Olympiasieger Alistair Brownlee beim Abu Dhabi Triathlon

Diese Nachricht dürfte viele arrivierte Langdistanz- und Ironman Triathleten gleichzeitig elektrisieren und beunruhigen. Alistair Brownlee, Olympiasieger im Triathlon geht im Rahmen des Abu Dhabi Triathlon auf die mittlere Distanz von 1,5km Schwimmen, 100km Radfahren auf dem Formel 1 Parcours Yas Marina Circuit und 10km Laufen.

Brownlee, der bei der ITU oftmals eine eigene Leistungsklasse bildet und die Rennen von vorne aggressiv gestaltet werden schon vor den Spielen von Rio Ambitionen auf einen weiteren Starr bei einer "echten" Langdistanz zugesagt.

Selbst der Ironman Hawaii Triathlon (mit Wild Card) ist mit ein wenig Spekulation z.B. im Jahr 2014 als theoretische Startoption im Raum. [1]

Original Pressemeldung:

OLYMPIC CHAMPION BROWNLEE GOES FOR GOLD AT ABU DHABI INTERNATIONAL TRI

British Gold Medallist To Expand Competition Portfolio with 2013 Abu Dhabi Debut

Abu Dhabi, UAE. Wednesday 14 November, 2012: British gold medal winning Olympic triathlete and back-to-back European champion, Alistair Brownlee, has thrown his hat in the ring for the 2013 Abu Dhabi International Triathlon, which holds one of the sport’s richest purses, as he looks to expand his competitive horizons.

Speaking on a trip to the United Arab Emirates’ capital, 24-year-old Brownlee, from Dewsbury, Yorkshire, confirmed he will start his 2013 season in March on the energy-sapping 111.5km Abu Dhabi short course – which comprises a 1.5km swim, 100km bike and 10kms run – and said that preparing for the warm Arabian temperatures would be a key factor in his winter training.

“I’ll be in the UK through the winter, where it will be freezing, so coming to Abu Dhabi will be a 30 degree temperature shift, and that is a big factor. I’ll need to change my training to suit that. I’ll be doing some sessions in a heat chamber and I’ll try to get away before the event to help acclimatise. I’ll also be setting up my bike differently to deal with the length as that has a major role to play in my success,” said Alistair, whose brother, Jonathan, took triathlon bronze in London 2012.

“I’m used to biking 40km so going up to 100km for Abu Dhabi will also be a challenge and is one I am looking forward to, especially as it goes around the Grand Prix track at Yas Marina Circuit. I want to start expanding my competitions to include other distances and starting next season in Abu Dhabi is part of that.”

The 2011 ITU champion, who has taken a break from training after his London 2012 triumph and enjoyed two days in Abu Dhabi, is relishing the chance to spend some more time in the UAE capital next year.

“It seems like ages since I won the gold medal in August; it took me a while to get over that but now I am ready to move on and get on with it. The biggest thing I am looking forward to in Abu Dhabi is the challenge of it; I’ve spent years and years doing the ITU circuit so the change in distance will be interesting as will racing against different competitors and doing a non-drafting race, which is a big change.

“I’m also looking forward to taking a few days off after the race and seeing the sights, I would love to get out in the desert, as I’ve never done that so it’s on my to-do list,” added Brownlee, who started training for triathlon aged eight.

Event organiser, Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), is expecting its biggest-ever showing for its fourth triathlon, earmarking 2,200 competitor places – up from the1,855 spanning 62 countries that took to the start line on its stunning Corniche beach earlier this year.

Abu Dhabi International Triathlon’s flagship distance, the 223km ‘pure power course’ also attracted its strongest professional line in 2012, with 50 of the world’s best elites – representing a combined total of 16 world champions, 47 European title holders, 102 national champions and 76 Ironmen, plus more than 500 podium places between them.

This year’s event was won by Denmark’s Rasmus Henning in the men’s elite competition and Nikki Butterfield of Australia in the women’s, who both smashed course records in near perfect race conditions.

The event also saw first time representation swell with athletes from Argentina, Azerbaijan, the Czech and Dominican Republics, Ecuador, Iceland, India, Japan, Lebanon, Macao, Mauritius, Morocco, Poland, Romania, Seychelles, Trinidad & Tobago and Zimbabwe making their debuts – a trend organisers hope to build on for 2013.

“We continue to see strong growth both from across the Middle East as well as internationally and want to keep pushing that to live up to our most international race promise. More and more people are putting Abu Dhabi on their to-do list, whether returning or trying it out for the first time. We are also seeing more athletes using the emirate as a training base as word spreads of our world-class facilities,” said Faisal Al Sheikh, Events Manager, TCA Abu Dhabi.

