Italian team domination!

On the second day of the 2006 ITU Duathlon European Championships, the women age-group athletes were the first competing on the filed of play. The program was planned to continue with an open triathlon, but due to the strong wind and the rough sea, it was transformed to a duathlon.

The show started in the afternoon with the team relay events. National teams of 3 athletes composed a team, every member of the team doing a super-sprint duathlon. The men teams started 1 minute before the women and it made the spectators very busy watching all the actions.

Most of the teams changed together for the second athletes together, although the speed was incredible. In the men field the French and the Italian team changed as first and second, closely followed by Portugal and Czech Republic. These four teams were together by the end of the final bike. The fastest 1km sprinter was the Portuguese Sergio Silva, bringing his team to the top of the podium with Lino Barruncho and Joao Silva. Team France came second and the local hero, Alessandro Alessandri finished third for the Italian team.

In the women event Italy had the chance to enter fresh world-class athletes including Nadia Cortassa. After the first athletes Italy and Hungary were on the lead. After the second athletes Hungary had a 15 seconds lead over Italy. Reka Brassay did her best from the Hungarian team to keep Nadia Cortassa, but with the race in her leg from yesterday, it was impossible. Cortassa did not give any chance any more to anybody else and she brought the Italian women team first. Hungary came second and Spain finished third.

In the junior women Italy won thanks to their good tactic, followed by Hungary and Ukraine. Italy won in the junior men field with a sprint finish over Ukraine and France finished third.

Click here for full results!