Posted: July 6, 2005

Triathlon: Lazar and Daechert are the Fittest CEOs in Europe

KLAGENFURT, AUSTRIA – Peter Lazar of Bank Austria Creditanstalt of Graz, Austria, and Anja Daechert of Daechert & Partner of Darmstadt, Germany won the CEO Challenge competition at Ironman Austria on July 3, 2005.

Peter finished in a very fast time of 9:51, winning the CEO Ironman Challenge division of the event by 10 minutes over the ‘over 40’ champion, Guiseppe Maurizio of Deagostini Partworks of Parma, Italy.

By winning the CEO Ironman Challenge in Austria, Peter and Anja earn the title of ‘Fittest CEO in Europe’, and will be traveling to Kona, Hawaii in October to take on the winners of the CEO Challenge events from the United States for the overall title of ‘Fittest CEO in the World!’

A total of six CEOs from the Ironman Austria CEO Challenge will compete in Hawaii at the Ironman World Championship. Anja Daechert was fast enough to earn an age-group roll down slot, allowing John McConville of Dexpharm Ltd of London, UK, to earn a CEO slot. And the winner of the over 50 division, Sir Rocco Forte of Rocco Forte Hotels of London, UK, declined his spot to Hawaii allowing Gunter Liska of Xerox Beteiligungsgesellschaft of Vienna, Austria to earn the final CEO slot. Whitney Lynn of RWBC Inc of Los Gatos, California already earned an Ironman Hawaii slot at a previous event.

These six CEOs will join the five who qualified for Hawaii at Ironman Coeur d’Alene in June, and the five or more who will qualify at Ironman USA Lake Placid later in July.

The fast course at Ironman Austria certainly lived up to it’s billing on a beautiful, sunny day, with favorable temperatures. A total of eight CEOs finished the race in less than 11 hours, and 13 finished in less than 12 hours! All competitors talked about the stunningly beautiful bike course, and flat and fast run course. They also took energy from the enormous crowds, and each time they passed their spouses and guests (up to three times on the bike, and five times on the run).

After discussion with the competitors and Triangle Sports (organizers of the event) it was decided to move the CEO Ironman Challenge ‘Europe’ competition to Ironman France - Nice in 2006, and back to Ironman Austria in 2007, alternating locations year to year. More information, and an application form, will follow later in the year.

For more information on this, and other CEO Ironman Challenge programs, please log on to www.ceochallenges.com, or contact Ted Kennedy at Ted@ceochallenges.com, or 720-222-3043.

CEO Ironman Challenge - Karnten Ironman Austria (2005)

 Results
Female
Anja Daechert, Daechert & Partner – 11:43 (earned age-group roll down slot)
Male
Peter Lazar, Bank Austria Creditanstalt – 9:51 (earned male winner CEO slot)
Over 50
Sir Rocco Forte, Rocco Forte Hotels – 11:40
Whitney Lynn, RWBC Inc – 14:39
40 – 49
Guiseppe Maurizio, Deagostini Partworks – 10:01 (earned 40 – 49 slot)
John McConville, Dexpharm Ltd – 10:06 (took CEO roll-down slot)
Stefan Fischer, NewLab BioQuality – 10:29
Gunter Liska, Xerox Beteiligungsgesellschaft – 10:31 (took CEO roll-down slot)
Gernot Schaffler, Sabotage Films – 10:51
Mike McCrory, I-Bankers Securities – 11:42
Toby Baxendale, Seafood Holdings Ltd – 11:48
Paul Ellis, CreditTrade – 12:27
Under 40
Peter Lazar, Bank Austria Creditanstalt – 9:51
Mark Solomon, Solomon Commercials – 10:39
Holger Pollmeier, BGT Pollmeier – 10:55
Soren Hastrup, Telesto Group – 11:27