Triathlon

FNB Namibia remains committed to the Namibian sporting community. This is evidenced over the festive December period when FNB will be sponsoring two elite endurance events - the annual Swakop Half Iron Triathlon, one of the oldest and most prestigious triathlons in Namibia and the Desert Dash, of which FNB is the main sponsor.

The Swakop Half Iron, which had over 120 participants in 2008, is co-sponsored by FNB, Pupkewitz and PUMA and will take place on Saturday, 5 December 2009.

The MTN Business Off Road Triathlon which took place at the Friedenau Dam on Sunday, had a record turnout of more than 160 participants, which was well in excess of last year’s number of 120. Tokkie Bombosch was the overall winner of the full event and winner of the Over 40 category. He completed the 1.2km swim, 22.4km hilly off-road cycle and 8.7km bush run in a time of 2h 14m.

Gerhard de Bruin of South Africa won the Swakop Ultra Triathlon on Saturday, beating compatriot and defending champion Nico Sterk into second place.

De Bruin completed the 1.9km swim, 90km cycle and 21km run in a time of 4h31m. The first Namibian and winner of the Male Veteran category was Paddy Murphy in a time of 4h50.

Coastal fever in Swakopmund gains momentum with the Swakop Half Iron taking place on Saturday, December 6. Pupkewitz, FNB and Puma will again be the co-sponsors of the ultra triathlon, which consists of a 1.9km swim, 90km cycle and 21 km run.

Event organisers, Otb Sport, said that the Swakop setting was a big attraction amongst triathletes. A number of South African and international athletes have booked their tickets and last year’s winner, Nico Sterk, a SA top 10 ultra athlete, will be back to defend his title.

Great conditions contributed to the hugely successful Verizon Off-Road
Triathlon that took place on Sunday at the Friedenau Dam.

More than 120 participants took part in the Off-Road Triathlon - making it the

Name Swim Run Total Time Overall

Male Open Category
1 Alex Ray 22:26 8:22 30:48 2
2 Paddy Murphy 23:48 7:07 30:55 3
3 Mark Brinkmann 25:10 8:44 33:54 5
4 Henk Schoeman 25:59 8:55 34:54 6

The 16-year-old Maximilian Siedentopf was the overall winner of the inaugural Pupkewitz Jetty Mile which took place in Swakopmund on Friday, December 28.

Siedentopf covered the event, which consisted of a one mile swim and another mile run, in a time of 29 minutes 54 seconds.

This coming Friday the Pupkewitz Jetty Mile will be taking place in Swakopmund. This first time event has captured the spirit of the open water sea swimmer and to date there are over 50 entrants eager to plunge into the sea and swim the one mile from the Aquarium past the Jetty to The Mole.

Nico Sterk of South Africa was the overall winner of the Swakop Half Iron Triathlon that took place at Swakopmund on Saturday, December 8.

It was the second successive year that he had won the title and his decision to train in Swakopmund a week before the event certainly paid off as he finished well ahead of the participants. Sterk completed the 1,9km swim, 90km cycle and 21km run in a time of 4 hours 18 minutes and 9 seconds, to finish more than half an hour ahead of the the rest of the field.

The annual Swakop Half Iron triathlon takes place on Saturday, December 8 in Swakopmund at the Mole.

Namibiaâ??s top triathletes, Paddy Murphy and Cordula Moller will participate in the individual category, but Murphy can expect strong competition from South Africaâ??s Nico Sterk, who won the event last year.