Andreev (RUS) and Erbenova (CZE) crowned the 2012 ITU Winter Triathlon World Champions

by Merryn Sherwood on 24 Mar, 2012 11:43 • Español

Russia’s Pavel Andreev claimed his second ITU world title, while the Czech Republic’s Helena Erbenova won her first at the 2012 ITU Winter Triathlon World Championships in Jamijarvi, Finland, this weekend.

In the elite men’s race, Andreev bettered Italy’s rising star Daniel Antonioli and 2010 Winter Triathlon world champion Andreas Svanebo in the first two legs, to claim his second consecutive world title in Jamijarvi.

Andreev was in control from the start, recording the second fastest cross-country run split before adding to his lead with the fastest mountain bike split of the day, almost 30 seconds ahead of the rest of the field. While the Russian’s ski leg was the 12th fastest of the day, the lead he gathered in the first two legs was enough to secure his title.

Antonioli’s silver was his first ITU World Championship medal after he just missed out on a medal in 2011. It continues his stellar 2012 run, he claimed four European Cup medals this season and the European championships silver, also behind Andreev. For Svanebo, it was his second consecutive world idle bronze.

In the elite women’s race, brilliant run and cross-country ski legs propelled Erbenova to victory over Finland’s Maija Oravamäki and reigning champion Borghild Løvset.

Erbenova posted the quickest run leg of the day, but the entire field was blown away by Løvset in the mountain bike leg. The Norweigan headed into T2 with more than a minute lead on the rest of the field, but it wasn’t enough as Erbenova posted the only sub-30 minute women’s ski for the day to take the win. It comes on the heels of her European Championships win earlier this year.

Oravamäki’s ski leg was the second fastest of the day, enough to overtake Løvset and claim the silver - one better than last year’s bronze medal, while the Norgweigan champion kept her incredible podium streak intact. Løvset has made the podium of every ITU and ETU triathlon race so far in her career.

In the other ITU Winter Triathlon World Championship Races, Russia swept the U23 men’s podium with gold to Pavel Yakimov, silver to Pavel Khanzhin and Viktor Kuznetsov. Austria’s Romana Slavinec took gold in the U23 women’s race, while the Junior winter triathlon world champions are Pavel Eliseev (RUS) and Natalie Grabmullerova (CZE).

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Article tags winter triathlon pavel andreev maija oravamäki jamijarvi helena erbenova borghild lovset

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Related Event: 2012 Jamijarvi ITU Winter Triathlon World Championships

24 - 25 Mar, 2012 • event page • all results

Results: Elite Women
1.	Helena Karásková	CZE	01:31:51
2.	Maija Oravamäki	FIN	01:32:00
3.	Borghild Løvset	NOR	01:32:03
4.	Sarka Grabmullerova	CZE	01:35:51
5.	Tatiana Charochkina	AIN	01:37:11