ALMERE- This morning, three days of Challenge Almere-Amsterdam were kicked off with the Dutch Championship Triathlon for Students. The championship, named Junior Challenge, consisted of 380 meter swim, a 18 km bike ride and a 4,2 km run. An impressive number of 700 students participated, and started their swim in the Weerwater at 11.00 AM this morning. The students were divided in two categories: under 16 and 16 years and older.
Winners Junior Challenge
<16 Boys
1. Jelle van Lanen
2. Joost Friderichs
3. Ian Pennekamp
<16 Girls
1. Dirkje Lebouille
2. Romy Spoelder
3. Silke de Wolde
16+ Boys
1. Davy Heijsteeg
2. Joep Lebouille
3. Joey van ‘t Verlaat
16+ Girls
1. Maaike Telkamp
2. Joyce Caro
3. Rozemarijn Ammerlaan
Sander Prins and Petroesja Mokveld won the race for the teachers. The best school of 2016 was Helen Parkhurst from Almere.
See all Junior Challenge Results on the Results page
Challenge4All
This morning, the Senior Challenge and No Limit Challenge were also held. These recreative series are organized for seniors and the intellectually disabled. They could opt fort he short distance (a 20 minute swim, 25 km bike ride and 6,5 km walk) or the long distance, which consisted of a 20 minute swim, a 35 km bike ride and a 10 km walk. After the bike ride they had lunch together and started the walk leg as a group. After finishing, all participants were handed out a finisher shirt.
Today, athletes participating in the Long Distance and Half Distance did their last preparations. Yesterday, they could do a test swim, today athletes got their bikes checked-in, they joined the briefing and could attend the Carbo Loading Party. Tomorrow at 07.20 the mayor of Almere, Franc Weerwind, will launch the races. The weather forecast is very good: sunny, 26 degrees and a moderate wind from the south. See you tomorrow!