Europe Triathlon

Slovakia’s Ivana Kuriackova maintained her fine form in 2013 with victory in the ETU Powerman Sprint Distance Duathlon Championships in Horst.

Kuriackova, who claimed victory in Quarteira earlier this month, finished ahead of Great Britain’s Georgina Schwiening and Laura Gomez (ESP).

The impressive Slovakian wasted no time in heading to the front of the race as a strong lead pack of four athletes, which included Angelica Olmo (ITA) and Kate Curran (GBR) alongside Kuriackova and Schwiening, pushed hard.

Laura Gomez (ESP) caught this lead group on the bike and they maintained pace until Kuriackova pulled away on the final lap.

She exited transition with a ten second lead ahead of Schwiening and although the young Brit pushed hard, Kuriackova kept cool and strode to victory.

Schwiening finished second to repeat last year’s finish and Gomez completed the podium.

After the race, Kuriackova admitted this had been her first taste of a Duathlon race. She said: “I hoped I would be in the top three but I am surprised because this is my first duathlon race.

“I like running so this race suited me. My form has really improved over the last year and I am happy to continue winning.”

After going the wrong way on the bike last year, Schwiening was happy to go in the right direction and repeat her runner’s up spot.

She said: “I’m really pleased. This year I went the right way and everything came together, I just lost out on the run but I tried my hardest.”