2011 Challenge Copenhagen
Unlike last year's rain soaked debut, the skies stayed dry and the crowds topped 100,000 along the delightfully scenic course at the second Challenge Copenhagen won by Tim Berkel and Rebekah Keat. This race through Copenhagen's capital offers a blend of the ancient and the very modern in one of Europe's jewels. And the racing was stirring for all 1,850 entries as well.
All photographs © Timothy Carlson
Running past the brightly colored housing along Copenhagen's famed Nyhaven.
Elite swim start on Amager Strand.
Swim finish.
Spectators cheering triathletes leaving T1.
Wünderbiker Bjorn Andersson had a first-pack 45 minute swim, then blazed to a race-best 4:19:47 bike that gave the Swede a nearly 15-minute lead into T2. He held the lead for 20k then, sadly, his running wheels fell off.
Egoitz Zalakain Erbiti of Spain passes a windmill during his 4:42:43 bike split. He finished 6th overall in 8:26:52.
Current Ironman 70.3 World Champ Jodie Swallow pushed Team TBB teammate Rebekah Keat all through her 49:33 swim and 4:54: 41 bike. But a six month plantar fascia injury torpedoed Swallow's race after 2 painful kilometers of the run.
Danish physically challenged athlete Gert Rune finished in daylight.
Who says Denmark doesn’t have hills?
Spectators on the course's big hill inspire with a colorful Danish message.
Ultimate race winner Tim Berkel bites his tongue to avoid further trouble with a race marshal enforcing a 4-minute drafting penalty at the start of the run.
Berkel's 2:46:16 run was topped by four men, including a 2:38:59 by 4th place finisher Mads Vittrup-Pedersen. But Berkel had enough to stave off Jimmy Johnsen by 35 seconds.
Once Team TBB teammate Jodie Swallow dropped out, Rebekah Keat set off alone to a women's race-best 3:05:02 marathon and a record 8:52:42 finish, winning by 42:49.
Croatia's Dejan Patrcevic was hot on the heels of Tim Berkel and Jimmy Johnsen near the end. His 2nd-best 2:44:00 marathon brought him home in the final spot on the podium.
Very tall 25-29 Danish age grouper Oystein Vergeland ran through the popular Nyhaven area on his way to a 3:20:21 marathon to finish 60th overall in 9:31:19.
Denmark's hero Rasmus Henning joined Danish 8-time Le Mans champion Tom Kristensen on a relay. Henning finished his 13.1-mile half run stint in 1:14 and change.
Running toward the finish in one of Copenhagen's historic plazas.
Tim Berkel held the finish banner aloft for the second straight year.
Denmark's Jimmy Johnsen gave it his all in a third-best 2:44:02 marathon which fell 35 seconds short of the win.
Germany's Linda Schuecker was ecstatic that the pain was over – and for her 3rd place finish.
