At the ITU Powerman Long Distance Duathlon World Championships in Zofingen, a new ITU delegation led by team leader Duncan Hough from Great Britain and Dirk Bogaert from Belgium. At the Welcome Party in Aarburg the representatives of the International Triathlon Union (ITU), together with the invited foreign athletes in the Homestay program, the Homestay families and OK members of the Powerman Zofingen had a lot of fun. But now the seriousness of competition life begins. “If the Powerman Zofingen weekend is as good as the cake here, it will be brilliant,” Hough said.
A fixed date in the Powerman Zofingen agenda is the welcome party, which also took place this year at the Haus der Nautiker in Aarburg. Many athletes benefit from the special homestay program of Powerman Zofingen. Homestay means that a family offers their private rooms to an athlete before and during Powerman Zofingen free of charge. As a thank you, the Homestay families are invited to eat and drink on the Thursday before the Powerman Zofingen weekend and meet top cracks time and again. Also present are the representatives and members of the world-famous Jubilee Club, which includes athletes who have finished the Powerman Zofingen at least ten times over the long distance. The Jubilee Club members are already recognizable from a distance in their usual green shirts, the Ambassadors have a blue shirt.
Travelling from all continents
Stefan Ruf, OC President of Powerman Zofingen, was particularly pleased that duathlon event organisers from all continents were present. “Despite the long journey from New Zealand, South Africa or Scandinavia, everyone seems to be in a good mood.” The welcome party was a very nice start to the Powerman Zofingen weekend. “We are ready and on Sunday, under ideal weather conditions, we will experience a great World Cup anniversary race on a new track.
Much praise from the ITU
The new ITU managers praised the Powerman Zofingen very much: “Here everything is still much nicer than I expected and also the new track is excellent, but very hard. The preparations for the ITU Powerman Long Distance Duathlon World Championships are going very well and when the competitions are as good as the cake here, it will be bombastic,” praised ITU team leader Duncan Hough, who previously knew and heard only one thing from Zofingen: “Powerman, Powerman, Powerman”.
Register now!
On Friday evening the opening ceremony of the 30th Powerman Zofingen will take place, on Saturday the Powerman CHARITY, the PowerKids, the youth- and beginner categories will be in the spotlight and on Sunday the short and long distance duathlon. After 1997, 1998, 1999, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, the latter will be held for the eleventh time in Zofingen as the ITU Powerman Long Distance Duathlon World Championships. The ITU (International Triathlon Union) and the IPA (International Powerman Association) are organising a joint World Championship in Zofingen for the eighth time in a row. If you want to be there on Saturday or Sunday, you can register at www.powerman.ch and www.powerman.swiss or on site up to half an hour before the start of each race (for the long distance only for the age categories and only available on Saturday)!
text/photos: Raphael Galliker
Click here for the live videos of the welcome party:
https://www.facebook.com/PowermanZofingen/
Captions
1). At the Welcome Party in Aarburg the quartet could still enjoy the sweet life, from now on the 30th Powerman Zofingen and the ITU Powerman Long Distance Duathlon World Championships, from left: Duncan Hough (ITU Team Leader), Dirk Bogaert (Technical Delegate ITU), Stefan Ruf (OC President Powerman Zofingen) and Oliver Imfeld (Secretary General Powerman Zofingen).
2.) The Powerman Zofingen family, here with group picture at the welcome party in Aarburg, is now growing day by day.
