Europe Triathlon

This coming Saturday will see the Portuguese seaside town of Sines play host to the 2019 Sines ETU Sprint Triathlon European Cup and Mediterranean Championships. This event will be open to athletes from outside the Mediterranean region and will therefore attract ETU points. It is anticipated that the start lists will show some 90 athletes from 15 countries.

Points and medals will be available as well as prize-money.

• 1st  1,250 EUR
• 2nd 1,000 EUR
• 3rd     750 EUR
• 4th     500 EUR
• 5th     400 EUR
• 6th     350 EUR
• 7th     300 EUR
• 8th     200 EUR
• 9th     150 EUR
• 10th   100 EUR

Looking at the start lists, several well-known names are there and this year, we can expect the competition to be particularly intense.

For the Elite women, wearing #1 is Emmie Charayron FRA. A top ten finish last weekend in Madrid, a bronze in Huelva and a season that closed with a bronze in Alanya and a silver in Agadir. Watch out for Portugal’s powerful young duo, Vera Vilaça and Gabriela Ribeiro. Both strong in the water and having gained valuable early season experience they can swim and bike hard. Ribeiro’s silver in Quarteira as a junior delighted the crowds and no doubt a home advantage will help her. Vilaça’s top ten finish in the elite race was also a clear signal that her training over the winter months has gone well. Moving up from the junior rankings, is Carlotta Missaglia ITA. She raced well in Melilla and can be expected to be pushing very hard in the pack of cyclists.

Spain will of course be represented and leading their charge will be Marta Sánchez Hernández. She has been racing more and more on the World Cup circuit and with that experience, will be a threat to Charayron. It will be good to see New Zealand’s Anneke Jenkins race once more on the European circuit. Perhaps this race could be an additional honeymoon for the triathlon couple of the year, as husband, Javier Gomez still has celebration rights after his victory in Pontevedra. A recent 36:23 10k is a clear sign that she’s back in form and if there was a prize for travelling the greatest distance, then this was certainly hers. She represents one of 8 nations that are from outside the Mediterranean region. They will be entitled to the prize-money and points but not to the Mediterranean titles.

12 nations, 31 athletes.

To see the full start list, please click here.

The course is a one lap swim, followed by a three lap pretty flat bike course. The athletes close the race with a 2-lap 5k that is again pretty flat.

For the men, just under 60 athletes, from 15 nations will contest the title. As for the women’s race, there are several nations that are from outside the Mediterranean region.
Spain’s Genis Grau is on a roll at the moment following his 8th place in Madrid. A tough race and one that came together so well for him. This result followed a 6th place in Huelva and in Melilla. He will be the main threat to #1, Erwin Vanderplancke BEL, who will be hoping to right the wrong of Madrid, where his bike split was uncharacteristically slow.

Watch out for GB’s Iestyn Harrett. He raced well in Melilla and has the ability to kick hard on the final run. Potentially leading the swim will be French athlete, Anthony Pujades. Top ten in Quarteira after an early season start in Liévin. Portuguese hopes will be for Alexandre Nobre, who leads their big team.

To see the full start list, please click here.