The first day of the classic "Around Taihu" took place this morning over 20km on the out and back Lake Taihu course.
Rain greeted the walkers at the 9.15am start and was to persist throughout the day. This proved welcome relief given the heat in previous years and resulted in more favourable finishing times.
At first , the new rule for this event in 2017:
- First Red card: nothing (like a warning !)
- Second: nenalty 30’’ in the pit lane area
- Third: penallty 1' more in the pit lane area
- Fourth: 1:30’’ more in the pit lane area
- Fifth: DQ
Marcia dal Mondo thanks to the friends who have co-operated today and will co-operate in the coming days in the drafting of these notes:
- Frederic Bianchi (SUI)
- Jean Pierre Dahm (FRA)
- Lorenzo Dessì (ITA)
- Shen Xinsheng (CHN)
- Steven Taylor (GBR)
- Yang Zhongmin (CHN)
Professional race start and below the "Mass Event of Fit Walking"
Men professional race
A group of approximately thirty men walked together early on, tactics coming in to play as they went though 5km in 22 minutes.
Dzmitry Dziubin (BLR) made an early showing but this was to be short lived as the group stayed together.
Perseus Karlstrom (SWE) made the first real break after 10km and this was to prove decisive as he forged ahead resulting in the main pack breaking up into several smaller ones.
Behind him a group of five worked hard to stay close casuing Karlstrom to continually look over his shoulder.
Andres Chocho (ECU) was taken into the pit lane for a 30 second stop putting an end to his chance of victory leaving just four to fight it out of the last few kms behind Karlstrom.
Lebogang Shagde (RSA) made his trade mark push through to the front of the field in the last quarter of the race but was never able to catch Kalstrom who was able to repeat his victory of last year. Shange only just held off Caio Bonfim (BRA) finishing in the same time with Dane Bird-Smith (AUS) not looking his usual self only on second further behind, Jin Xiangqian (CHN) was a further two seconds adrift at the finish line
Order of arrival:
1st Perseus Karlstrom (SWE): 1:24:19
2nd Lebogang Shange (RSA): 1:24:21
3ed Caio Bonfim (BRA): 1:24:21
4th Dane Bird-Smith (AUS): 1:24:22
5th Jin Xiangqian (CHN): 1:24:24
6th Andres Chocho (ECU): 1:25:13
7th Evan Dunfee (CAN): 1:25:45
8th Ruslan Dmytrenko (UKR): 1:26:03
64 athletes finished day one and whilst many visited the pit lane (21) only two were disqualified.
Team standings
1° Latin Power (Caio Bonfim, Andres Chocho, Isaac Palma, Ever Palma, Lebogang Shange): 4:13:55
2° Beef Extreme (Dane Bird-Smith, Christopher Linke, Perseus Karlstrom, Tom Bosworth): 4:14:59
3° NB Ukraine (Ivan Banzeruk, Ruslan Dmytrenko, Ivan Losev): 4:20:24
The team race is very interesting for the final victory between the Latin Power and the Beef Extreme, separated by little more than 1'; a mere nothing.
Women professional race
The women started alongside the man and whilst a group of ten women formed together Nie Jingjing (CHN) and Antonella Palmisano (ITA) took matters into their own hands and forged ahead competing against the men.
Nie never looked troubled and kept the faultless Palmisano at a comfortable distance throughout. Nie took the victory in 1:30:13 with Palmisano only 19s behind. It was the race for the minor placings that was only decided right at the finish.
At a distance Sandra Arenas (COL) walked strongly throughout and looked to have third place in the bag but her South American rival Erica de Sena (BRA) finished very quickly over the last 4km overhauling Arenas in the last 400m.
Ainhoa Pinedo (ESP) who has enjoyed the best year of her walking career ever made possible the fastest finish of any walker today. 30s behind on her rivals at the final turn with less than 4km to go she not only caught them all but opened an 18s lead by the finish. Nadia Borovska (UKR) was next to finish after a race long battle with Brigita Verbalyte (LTU).
Order of arrival:
1sr Nie Jingjing (CHN): 1:30:13
2nd Antonella Palmisano (ITA): 1:30:32
3rd Erica de Sena (BRA): 1:31:26
4th sandra Lorena Arenas (ECU): 1:32:29
5th Ainhoa Pinedo (ESP): 1:32:37
6th Nadia Borovska (UKR): 1:32:55
7th Brigita Virbalyte-Dimsiene (LTU): 1:33:00
8th Viktoria Madarasz (HUN): 1:33:03
Team standings
1° Heroes (Antonella Palmisano, Brigita Virbalyte-Dimsiene, Viktoria Madarasz): 4:36:35
2° INTER F3 (Nadia Borovska, Inna Kashyna, Ainhoa Pinedo, Julia Takacs): 4:39:04
3° Latinas (Erica de Sena, Sandra Lorena Arenas, Kimberly Garcia): 4:39:41
Full results in the section Results or download directly from this link: click here
Full results of promotional Youth races in the section Results or download directly from this link: click here
Photo album of Four days of Around Taihu: click here