Posted: July 3, 2004

Triathlon: World’s Best Long Distance Triathletes Gather In Sweden For World Championships

Sater, Sweden: For immediate release: In the southern reaches of Dalarna, one of the most renowned and beautiful regions of Sweden, 1,000 athletes from 30 countries around the world have gathered for the 2004 Sater ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships. The picturesque and historic town of Sater clings to the shoreline of Lake Ljustern, not a work of man but of nature. When tourists first discovered Sweden at the end of the 19th century, they quickly turned the Säter Valley into one of the most frequently visited spots.

In the women’s event, 8 of the top 10 from the 2003 Long Distance Triathlon World Rankings are on the start list, including the defending World Champion Virginia Berasategui of Spain and the bronze medalist Dogana Martina of Italy. Other women to watch are Edith Nederfriniger of Italy, Tina Boman of Finland, Beth Thomson of Great Britain, and Lisbeth Kristensen of Denmark – the 4th to 7th best 2003 World Ranked Long Distance Triathlete. Audrey Cleau of France is another odds-on favourite after her win at the 2003 Nice ITU Long Distance World Cup.

For the men, a strong field of 61 will toe the line, including 11 of the top 15 from the 2003 ITU Long Distance World Ranking. #2 World Ranked Torbjorn Sindballe of Denmark will be one to watch – he was 2nd the last time Sater hosted the World Championships in 1999 and is very familiar with the course in Sater.Others to watch are French team-mates Patrick Vernay, the winner of the 2003 Nice ITU Long Distance World Cup, currently ranked #3 in the world, and Xavier LeFloch who took the 3rd step on the podium at the 2003 Ibiza ITU World Championships.

The Swedish midsummer magic will undoubtedly cast its spell on the long distance triathlon event which will feature a new spectator-friendly course with a 2 lap-4km swim followed by a 5 lap-130km cycle, then a 4 lap-30km run.As well as the elite Long Distance World Championships, Sater is also playing host to the age group World Championships for 5 year age groups from 20 to over 80.

Action for the age group competition will get underway at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday 3 July 2004, with the elite events the following starting at 9:00 a.m., 4 July 2004.

The ITU Media Team will be on site to cover the event live on www.triathlon.org with the women’s and men’s coverage starting at 8:30 a.m. local time.