Then there is even a double World Cup on Kona – in February and October. The two local triathletes take the shift with ease. “Then we’ll start in October 2021,” both say. Nüßlein and Vordermayer have already confirmed their start for the edition exactly one year later.
Hanno Nüßlein qualified for the World Championships in Hawaii at Ironman Barcelona last October. The athlete from Bergen won over 3.8 kilometers of swimming, 180 km of cycling and 42.195 kilometers of running in Spain in his age group 50 to 54 in a strong 9:00:18 hours.
No more training camp in Lanzarote
Even now he was already well again in training – everything was geared towards the start of Hawaii. But then the endurance athlete, like so many other athletes, was rudely slowed down by the crisis. “My training camp on Lanzarote in March could no longer take place,” he says. The planned training camp for the Chieminger triathletes in South Tyrol at the end of April also had to be canceled without replacement. “We weren’t even allowed to train together here because of the restrictions,” he says. “I’ve missed training in a group a lot over the past few weeks,” adds the triathlete.
Before his competition in Hawaii, Hanno Nüßlein would have had two competitions – both middle distance races – on his schedule. “I wanted to compete in the Chiemsee Triathlon again this time,” he says. But nothing comes of it either. Like so many other events, the triathlon festival in and around Chieming has to be canceled this year. For August 30th, Nüßlein is still registered for the Ironman 70.3 Zell am See Kaprun. This race is currently not postponed. “So it remains exciting,” he says. But Nüßlein also immediately followed suit: “My big goal for this year is through.”
The TSV Chieming triathlete also frankly admits that “after moving to Hawaii there was a kink in my motivation”. That is why he and his coach Christian Jais decided to “completely reschedule the season planning”. Say: “We have reduced the training.” It is now no longer so targeted. “I am now doing more in the basic area again and having fun with the sport is in the foreground.” That means: “If the weather is nice today, then cycling will be done.”
Christian Vordermayer’s big goal for this year has also broken away. For him it is a rollercoaster of emotions, emphasizes the TV Traunstein athlete. “My goal since last year has been to qualify for Hawaii for the next three years. It was a surprise that it all worked out in Malaysia last year. «Vordermayer adds: There was also a bit of luck with it,» because I was a successor «. Vordermayer finished his ninth long distance in a row in Langkawi – a very strong performance. He took 13th place in his age group M 40 to 44 in 10:38:31 hours. And because some athletes before him did not accept the slot for the World Cup, he got his turn.
Despite the postponement of one year, »I still look forward to the race. I am still grateful that I can be there, «he emphasizes. It is also a nice feeling to know that »I already have my starting place safe«. The only thing that bothers him about the current situation is “that you train a little into the unknown.”
At the moment, the TVT athlete does not yet know whether he will take part in a race this year. His long-distance race, the Ironman Frankfurt, has been canceled for June. Whether the competition will be rescheduled in autumn has not yet been finally confirmed. Then Vordermayer wanted to start at the Ironman 70.3 in Zell am See.
“Planning uncertainty is a bit annoying”
“This planning uncertainty is a bit annoying at the moment,” he admits. Together with his trainer Matthias Fritsch, Christian Vordermayer has therefore recently changed his training a bit. “We are now trying to preserve my shape,” says the triathlete, who is also supported by physiotherapist Ronny Paternoga.
After all, there is already a date in the calendar for 2021 – October 9th. Then Hanno Nüßlein and Christian Vordermayer will fulfill a dream in Kona and compete alongside the world stars of the scene at the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. SB
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