Away from the big triathlon stages of this world, the season finale of the Bavarian Triathlon League took place in Auerbach on the weekend. Despite regular outstanding performances in the participating teams, the majority of our guild is hardly interested in it or does not even know that there is a triathlon league. You hardly ever read about it in the relevant forums, not even about the 1st Bundesliga, which is already at a very high level. Hopefully that will soon improve.
So today I'm telling a story from yesterday about a small association from a small town in Upper Franconia. The ASC Kronach-Frankenwald, having started the season brilliantly, but deprived of many of its top performers in the last races, held 6th place in the table before the starting shot. Realistically, only the Munich team, which were 2 points behind us, could be dangerous to us and push us to 7th place. The team started with a minimum of four athletes, all of whom had to cross the finish line in order not to automatically take the last place. A fifth man, the so-called strike result. no longer owned them.
The team from Munich was aware of its chance and was already sharpening its knife. The starting gun was fired and off we went. Our super swimmer Philipp was one of the first to get out of the water and was able to establish himself in the top group straight away. Poor Krelli, who hadn't been in the mood for the race before and hadn't trained for 3 weeks, was washed ashore at some point later. But this time he wanted to know and finally roll around in a large group. So he decided not to slip into his cycling shoes right at the beginning and went first to what it took to jump to the next group. After three kilometers he was able to put on his shoes at some point. Finally, after the second ascent, he was in the long-awaited RTF tour !! It was nicer than GA1, you could enjoy the beautiful landscape, have a little chat with your bike neighbor and relax.
Halfway through, he suddenly saw Philipp again, who had fallen while lying in the lead and was now standing on the side of the road. I shouted: "Philipp, what are you doing here !?" He just shouted to me that he had a breakdown and had fallen. Such a crap!! Dramatic scenes played out in my mind: Munich triathletes who greedily grabbed our 6th place in the table and the associated € 300 prize money and laughed maliciously into their fists.
Knowing that our two other athletes, Monsieur Wolf and Klatte, were behind me due to a little swimming weakness or lack of training, I understood that it was now up to me to drive the Munich out again from our place. So I left my comfort pace against my will and tried to overtake everything and everyone who looked to me like Munich or Lederhosen. I think I did quite well. On the last climb, I motivated a few non-Munich residents to ride along and we blew up the large group we were in. At the refreshment station shortly after the 2nd transition area I didn't hear anyone screaming for alcohol-free wheat instead of cola and knew that my plan had worked halfway, because people in Munich always drink wheat, right?
What I didn't know was that apparently someone had sneaked along and was not noticeable either through dialectical gasps or treacherous exclamations. Shortly before the end and at the second refreshment point, when I was just pressing a sponge into my face, it must have happened. He passed me unnoticed and his start number, which was still on his back, covered his team lettering. Otherwise I would have thrown the sponge at him immediately and attached myself to his heels.
+++ update +++
Raik Drescher, to whom I am referring, has just emailed me his photo proof that his starting number was in front while running. Thank you Raik, how do I stand here now? But the solution is very simple, you have to increase the font size of Tahoma 11 on your jerseys! You have to look for the team name with a magnifying glass !! 😉
+++++
After a few minutes at the finish, I was very relieved when I saw Philipp arriving, who apparently was able to get his bike back on the road. But he also looked like an extra on the Braveheart filming. Torn jersey, covered in blood and with oil on the face as battle paint. Respect, well done !! At some point we were full and it was time to add the points. Munich had earned the 2 points and was now tied with us. In this case, the place numbers decide. These are added up over all competitions and whoever has the few wins.
Drum roll .... drum roll ....
ASC Kronach-Frankenwald - ARITHNEA Team ASK Munich South
568 : 569
oleeoleoleeeloleee !!! It couldn't be any closer, what a dramatic finale, with a deserved winner :))
http://www.triathlon-bayern.de/triathlon-liga-bayern/ligatabellen/
In addition to the whole article here, I would also like to explicitly mention again that, due to the story and the duel, I of course dramatized the rivalry with our sports colleagues from Munich a bit. They are all super nice athletes who have given us 6th place from the bottom of their hearts, I don't want to let anything go of that. On the contrary, we get on really well and I even drink wheat every now and then 😉
We invested our horrific prize money in women and drinking at the same time! Our ASC girls, who also fought bravely and with a minimal cast, all wanted to go to McDonalds on the way back to get milkshakes 😉
A nice start into the week!
krelli