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Challenge TriCamp 2010
Las Playitas Resort in Fuerteventura
TeamChallenge and Professional Endurance Team celebrated their 5th training camp anniversary with 245 guests at the Las Playitas Resort in Fuerteventura. Together with Susanne and Matthias 25 guides did everything for the 190 athletes and their families to experience an unforgettable and effective triathlon training camp in the sunny weather of the Canary Islands.
The first Challenge TriCamp started in Lanzarote with 12 participants under the guidance of Professional Endurance Team in co-operation with Hannes Hawaii Tours. The Canary Islands with their constantly mild climate are a perfect training location for triathletes who want to escape the winter here in Europe, even if the topography and the wind do not really make training easier there.
In the course of the past 5 years the Challenge TriCamp has continued to grow and the location has been changed several times. We have now found an ideal location for the triathletes at the Las Playitas Resort in Fuerteventura. Cycling is a bit easier on this island than on Lanzarote. The hotel has a direct access to the sea, which is wonderful for swimming in open water. The Olympic 50m pool is perfect for swim training. And conditions are also very good for running.
In this year’s TriCamp, Susanne and Matthias again used their tried-and-tested training concept in which the participants are divided into various groups depending on their performance. So the training was well-structured from the beginning, and the participants only had to choose the individual groups depending on their personal abilities.
The days started with a guided swim training or running ABC in the morning.
After an extensive breakfast the participants got on their bikes at 10.30 a.m. In the first few days 2 hours were enough in order to get used to it. In the end the longest and most spectacular lap took them almost across the whole island in 6 hours.
In the afternoons many participants again got into their running shoes or joined the general core training.
In the evenings there were interesting lectures on specific issues such as nutrition, swim techniques or sitting positions on the bike.
As every year, the training camp also included special highlights. The participants again enjoyed the combined duathlon and triathlon training and the stamina training. This took place at a 6 km climb from Pajara to Betancuria, which 170 participants cycled up and down several times on February 25, 2010 between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. “It was a feeling like in a big tour,” said one of the participants.
The video style analysis sessions for swimming and running were booked up as always, just as the urea measurements in order to check and avoid any overexertion.
The participants were also very interested in the workshops by Fritz Buchstaller on sitting positions on the bike and on bike technology.
Magic Sportfood in co-operation with High 5 made it possible for all participants to test the full variety of race nutrition of the Challenge Family. The athletes were able to try bars, drink powder and gels.
The participants also enjoyed Jens Richter’s film about the 2009 Norseman, in which Susanne, the race winner, played a leading part.
Sailfish and Orca provided our participants with wetsuits for testing. Biestmilch also offered its products at the training camp.
All in all it was again a wonderful training camp, which will definitely be continued in 2011.
Professional Endurance Team and TeamChallenge would like to thank everyone who was involved in the success of the camp in any way. We would like to say special thanks to all guides, because the camp would not have been possible without them. Further thanks go out to Hannes Hawaii Tours, Hannes Blaschke and his team, who provided a perfect infrastructure. Thanks a lot! |
