Cave and Csomor ready for Roth

July 10, 2009

In all the deserved focus on Chrissie Wellington's record-breaking capabilities, there are several first-rate, fast and capable contenders to challenge her alpha authority at the 2009 edition of Quelle Challenge Roth. Of the talented group that also includes Catriona Morrison, Gina Ferguson, Joanna Lawn, Rebecca Keat and Belinda Granger are two key competitors. Still a dark horse at the Ironman distance despite her 2002 ITU Olympic distance world title and more recent ITU long course world championship is Great Britain's Leanda Cave. And likely nominee for second overall favorite is Hungary's Erika Csomor, a former Team TBB teammate of Wellington and, after all, the woman who set the second-fastest women's Ironman-distance time in history with last year's 8:47:05 second place finish at Roth.

Leanda Cave

Slowtwitch: You just missed an Escape from Alcatraz three peat. What kind of shape are you in for Roth?

Leanda Cave Mary Beth Ellis is an animal on the bike and I just couldn’t respond to that.. I gave it everything I had and it made me ill. But it wasn't enough. I just wasn't strongest on the day.

ST What kind of a year are you having?

Leanda: I took third at California Ironman 70.3, second at Wildflower, and won Florida Ironman 70.3 I tried to race the Rev3 Triathlon in Connecticut without tapering, and it showed. All in all, I'm in really good form now. I've been racing really well and racing a lot. That's always a good indicator how it's going.,

ST: So have you tapered properly for Roth?

Leanda: Yes I tapered well. It's a great competition and I love that and a race where the pace is fast. . Especially at the Ironman distance, which is still new to me.

ST: How did it go last year at Roth?

Leanda: I was 7th. But I had a broken rib. I crashed my bike five days before the race.

ST: You started a curse that bit Belinda this year!

Leanda:But Belinda's crash was different. She got hit by a car and it wasn't her fault. In my case, I hit the brakes and went over the handlebars and the bike landed on my ribs. All of the doctors said "Don’t race," but I did race. I'm stubborn and I think that's why I do the sport. In Belinda's case, I think she will tough it out. Still this Ironman stuff is really different for me.

ST: What is the mystery?

Leanda: I've done three of them now and I've still not figured it out. It's partly me going from short distance where you go flat out for two hours to Ironman. At Ironman, I don’t know the point at which you cross the line by going too fast. And I don’t know the line at which you cross the line for going too slow.

ST: Perhaps the high quality of the Roth field will help?

Leanda: That is the benefit of having a strong field. If you're racing to win it, you'll have to respond to the field. A strong field will let me push harder within reason without backing way off and going too slow to be safe.

ST: Still, the last few miles of the bike and the marathon hurt everyone.

Leanda: It's hard to finish strong in such a long race. in Olympic distance, you don’t have to think. You just redline from the gun and you know it will be over in two hours. At this distance you can lose the ability to push. It just becomes a fight of the mind. That's harder to master than a short distance race. For example, I was told at Frankfurt that Yvonne Van Vlerken stopped on the run and was crying and was in a bit of a mess. I do know you can have a good day and a bad day all in one race. .

ST: Does this course suit you?

Leanda I don't know if it suits me or not. last year was really hard. But it is a faster course. This is where the world record is set I think that suits me because I like to race fast.

ST: Can Chrissie meet expectations here?

Leanda: I don't think 8:35 is right. If she goes out at that half Ironman pace, I think a few of us would be worried.

Erika Csomor

ST: You did well to finish second at Wildflower while you were having mechanical problems and other woes.

Erika Csomor: I was not in the best shape. I'd just come back from the Philippines where it was hot and humid and flat . I had technical troubles on the bike and had to come back in the small chain ring and was not able to ride in my big ring. So I wore out my legs and paid for it on the run.

ST: Aside from Zofingen, which you have won a record four times, you seem to be comfortable here in Roth. You now have the second fastest Ironman distance time for women in history.

Erika: I like this course. My philosophy is that if I have a good swim, I have a good bike. Then if I have a good bike, I have a good run. Here in the Canal, I have a fast
swim and don’t lose too much time to the fast swimmers.

It was good for my confidence to race so well here last year. But this is another year and I have higher expectations. Sometimes I think that is my ;problem now. In my head, I am the winner already. But maybe my body can't handle the stress.

I am better this year, but so is the field. I also think I am not as physically strong this year.

ST: How do you see this race developing?

Erika: I'd like to stay in touch on the swim. I swim 53 last year while Belinda and Gina and Rebekah swam 48. This year I'm a little faster. Hopefully I can stay with the top girls on the bike. I rode 4:54 last year (only Granger, at 4:50, rode faster in the rain) but if it's dry, I can ride 4:50. But with such a strong field, I don’t think that will be enough. So we will see how it comes out on the run. Perhaps, if my legs feel good, maybe the running is tactical.

ST: How important has it been to train under coach Brett Sutton?

Erika: Of course he is a great coach. But to train with such a great team is most motivating. Training is such a hard thing, you can’t do it alone.