Friday, 6th September 2023
EVERYTHING READY FOR THE 9TH EDITION OF CHALLENGE PEGUERA MALLORCA
The test is decisive for the resolution of the 2023 World Bonus ranking of Challenge Family
The British Alistair Brownlee is one of the attractions of the event, along with a spectacular cast of professionals with outstanding athletes such as Frederik Funk or Mathis Margirier in the men's category, and Imogen Simmonds or Lucy Buckinham in the women's category.
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A new edition of Challenge Mallorca, which will be held next Saturday 14th October at 9 a.m, has been presented at Calvià Town Hall this morning. This is the 9th edition of Challenge Peguera Mallorca, the municipality's international triathlon. The presentation event was attended by the mayor of Calvià, Juan Antonio Amengual, the deputy mayor for Sports, Javier Tascón; the president of the AETIB, Pere Joan Planas; the president of the Peguera Hotel Association, Antoni Mayol; and the president of the Balearic Triathlon Federation, Ignasi Colom.
The sporting event has more than 1.400 people registered in the different races, marking the closing of the triathlon season in Europe. Challenge Peguera Mallorca 2023 will have representation of 36 nationalities, a total of 1.200 athletes during the weekend, more than 80% international. In addition, around 90 professional triathletes will start the Challenge Peguera Mallorca on Saturday 14th October, 60 in the men's category and 23 in the women's category.
The mayor of Calvià, Juan Antonio Amengual, who knows the Challenge because he has participated in the event, has valued the amateur athletes who sign up, since they help deseasonalise with hotel reservations for a minimum of one week: “they are the large group of participants and they usually take a family trip with children. The fact of participating in the race at a non-competitive level generates an excitement that is noticeable in the environment and especially when the finish line is crossed. “The triathlon has that extra epicness.”
However, Challenge Mallorca has generated great international expectation beyond amateur athletes, since the results in the professional categories will be key to the resolution of the final ranking of the Challenge Family World Bonus, 125.000€ in prizes that are distributed amongst five professional triathletes, whether man or woman, with the most points in the ranking at the end of the year.
A community project
Challenge Peguera Mallorca is an example of institutional collaboration and private initiative. Under the organization of Fundación Calvià 2004 and Calvià Town Hall in collaboration with the Spanish Triathlon Federation, the event also has the support of the Tourism Strategy Agency of the Balearic Islands (AETIB) and the Fundació Mallorca Turisme (Consell de Mallorca). The deputy mayor for Sports, Javier Tascón, has highlighted that “the number of sporting events is exponential and it is difficult to continue in the face of this progression, but the impeccable organization, the commitment and public-private collaboration, and the environment we have in Calvià and its "volunteers make this test unique and that whoever comes wants to repeat it." It is also worth highlighting the participation of other entities, such as the Peguera and Cala Fornells Hotel Association, Challenge Family and brands such as Zone3, Powerbar, Red Bull or Abus amongst others that collaborate in the management of the event.
More than 550 volunteers
The event will once again have a solid team of volunteers, made up of a large part of the members of Calvià's sports fabric. Both the clubs and sports associations of the municipality actively participate in the management of this triathlon, making evident, once again, the union of Calvià sport in global events.
Previous PRO Men's race
The PRO Men's race has generated great expectation, since the confirmation of some of the most important professionals today, such as Frederik Funk (winner in 2021 of Challenge Peguera Mallorca), the Frenchman Mathis Margirier who arrives in Peguera as the participant with best ranking of the Professional Triathletes Organization (PTO), in addition to the German Rico Bogen also very well placed in the classification. The cast of 60 professional triathletes is completed with two living legends of triathlon, such as the British Alistair Brownlee - two-time Olympic triathlon champion - and multiple victories, and the Spanish Pablo Dapena, Long Distance World Champion and winner of Challenge Peguera Mallorca in 2018, who has chosen the 9th edition of the Challenge as one of his last races before stopping being a professional.
Previous PRO Women's race
The winner of last year's race, the Swiss Imogen Simmonds, seems the clear favourite of the race. But, the British Lucy Buckinham, who already knows what it is like to reach the podium in Peguera, aspires to win her. The Italian Margie Santimaria and the Dutch Diede Diederiks are two athletes who also have options to get on the podium.
More information:https://challenge-mallorca.com/