The
Grisons resort situated near Chur in the southeastern
part of Switzerland, 145km from Zurich will offer
the competitors a 6.8 km run (4 laps), 12 km mountain
bike (2 laps) and a 10 km x-country ski (2 laps) with
2865 m Mount Rothorn as backdrop.
Starting
from 1475 m above sea level, there is a total climb
of 220 m for the run, a demanding 440 m climb on the
MTB and a 280 m climb on the x-Country ski leg.
The
weather in Lenzerheide is mild for the season with
sunny and rainy intervals, but there is still snow
for skiing in the Mount Rothorn or Mount Stätzerhorn
region.
The
two time winners of the ITU Winter Triathlon World
Championships Nicolas Lebrun (FRA, 1999/2000) and
Paolo Riva (ITA, 1997/1998) are the great race favourites.
Swiss hopes lie with the 2000 World Champion silver
medallist, Christoph Mauch. Other strong contenders
will be Marc Ruhe (LIE), Juan Apilluelo (ESP) and
Martin Lang (GER).
While
most of the athletes have been racing during the regular
winter season, reigning champion Lebrun has been focusing
on his swimming skills for the upcoming Triathlon
season.
In
the women's race, local hopes are for reigning champion
Karin Möbes who in Jaca won her second title
after 1998. With two silver medals in 1997 and 1999
Möbes is a clear favorite for the podium along
with new European Champion Marianne Vlasveld (Ned)
who raced down German Sigrid Lang, the sister of Martin.
The fourth women to watch for is Gabi Pauli (Ger),
the 2000 World Champion silver medallist.
But
no Championship is without surprises and big results
from newcomers or unknown athletes from Italy, France,
Spain, USA, Japan or South Africa, all are worth watching.
Sibylle
Matter (SUI) and Ingrid van Lubeck (NED), Olympians
from the Sydney Olympic Games will also face the Winter
Triathlon specialists.
A
little challenge is set for all athletes and spectators
with the beginning of daylight saving time: at 2:00
a.m. Sunday morning everyone will have to change their
watches' to 3:00 a.m. You can find all race details
on www.trisuisse.ch
and stay tuned to the ITU website on Sunday from
11:00 a.m. GMT for live updates throughout the day
and complete race results.
