distance duathlon world championship title. Corona, absence from competitions, late selections leave question marks open for the 32nd edition of the traditional event. Nevertheless, we try to list who to keep an eye on in the main races.

There was the day when the organisers of the Powerman Zofingen once again took a look at the selection lists. Those who start in the long-distance race in the category in which the winner will ultimately win the world championship title cannot simply register for an entry fee. The top athletes are nominated by the national duathlon and triathlon federations. The international federation World Triathlon (WT, formerly International Triathlon Union ITU) has the final say. What a great moment it was for the OC that the list for the men’s race contained all the names of the athletes who have been world champions since 2014. Led by the current title holder from Belgium Diego van Looy, these would be the Frenchman Gaël Le Bellec, who triumphed in 2014, 2015 and 2018, the 2016 winner from Belgium Seppe Odeyn and the Russian Maxim Kuzmin, who won gold in 2017.

A few hours later, the moment of joy was history. Diego van Looy had an accident during bike training. The sad result: two fractures in his neck, three broken bones in his back, three broken ribs. In the hospital on Majorca, van Looy was given oxygen for two days because his lungs had a persistent loss of air. Van Looy had always ridden alone on the long, straight main road from Manacor to Petra and along the white sidelines. In Spain, vehicles overtaking cyclists have to give at least 1.5 metres of clearance to the side. The lorry driver who hit him with his truck definitely did not keep to this. “It will be a long time before I can race again,” van Looy said in a voice message from the hospital, “my goals of defending the world championship title in Zofingen and scoring points at an Ironman will have to wait.”

Diego van Looy’s story shows how quickly the starting position can change before a world-class event. The Corona pandemic also continues to shape the preparation and staging of the event, which had to be cancelled in 2020 due to the epidemiological situation and postponed this year from May to 18/19 September. The development of a Covid 19 protection concept required an enormous amount of work from the OC. The requirements are coordinated with the current directives of World Triathlon, the Canton of Aargau and the Federal Office of Public Health. “We are prepared to do everything in our power to ensure a safe competition in Zofingen,” says OC President Stefan Ruf. The number of participants is limited to 1000 people. Every person who wants to enter the start and finish area and the transition zone must have their body temperature measured. In order to be able to control the access to the area, extraordinary

A few hours later, the moment of joy was history. Diego van Looy had an accident during bike training. The sad result: two fractures in the neck, three broken bones in the back, three broken ribs. In the hospital on Majorca, van Looy was given oxygen for two days because his lungs had a persistent loss of air. Van Looy had always ridden alone on the long, straight main road from Manacor to Petra and along the white sidelines. In Spain, vehicles overtaking cyclists have to give at least 1.5 metres of clearance to the side. The lorry driver who hit him with his truck definitely did not keep to this. “It will be a long time before I can race again,” van Looy said in a voice message from the hospital, “my goals of defending the world championship title in Zofingen and scoring points at an Ironman will have to wait.”

Diego van Looy’s story shows how quickly the starting position can change before a world-class event. The Corona pandemic also continues to shape the preparation and staging of the event, which had to be cancelled in 2020 due to the epidemiological situation and postponed this year from May to 18/19 September. The development of a Covid 19 protection concept required an enormous amount of work from the OC. The requirements are coordinated with the current directives of World Triathlon, the Canton of Aargau and the Federal Office of Public Health. “We are prepared to do everything in our power to ensure a safe competition in Zofingen,” says OC President Stefan Ruf. The number of participants is limited to 1000 people. Every person who wants to enter the start and finish area and the transition zone must have their body temperature measured. Extraordinary infrastructure work is necessary to control access to the area.

