PE-based Moldan leads summer triathlon races

PROFESSIONAL German athlete Johannes Moldan leads the About IT Triathlon Summer Series, with two of the four races completed.

The popular sprint-distance triathlon series has attracted entries from around South Africa, with the top positions contested by Moldan, Keegan Cooke, Travis McGrath and Jarryd Cooke.

Moldan, a world top 10 long-distance triathlete, loves the Port Elizabeth summers and has for the past couple of years made the city his European winter training base where he spends up to six months at a time training.

In the women’s division, defending champion and round 2 winner Liza Kingston is level with Alexia Loizou, after she lost to Loizou in round 1.

Kingston is the nine-times overall women series champion and is keen to achieve a decade of overall series victories.

The series offers cash prizes for the overall age group champions, who will be crowned after round 4 at Port St Francis on Monday.

In the junior category, defending champion Keegan Cooke, of Port Elizabeth, leads from Bloemfontein’s Gean Viljoen, with Port Elizabeth’s Muhammad Allie and Gareth Andrews third and fourth respectively.

Moldan leads the senior men’s category from McGrath and Jarryd Cooke, while Kingston and Loizou head the women’s class with a win each.

Port Elizabeth athlete Jade Hooke is in third place, just ahead of Bloemfontein’s Sorita Viljoen and Resia Swart of Stellenbosch.

It is the fifth year that financial technology solutions company About IT is sponsoring the series.

The third round of the 2016 series starts from Pollok Beach, in Summerstrand, from 8am tomorrow, with late entries possible.

The very popular final races are in St Francis Bay on Monday.

As a sprint-distance triathlon, participants tackle a 750m swim, 20km cycle and a 5km run, with the About IT Summer Series open to individuals or teams.

Online registration is available at: www.trisummerseries.co.za