Challenge Taiwan is one of the first long-distance races of the season – and it takes place in one of the most exotic venues of the Challenge series, a competition that enjoys just as good a reputation among (professional) triathletes as the Ironman series. In the Middle Distance race held end of April one day before the Long Distance, reigning World Champion Jan Frodeno took part. And won in superior fashion as expected.

Bike Course Record With STEVENS Super Trofeo
A little more surprised but all the happier was pro triathlete Verena Walter, who won the long-distance event (3.8km/2.36mls swim, 180km/112mls bike, 42km/26mls run) on Taiwan’s east coast also thanks to setting a new record on the bike course aboard her STEVENS Super Trofeo.
”A perfect race, my perfect ’Asian Adventure’ ”, Verena Walter said enthusiastically after the race, that she had entered with 500 other participants and aboard a bike meticulously maintained by STEVENS Taiwan’s race mechanic Mikeson.

At first, during the swim it didn’t look so good for the STEVENS athlete: ”I got a bad start and soon found myself at the end of a group,” she remembers. From position four she went on the bike course aboard her STEVENS Super Trofeo.

And she was successful. Despite the course not being closed for traffic and just recently having been covered with fresh asphalt, Verena Walter made a very fast ride and even managed to set a new record for the course in Taitung: After 4:52:43 she reached the transition zone in first place 12 minutes ahead of her competitors (all in all five pro women competed) to change into running shoes.

”The course was very diverse and easy to run especially in this great weather that was made just for me with mostly clouded skies at 24°C (75°F). I slowed down a little during the second half but in 3:25:03 hrs I finished as the winner,” Verena said after the race happy about her first long-distance win in 9:25:41 hrs and 17 minutes ahead of second-placed Lucie Zelenkova.

Ultra-Distance Events For Training
In the ”Women 35-39” age category another STEVENS athlete could celebrate a win. First place was won by Inga Wyroslak, endurance athlete from Berlin riding a STEVENS Volt. Over her second only long-distance race the endurance specialist reached the finish in front of the competition despite lacking some training. ”In addition to ultra trail running and plus-5000km MTB rides I like swimming and riding my triathlon bike,” she explained and continues: ”I like the atmosphere here in Taiwan very much. The spectators are also a league of their own.”

In July 2014 Inga Wyroslak had ridden from San Francisco to New York on a STEVENS Haze In November 2016 she toured the Australian South Coast for 5,000km (3,100mls) from Perth to Sydney.

In addition to over 1,500 athletes who competed in the middle and long-distance events, Volker Dohrmann, brand and marketing manager of STEVENS Vertriebs GmbH was also present. After having visited several suppliers he completed the bike course himself before watching the race and meeting many acquaintances in the Taiwanese bike industry.

”The popularity of Triathlon here is huge. At 5:30 a.m. I met manufacturers and suppliers who are already in their wetsuit, ready for the Long Distance. It’s common courtesy here to work out. Time and ranking are not important,” said Dohrmann impressed by the enthusiasm for sports Taiwan.