To encourage grassroot uptake of the sport in the Arabian Gulf, TCA Abu Dhabi is introducing a ‘KidsTri’ next year, designed as a platform for youngsters to get into competitive athletics and to further promote healthy lifestyles.

The ‘KidsTri’ complements the event’s 57.5km ‘Sprint’ course, which has been a key driver in the sport’s growing popularity among first-timers looking to break into triathlon.

“Putting the building blocks for a healthy and active lifestyle together for kids at an early age will help them carry these through their lives. Sports like triathlon can be a little daunting to get into but having the right start-up events, that allow people to make an easy transition, opens up so many more doors to them down the line. That is what this is about, helping youngsters get on the right path from an early age,” said Al Sheikh.

The 2013 Abu Dhabi International Triathlon will start with a sunrise swim in the Arabian Gulf’s shimmering turquoise waters off Abu Dhabi’s Blue Flagged public beach, before weaving through closed roads along the Corniche Beach, up to the spectacular Yas Island and around the Yas Marina Circuit – home to the annual Formula 1™ Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - before returning to the heart of the UAE capital.

The Abu Dhabi International Triathlon offers three course distances; the 223km ‘long course’ (3km swim, a 200km cycle and 20km run), the half-length ‘short’ course (1.5km swim, a 100km cycle and a 10 km run) and the sprint course (750m swim, a 50km bike and 5km run). Both the ‘short’ and the ‘sprint’ can be run as a team relay.

Organisers have frozen athlete registration fees for the fourth year in a row. Athletes interested in entering should visit www.abudhabitriathlon.com and, after clicking on the ENTER NOW link, simply follow the instructions. Entry fees for the long and short distances are US$190 (AED 695) and US $130 (AED 475) respectively, while Sprint course rates are US$75 (AED 275) for individuals and US $120 (AED440) for a team. The fee for the team relay is US$280 (AED1,022).

[1]: http://www.abudhabitriathlon.com/

Mark Fretta mit vier Jahren Sperre wegen EPO-Doping belegt

Der US-Amerikaner ist von USADA und ITU nach Auffälligkeiten in seinem Blutprofil mit dem indirekten Nachweis auf Doping mit EPO für vier Jahre gesperrt worden. Dies teilte die USADA mit.

Die Sperre gilt rückwirkend vom 11. Juni 2012. Zudem werden alle Ergebnisse ab dem 18. August 2020 annuliert. Das Startverbot dürfte für den ehemaligen Weltranglistenführenden das Karriereaus auf den kurzen Distanzen im Triathlon sein.

Anbei die Mitteilung der USADA [1]:

USADA announced today that Mark Fretta, of Colorado Springs, Colo., an athlete in the sport of triathlon, has committed an anti-doping rule violation and received a sanction for his doping offense.

Fretta, 35, received a four-year period of ineligibility after variations in his individual longitudinal blood profile as well as other documentary evidence indicated the use of Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents such as Erythropoietin (“EPO”). Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents are prohibited in the class of Peptide Hormones which are prohibited under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing and the International Triathlon Union Anti-Doping Rules, both of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code (“Code”) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (“WADA”) Prohibited List.

USADA conducts longitudinal blood data collection and comprehensive scientific review to identify changes in biological parameters that may be indicative of doping. The program consists of collecting athlete samples to measure an athlete’s unique biological parameters, including, but not limited to, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, and percentage reticulocytes, over time to establish an individual longitudinal blood profile. Variations and fluctuations in these measurements when compared to an athlete’s own established longitudinal blood profile can be indicative of prohibited, performance-enhancing drug use, and can result in an anti-doping rule violation under the Code.

Fretta’s four-year period of ineligibility began on June 11, 2012, the date he accepted a provisional suspension. As a result of the violation, Fretta has been disqualified from all competitive results achieved on and subsequent to August 18, 2010, the date USADA collected the first blood sample that was included in Fretta’s individual longitudinal blood profile.

In an effort to aid athletes, as well as all support team members such as parents and coaches, in understanding the rules applicable to them, USADA provides comprehensive instruction on its website on the testing process and prohibited substances, how to obtain permission to use a necessary medication, and the risks and dangers of taking supplements as well as performance-enhancing and recreational drugs. In addition, the agency manages a drug reference hotline, Drug Reference Online (www.GlobalDRO.com), conducts educational sessions with National Governing Bodies and their athletes, and proactively distributes a multitude of educational materials, such as the Prohibited List, easy-reference wallet cards, periodic newsletters, and protocol and policy reference documentation.

USADA is responsible for the testing and results management process for athletes in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement, and is equally dedicated to preserving the integrity of sport through research initiatives and educational programs.

[1]: www.usada.org