Country Garden?2016The 2016 Huangshan Taiping Lake Triathlon International Elite Race and National Triathlon Points Race today first welcomed the participants of the national points race. A16-year-old rising star Zhang Jiahao unexpectedly defeated the highly favored Shanghai triathlete Pete to win the men's elite group championship.
“The lake water today was great—clear with almost no waves, and the cycling course was also excellent, not only closed off but also smooth-surfaced with little wind.” After crossing the finish line, Zhang Jiahao was surrounded by the media for an intense round of questions, but he first spoke highly of the Huangshan racecourse. This men's elite group gathered many top amateur athletes in China, and Shanghai’s Pete had been the favorite to win before the race. However, today Zhang Jiahao not only led Pete by one minute in the swim leg but also closely followed Pete—who is very strong on the bike—during the cycling stage. He finally overtook his opponent after the second transition and started the run, securing the men’s elite group championship. “This is my third time competing on the mainland, and I found today’s course scenery beautiful. Competing against a top athlete like Pete was a lot of fun,” said Zhang Jiahao.
“He is a really strong athlete,” Pete said after crossing the finish line, offering his sincere congratulations to Zhang Jiahao. “I’m not very good at swimming, and I was slower than him today. He wasn’t weak on the bike either—he stayed right with me the whole time. So, I’m not surprised that I lost to him today,” Pete said. He added that due to the hot weather, he hadn’t performed at his best today, though it was still a normal showing. About the Huangshan event, Pete spoke highly: “The scenery here is beautiful. I rode the course yesterday during the recon and enjoyed the view along the way. Today I had to focus on speed to get a good result, which was a pity because I didn’t get to enjoy the scenery enough.”
Bian Beili from the Shanghai Persistence Triathlon Club is a well-known figure in China’s triathlon scene. She registered for today’s national points race along with her boyfriend Alex. “We often take part in events organized by the Chinese Triathlon Association because they’re well-run. We just established our club this year. Coming to the race allows us to accumulate points while also fitting into our training schedule as part of our preparation. Huangshan is close to Shanghai and has beautiful scenery, so we decided to come.”
Hu Yan, representing the Nanjing Triathlon Association, is also a renowned female triathlete in China. She has participated in40national triathlon races and winning championships has become routine. Today, she once again won the women’s55+ age group championship without any surprise. “Today I lapped the others by more than a full loop,” Hu Yan laughed after the race. This year, Hu Yan’s goal is to qualify for the Hawaii Ironman World Championship in November at the Ultraman race in Penghu, Taiwan. Therefore, these earlier races are just part of her training. “Participating in the national points race is mainly about training and staying in form, so I didn’t push too hard today. I consciously controlled my pace, stayed mindful of the heat, maintained rhythm along the course, and still ended up finishing way ahead.” Regarding the Huangshan event, Hu Yan said the organization was good, the course was very scenic, and the swim water was clear and comfortable.10Won a qualification spot for the Hawaii Island World Championships in the big iron race in Penghu, Taiwan in November,KONAso for her, these previous races were just part of her training. “Participating in the national points race is mainly for training and maintaining form, so I wasn’t in a rush today. I deliberately controlled my pace, didn’t go too fast, paid attention to heat prevention, and kept a good rhythm on the course. In the end, I still arrived at the finish line well ahead.” Regarding the Huangshan race, Hu Yan said that the event was well organized, the course was very beautiful, the swimming water was clear, and it felt comfortable to swim.
48The female athlete Guo Zhaoyang, who is2008years old, crossed the finish line first in under three hours. She has been riding a bicycle in her hometown of Jiangxi since2012, got into triathlon in2014, and competed in her first full-distance race at Chongqing’s Changshou Lake in
. This year, she won her age group in both the Zhejiang Changxing race and today’s Huangshan event. “I love this sport. Triathlon makes me really happy, and I’ve made a lot of like-minded friends. I’m really glad to be out competing.” Regarding Huangshan, Guo Zhaoyang said she had long admired the area’s beautiful scenery. She had climbed Huangshan twice many years ago, and coming to compete here was also motivated by the views. “If I have time, I’d like to explore the area properly.”64Compared to the highly skilled athletes, the everyday participants from various clubs were the main force in today’s race. Perhaps their results weren’t as outstanding, but they were all drawn to triathlon out of passion. Among them, a white-haired elderly man named Cheng Lixing caught the reporters’ attention. This
-year-old athlete from Xuzhou had two IV drip bottles strapped to his bike, with straws inserted to create a DIY drinking system on the handlebars. “This was invented by my teammate. I learned to use it. It only cost a few yuan, and when I ride hunched over, I can drink easily—it’s very convenient,” the elderly man showed off his invention.2000“Triathlon is more fun than a marathon. It’s a full-body workout, not as boring as just running,” Cheng Lixing said. Since he started doing triathlons in16, he has won
national age-group championships. “Participating in triathlon events lets me travel across the country, and the event services everywhere are great—there are shuttles from the organizers and even banquets. I really enjoy taking part in these races.” This time, Cheng Lixing also plans to take the opportunity to tour Huangshan Scenic Area during the race break.