On Sunday, July 28th, the 39th edition of the Tábor Triathlon Festival took place, attracting the most talented triathletes from around the world. The festival included races of the European Junior Cup, where French competitors excelled, and the Czech Republic sprint championship, where Radim Grebík and Dana Přikrylová triumphed.

Thrilling Men’s Race

After a challenging swim in the choppy waters of Lake Jordán, Hungarian Zalán Hóbor emerged first, winning the Speedo swimming bonus. During the cycling segment, he was caught by Czech representatives Radim Grebík, David Martin, and Filip Tlamka. Grebík took the lead in the running part but finished behind Hóbor. However, Grebík became the Czech champion due to the adjusted ranking.

“It was a very tough race, especially on the bike where we were chasing the Hungarian. In the end, Hóbor was faster, but I am happy with my performance,” said Grebík. Filip Tlamka finished in third place, and David Martin took fourth place, earning the national bronze.

Dominance of Dana Přikrylová

In the women’s race, Kateřina Mičková was the fastest swimmer, but Dana Přikrylová soon overtook her on the bike and built a lead that she maintained until the end. “I believed I could ride alone and kept my pace. The run was tough, but I managed it,” said Přikrylová. Tereza Svobodová finished second, and Kateřina Mičková took third place.

International Participation and Young Hopes

The festival also saw participation from young triathletes from around the world, including competitors from Mexico, Argentina, and the USA. Czech juniors had bad luck, with Jakub Mittner and Šimon Michálek not finishing the cycling segment due to technical issues and a crash. The best-placed Czech was Jakub Homola, who moved up from the back during the bike segment to secure a 23rd place finish thanks to a strong run. Lukáš Plic finished 28th.

Frenchman Pao Millo dominated the junior men’s race, while Lucile Merrienová won among the junior women. Magdalena Kudelová and Nikola Chovanečková were the best Czech juniors but did not reach the top positions.

The results of the European Junior Cup are available here. The Czech Cup results are available here.

Next Sunday, July 28th, the Tábor Triathlon Festival will take place, featuring the European Junior Cup races and the Czech Republic Championships. Athletes from Europe and beyond, including countries like Argentina and Mexico, have confirmed their participation. They will compete on a technically demanding urban course, full of sprints and steep climbs. The race center is located on the banks of Jordán, providing an ideal view of the entire race and an accompanying program for spectators, including refreshments with a triathlon menu.

Elite juniors, considered future Olympic hopefuls, will compete on a course through the city center. “This allows sports fans to watch the race up close and see the athletes tackle urban challenges,” says Šimon Kuncl, director of the European Junior Cup race. Among the competitors will be members of the local triathlon club, led by Jakub Homola.

In the afternoon, the top Czech triathletes will take to the course to compete for the national championship titles. The race begins with the swimming segment in Jordán, followed by cycling around the station, up the hill to the cemetery in Čekanic. “The cycling route includes four laps totaling 20 kilometers. The running segment is five kilometers long, leading along 9. května Avenue, around Hotel Palcát, to the banks of Jordán, and back under the Malt House to the traffic playground,” describes Tomáš Macháček, director of the Czech Cup. “Quick adaptation to the different parts of the course will be key to a good placement,” adds Macháček.

The Tábor Triathlon is also an open championship for military administration employees, held in memory of Staff Sergeant Martin Marcin, Staff Sergeant Kamil Beneš, and Staff Sergeant Patrik Štěpánek, members of the Tábor 42nd Mechanized Battalion who died in a suicide attack in Afghanistan.

The race consistently maintains one of the highest participation rates in the entire racing calendar, with organizers expecting up to 500 participants across categories. “Participants love the atmosphere along the Tábor course, which is among the best in Europe,” describes Herwig Grabner, a representative of the European Triathlon Association.

Don’t miss this opportunity to support young talents.

Brief Program:

Sunday, July 28, 2024
12:30 Start of the European Junior Cup
17:00 Start of the Czech Republic Championship