The upcoming weekend of March Schilpario, the resort near Bergamo is going to host the European Championship of Winter Triathlon. 13 nations have already entered the competition. The number of participations from several and different countries justify the aspiration to an Olympic nomination of the winter version of this triple discipline.
Press release
Schilpario (BG) 27th February 2006 . Universality: this is the first requirement claimed by CIO in order that a sport can become part of the Olympic games. Winter Triathlon has this requisite more and more and this is demonstrated by the European Championships which will take place in Schilpario the 4th and 5th March 2006. So far, 13 nations have entered the competition, but some federations asked the promoters to postpone the closing date for enrolment because they still have to make a selection for the continental event. Promoeventi Sport and Friesian Team promoters are working hard in the realisation of a memorable edition and the entrance fee has been reduced to 35 Euro for the Elite and Under 23 and 15 Euro for the Juniores. The promoters goal is to show that, through the success of this continental event, Winter Triathlon could reasonably aspire to an Olympic admission being able to arouse enthusiasm in the public as it has happened in these days in Turin for such events as skating and snowboard.
Italy officialized that it’s going to take part in the European Championship with 60 athletes: 9 Elite (6 men and 3 women), 3 Under 23, 3 Juniores and 58 of the Age Group (included 6 women). The leading man of the team is Daniel Antonioli, the retiring champion of the Under 23 who will play with the Elite group following his successes won in the World Cup. In the previous 2005 edition in Freundestadt in Germany, Italy won 2 medals: (with Alessandro De Gasperi of the Elite and Antonioli of Under 23) a silver and a bronze one. The aim is to remain at these standards in a context characterised by high-level athletes.
In Schilpario there Spanish Lobo Luis will compete as Elite for the first time, just like Weydahl Lydia from Norway and Frommelt Christian from Liechtenstein
In between the 13 nations, there will also be Germany and Norway, the two leading countries where Winter Triathlon has won people enthusiasm. The application form of a Canadian man stands out between all the other 157 applications :if this is not universality.