Kitzbühel is not only a ski, but also a triathlon Mecca.
This year the EM will take place there in the super sprint.
And Franca and Simon Henseleit from Steingaden are there too.
District - Kitzbühel is primarily known as the venue for the Hahnenkamm races for alpine skiers.
But the Austrian community has also made a name for itself as a triathlon location.
This year, the European Super Sprint Championships (500 meters swimming, 12 kilometers cycling, 3 kilometers running) will be held there in mid-June.
Franca and Simon Henseleit from Steingaden are also there.
Franca Henseleit (18) qualified for the title fights as third in an internal elimination competition of the German Triathlon Union (DTU) - and that in the middle of the Abitur exams. Between two exams, she traveled to the Kienbaum competition site (near Berlin). There she met nine competitors to compete with them over 750 meters of swimming, 20 kilometers of cycling and 5 kilometers of running. It was clear: only the placement counts, the best three are allowed to the EM. Henseleit was the fastest in the water. A top group of four athletes then formed on the bike. The quartet worked well together, "we were able to extend the lead on the pursuers to around 80 seconds," reported the Steingadenerin. On the running track "I realized pretty quickly thatthat my current form is simply not enough to be able to run right at the front, ”said Henseleit. She concentrated on bringing third place to the finish, which she managed confidently. Regional trainer Stephan Bibow was also satisfied with Franca Henseleit's appearance: "That was an impressive performance, especially considering the circumstances."
Simon Henseleit (21) will also start in Kitzbühel. He has been nominated for the competitions by the DTU. "It will definitely be cool to be at the start line as an elite athlete, because the triathlon in Kitzbühel and I have known each other for a long time," said Henseleit. More than ten years ago he took part in a triathlon for the first time with the students. “My parents, my sister and I used to drive our VW bus to the races,” he recalls.
