Posted: October 17, 2004

Duathlon World Cup: Dereere And Cortassa Win In Varallo, Italy

Jurgen Dereere/BEL and Nadia Cortassa/ITA win the duathlon race in Varallo, the resort hosting today the final ITU Duathlon World Cup circuit. Laura Giordano/ITA and Anthony Le Duey/FRA, 2nd place today, win the overall ranking World Cup, probably!

Varallo Sesia hosting a duathlon international event, for the second year in a row, and just like last year a Belgian athlete wins the race. The continental champion in charge, Jurgen Dereere, at the end of the 10 km race running was second, as in the second part of the track of 40 km by bike, but finally in the third and last part he has competed well, arriving with 13” advantage over Anthony Le Duey/FRA. Third place to Armand Van Der Smissen/NED who came out in the running track, 2nd best timing of today’s race. International list for today’s race, 4th place to Javier Garcia/SPA and 5th place Tom Lowe/GBR. Marco Galeasso/ITA couldn’t get closer to his competitors, even if his Italian mates have planned a good team-strategy, getting 7th place, right after Francois Lhuissier/FRA. Excellent performance for Greg Watson/U.S.A. best timing in the bike track, recovering 2 minutes over 27 antagonists, who competed better in the first part of the track.

Italy did well in women category, thanks to the well-known Nadia Cortassa and Laura Giordano, 1st and 2nd places. They have run side by side all race long, trying to keep an eye on the Scottish Catrion Morrison/GRB, who has done all she could do to stay right behind them, but at the end she made the podium, 3rd place, with 42” from the winner. Nice race for Amory Rowe/U.S.A. from Boulder, Colorado and Desiree Ficker/U.S.A., winner in September of the Cincinnati Itu Duathlon World Cup race.

Varallo Sesia competition closes the international duathlon season, and waiting for the official ITU communication, the winners of Duathlon World Cup 2004 are Laura Giordano/ITA and Anthony Le Duey/FRA .

A special thank from Friesian Team to all the authorities, such as Varallo major, Mr. Gianpaolo Buonanno and to all the volunteers who have contributed to let this event go on.

ITU World Cup Finals Duathlon 2004 - Varallo Sesia 17th October 2004(10 km running / 40 km bike / 5 km running)

 Men List
1        DEREERE JURGEN          BEL      01:48:32.50    (  00.31.19   /     01.00.48   /     00.15.47
2        LE DUEY ANTHONY         FRA     01:48:45.20    (  00.31.20   /     01.00.48   /     00.16.03
3        VAN DER S ARMAND     NED    01:48:50.90    (  00.31.21   /     01.00.37   /     00.16.00
4        GARCIA JAVIER             SPA     01:49:05.90    (  00.31.20   /     01.00.49   /     00.22.47
5        LOWE TOM                    GBR    01:49:07.90    (  00.32.03   /     01.00.11   /     00.16.15
6        LHUISSIER FRANCOIS      FRA     01:49:08.90    (  00.31.22   /     01.00.56   /     00.16.12
7        GALEASSO MARCO       ITA      01:49:17.30    (  00.31.19   /     01.00.43   /     00.16.15
8        BENTON DAVID             GBR    01:49:33.00    (  00.32.02   /     01.00.06   /     00.16.39
9        NIELSEN AKSEL               DAN   01:49:34.70    (  00.32.03   /     01.00.08   /     00.16.39
10      YELLING MARTIN            GBR    01:49:38.00    (  00.31.56   /     01.00.14   /     00.16.47

Women List
1        CORTASSA NADIA          ITA      02:02:09.80    (  00.35.48   /     01.07.34   /     00.17.56
2        GIORDANO LAURA        ITA      02:02:29.70    (  00.35.48   /     01.07.37   /     00.18.15
3        MORRISON CATRIONA   GBR    02:02:51.20    (  00.35.49   /     01.07.34   /     00.18.37
4        ROWE AMORY               USA     02:07:55.90    (  00.37.34   /     01.09.55   /     00.19.42
5        FICKER DESIREE             USA     02:09:15.70    (  00.39.14   /     01.08.04   /     00.20.54

MEN INTERVIEWS

Jurgen Dereere_ Today the track was heavy, especially the running course for four times, maybe because it’s the end of the year, maybe because of the injury I had . The race was ok, a little bit dangerous in the biking course, as everyone is looking at each other. But in the last part running I felt well, I know I could win and I made it. Imade the europeans and now the final world cup, I’m satisfied of the season

Anthony Le Duey_A good organisation, I’m happy and satisfied to have come back today in Varallo, where also last year at the Duathlon Europeans I made the podium, 2nd place. Also the season was good.

Armand Van Der Smissen_ I’m not completely happy about today’s result, because I lost some time in transition, I had to stop because it was very narrow and we arrived all together. In the second course by run and by bike I was not so good, but I came out at the end and I could reach them. The organisation has done it’s best to prepare a World Cup track and the running corse it was hard in Varallo streets. This is my last race of the season, which started well than I had to stop because of a bad crash and though could never compete again, but here I am, I still have some back problems, but I made the podium, probably thanks to my baby born one month ago who gave me the strenght to keep on going.

Rami Al Abdulla_I’m 23 years old, coming from Damasco, Syria. I’m the Duathlon and Triathlon Syrian champion and this is the first international experience. Syria Triathlon Federation has become mebe of ITU for the first time this year, we have about 200 athletes in dathlon and about 70 athletes in triathlon, but this is just the beginning, we all hope that for the future we will have other chance sto take part to international events like this one in Italy. We had a godd and warm welcome from all other athletes.

WOMEN INTERVIEWS

Nadia Cortassa_ I’m completely stisfied of today’s race. I wanted to do something different so I decided to take parte to Varallo ITU Duathlon World Cup Finals. In 2001 I believe it was my previous duathlon race at the World Championships in Rimini. I would have liked to take also part to the Europeans, but I really couldn’t make it as I had some personal family appointment. I won a Duathlon World Cup race, hopefully in the future I will win a Triathlon Cup!

Laura Giordano_ I’m very proud of my season: the italian title and now the world title. I can’t say it wasn’t hard, I work all day and train as I can. I really have to thank my husband who is also my trainer as we have shared every moment. An excellent season for me, even though I must say you never know! My best moment of the season, definitly my third place at the World Championships in Geel, Belgium, I didn’t expect do do so well. For the next season I’ll continue with Duathlon, but I’d like to make a try in triathlon…of course I would have to train harder and it would be possibile if I had a part-time job. This year I took part to some triathlon races and had good feelings, but to dedicate myself also to triathlon swimming once a week as I’m doing now is not enough.

Catrion Morrison_ I’m really happy about my result here in Varallo. Nadia Cortassa is very well known and also Laura is a good athlete. It’s been an excellent race, I tried to be competitive, but couldn’t reach them. I did my best and in the last loop I realized I could make the podium, definitly I couldn’t hope so much.

From: Race Press Release.