Old acquaintances at the start in different forms

However, none of this should affect the power kids on 18 September, nor the short- and long-distance athletes in the open categories and the elite on 19 September. They should be able to focus fully on their competition. Seppe Odeyn has proven so far this season that this is possible despite strict measures. In recent months, the Belgian has successfully completed races in a wide variety of sports: triathlon, cross-duathlon, cycling or hurdling. In Zofingen, he experienced 2nd place (2015, 2017) and 4th place (2019, 2014) and a “DNF” in addition to the victory in 2016. This year, the 34-year-old is eager to climb to the top of the podium. Whether Gael Le Bellec, who is also well-known in the Thutstadt, can be a threat to him is questionable. The Frenchman missed the Powerman Zofingen in 2019 because he had an accident in a race and had to recover from injuries. The three-time world champion will compete in a duathlon for the first time in 28 months this September and says: “My goal is to reach Zofingen with enough strength and power. Results and medals would just be a bonus.” Coming to Zofingen for the fifth time is Russia’s Maxim Kuzmin, who actually wanted to recapture his 2017 World Championship title in 2019 but “only” finished fifth and is making a new attempt this year.

The locals against the guests

Dan de Groot is also taking a run-up. The Dutchman won the short-distance race in 2018 and switched to the long-distance race a year later. At his premiere, he immediately won bronze. The 30-year-old showed that he is in shape and feels comfortable in Switzerland at the Uri Triathlon in early August. De Groot won the elite duathlon race, which was classified as a sprint championship, and relegated the Swiss number 1 Jens-Michael Gossauer to second place. “It was great that Dan was there, otherwise it would have been a bit boring for me,” said Gossauer after crossing the finish line. The Zurich native hopes that on 19 September the strength ratios will be reversed again on the much longer distance in Zofingen. For Gossauer would never say before the most important race of his season that he wants a medal: “In a competition lasting over six hours, too many factors cannot be influenced. My goal has to be to be in top shape.” His current condition seems to be close to that. In addition to the runner-up in the 2019 World Cup, Switzerland is sending Andreas Kälin, Fabian Zehnder, Michael Ott, Richard Lustenberger and Michael Pfanner into the race for the World Cup medals.

National favourites and international nobodies

In the women’s race, the hopes of a domestic victory are pinned on Nina Zoller, who as defending champion will be the hunted. Her first pursuer is likely to be 2019 runner-up Melanie Maurer. The Hindelbanker, who works in Zofingen, has recently successfully competed in several races over shorter distances and hopes to be able to succeed again over a longer distance at the Powerman. Sarah-Noemi Frieden and Daniela Schwarz complete the Swiss World Cup line-up. The elite women’s field also includes international names, led by Ann Schoot Uiterkamp – the Dutchwoman finished fourth in Zofingen in 2019 and won bronze at the European Duathlon Championships in July. Romania’s Diana Gal, France’s Ines Fournier, Belgium’s Lotte Claes, Slovakia’s Nikola Corbova and Germany’s Merle Brunnée should also make the trip, as should American Kari Giles and Australian Dimity-Lee Duke.

It is quite possible that triathletes will join the currently registered participants. After the cancellation of the Ironman Hawaii, which was planned for this October and will now be held in February 2022, the duathlon long-distance world championships may become an exciting alternative for some.

And so, in conclusion, there is not much left but to join world champion Diego van Looy. Between breathing exercises and medical care, his thoughts are nevertheless also with the Powerman Zofingen: “I’m keeping my fingers crossed for an exciting edition in 2021.” (Texin(z: Melanie Gamma, Powerman Magazin)

The PDF’s of the race briefings are available here

Elite

Age group

The Swiss government has decided on 8.9.2021 that from 13.9.2021 a valid Covid certificate is mandatory in all restaurants and hotels. This can be a Swiss, EU or EFTA certificate. The certificate must be uploaded to the smartphone.

For the whole event Powerman Zofingen on 18.9. and 19.9. all athletes (incl. World Triathlon Elite, Para, AG), all officials and all spectators also have to present a valid covid certificate. No access to the event zone without covid certificate!

The pre-event screening for WT Elite Para, and AG must be carried out unchanged.

Today, the POWERMAN magazine 2021 was published in the daily newspapers of Northwestern Switzerland with a circulation of 140,000 copies.

Click here for the PDF.