Thursday – The weekend is almost here. We look forward to the professional debut of Helene Moss. All pictures in this WTJ are of the Arnhem triathlete and we introduce her to you.

Last weekend we had a good run in various competitions in our country. For example, the Vroomshoop half marathon was won by Marije Dankelman in 1:35:11. At the Broekhuis Half Marathon in Harderwijk, Tim den Besten (1.10.19), Niels Esmeijer (1.12.20) and Lesley Dreyling (1.23.55) were strong. Mario Boulderwaard won the eight kilometer race in Oostvoorne the day after the cross duathlon. Marlene Hagma is the 10km sprint master. Louis Winkloop in Amsterdam. Marieke van der Wecht was fastest at Hessenheim. Petra Sloots and Sam Kriegeveld win the Rival Hookwerkers Half Marathon Dordrecht. Jeroen Visser wins the 3Bergenloop in Trierbergen.

Xander and Kyra quickly

The biggest competition was the city-bearer Cityloop in The Hague, where farmers and climate activists made a last-ditch effort to make their point before the election later that same weekend. Now we know how it ended. Sander De Baart finished 35th in 1.09.31 hours. Then: 37.Niels Balget 1.09.34; 68.Marijn Markusse 1.12.20; 80.Oscar Sondermeijer 1.13.07; 84.Dennis de Knijff 1.13.24 and 105.Joost Friderics 1.14.23 hrs. Nienke Brinkman was again breathtakingly fast in 1:07:41. Also: 27.Kyra Muhlenberg 1.20.59.

CPC loop/20 Alphen

The CPC loop has partly taken on the classic opening role of 20 Van Alpen, arranged in the past by studio sportsman Kees Jansma. The two matches are now aligned. In Alphen ad Rijn, Koen Hijman was the best triathlete in eighth place in 1:12:58. Myril Bart won the women’s race in 1:17:34.

Then next weekend the competition starts again. We have already given a preview of the European Championship Run-Bike-Run. Ironman 70.3 in Lanzarote on Saturday (Marlos Vos already wrote about this in his article). On Hog ​​is a major eye-catching and interesting competition. Lanza is interesting because it will be Helene Moss’s pro debut.

European champion

The Arnhem triathlete was European champion at the AG in Almere last year and also won the Ironman in Switzerland at his AG. Times of 9.39 and 10.04 make a good springboard for a first season as a pro triathlete. Her Motto: ,, Open your arms and live life to the fullest. In everything that comes your way. That’s what I do and it makes me happy.”

Helen is an adventurous type, having lived and worked in Australia and New Zealand. He works as a project leader at NOC*NSF, but now combines that with a professional career. 2.5 days of work, rest training and competitions. If there’s ever a song contest after the triathlon, we’ll see Hélène participate. She studied singing.

Background Helen

Her background: Involved in sports from a young age. For athletics with mom and dad, he later became a member. Also did swimming and tennis and sports coaching: sports management at Vrije Universiteit Brussel. He also attended the Johan Cruyff Academy and the Amsterdam Music School/Center for Voice Liberation. He worked for a year at ‘My Football Club’ NAC Breda and was a National Talent Coach of Parasportsmen in Athletics and later in the Paralympic Games. She saw triathlon for the first time during her student years: Ironman Maastricht. She was instantly sold, and she loved it. From left/Training in Tables by Marc van der Kort (Kijani, partner Connie Rosenthal). Go anywhere with an open mind. For TV Arnhem in the group matches, wins in Giesbeek, Doetinchem, Roermond and Allgau. Then expand the training scope to longer distances. A golden opportunity, because last year followed two amazing victories in Almere and Switzerland. This gave her the opportunity to apply for a professional license. She got it. So the debut race will be IM 70.3 Lanzarote.

“At NOC*NSF, where I work, our ambition is #winningdoenwesamen. I get it, I feel it. You won’t get there. And sharing makes success fun! My fellow believers are among those people. People who believe in me. Remarkable Learning, Joan Pollens Consulting and Interact jumped in the deep end with me. He provided water for bathing, a portion of the training camp and a competition license. Because #wingame, by the way.”

Many toppers in Lanza

Nice words. We wish Hélène a great first race in Triathlon Island: Lanzarote, Club La Santa. Who else does Helen meet but Anne Hawke? It’s an impressive list, so ranking the top ten won’t be easy. With British athletes Emma Ballant, India Lee and Lydia Dant, that entry is already strong. Then senior Alexandra Tondur and Italian Elisabetta Corridori. From France, Jeanne Collonge and Emilie Morier are participating. In addition to Tondur, our southern neighbors include Astrid van Kawlaert (a pro at EDO Sports!) and Liesbeth Verbiest, and we could go on and on.

Michael de Wilde

Among the men, there was an even greater advantage led by the strong Danish duo of Daniel Beckegaard and Thor Bendix Møndsen. And here is 1 Dutchman namely Michiel de Wilde. The six Belgians were: Pieter Hemerich, Bombiel Barane, Sten Goetzketteners, Jonathan Vayaffe, Victor Alexandre and Dieter Kocher. Several Frenchmen too: Simon Vian, Dylan Magnien, Andy Treats, Justus Nischlag and Timo Schaufeld from the German side. Brit Andrew Horsfall-Turner, Italians Domenico Pacuello and Alessandro Degasperi and Swiss Adrian Briford.

Challenge Chile

The Saval family catches a flight to Chile. The second race of the season awaits on Sunday in Puerto Varas, a newcomer to the Challenge circuit. A good boost for local enterprise, it significantly grew the quality of the startup field. Home favorite Barbara Riveros will be up against British first favorite Lizzie Byram (winner of Clash Miami) and her compatriot Laura Siddall. Also, Argentinian toppers Romina Palena and Romina Biagioli. And then the men: Matt Hanson defends his win last year from what was still a regular half. Second place from Miami: Tom Bishop, Argentine Luciano Taccone and Brazilians Igor Amorelli and Fernando Toldi. Among the men Chile hopes are pinned on Felipe van de Wingard.

Africa Triathlon Cup Nelson Mandela Bay/Europe Cup Melilla

to Africa. After the Ironman, the Africa Triathlon Cup Nelson Mandela Bay is now on the program at the southern tip. Four Dutchmen on the starting list: Richard Murray, Dorian Horsten, Barbara de Koning and Rachel Glammer. Let’s wait and see if Rachael can start because last weekend she found covid among the members. At the northern tip of the dark continent lies the Spanish enclave of Melilla. The season of the Europe Triathlon Cup opens for both elite and junior. Usually this race is always a Dutch crowd, now only Eva Cornelisse has traveled to the Spanish coastal town surrounded by Morocco.