By Hans Cleemput

Kitzbühel has offered the age group athletes a unique chance to double their triathlon pleasure. Two days after the Sprint distance European Championships a lot of age groupers were competing for the second time this week in the Olympic distance races on Sunday morning. 15 athletes stepped up a notch and claimed a second podium finish.

Austria’s Albuin Schwartz and Alexander Fruewirth won gold and silver again in the M45 category. In the M50, M55 and M60 categories the Sprint distance champions raced to a second gold medal. Norbert Domnik (AUT) delivered yet another great performance in M50, finishing 7th overall. Swiss Reto Schawalder claimed gold in M55 and M60 champion Ulrich Nikulla (GER) was happy with his second gold medal.

Tautvydas Kopustas from Lithuania had a great day on the olympic distance. Last Friday he batlled his way to the bronze medal, but on Sunday he crushed the competition in the M18 category and took the gold medal.

In the women’s race former Olympic champion Brigitte McMahon showed yet again that she’s still a force to be reckoned with. The Swiss European Sprint champion claimed her second gold in the W45 category with another stunning performance, finishing third overall.

Three other sprint champions from Friday finished on the podium again in the olympic distance: Victoria Schenk (AUT) took silver in W25, Swiss Sandrine Benz won the bronze medal in W30 and in W35 Austria’s Sylvia Gehnbock raced her way to silver.

Home athletes Simone Fürnkranz (W35) and Thomas Steger (M20) were the overall age group winners.

In the women’s field Great Britain takes home 14 medals: 5 gold, 5 silver and 4 bronze. Switzerland had 3 gold and 3 bronze medals nicely balanced. Austria secured only 1 European title but was happy with 4 silver medals and 1 bronze. Germany claimed two European champions and 1 bronze medal. Katarina Larsson raced to gold for Portugal, leaving silver for Malta’s Danica Bonello Spiteri. Italy’s Giulia Bedorin won a bronze medal and France’s Severine Durier secured silver in W40.

The men of the host nation brought their A-game, winning Austria 5 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze medals, collecting 10 pieces in total. Germany claimed 7 medals: 2 gold, 1 silver and 4 bronze. Switzerland could only celebrate one European title, but was happy with 3 silver and 2 bronze medals as well. Great Britain saw 2 European champions and took home 1 silver and 2 bronze medals. France was in for 1 gold and 2 silver medals, Italy won gold and bronze and Mitja Kit won gold for Slovenia.