Triathlete Weiss

“I was always the donkey that pulled along”

Michael Weiss last competed in the Ironman Campeche in Mexico.(Bild: Michael Weiss)

He has already won nine Ironman races. This makes him Austria's most successful triathlete. But the ex-mountain biker is still annoyed by slipstreamers. A new electronic system is now set to change this in major races. It will also be used at the Challenge Triathlon in St. Pölten on May 26. This is not the only reason why Weiss is the favorite.

The countdown to the Challenge Triathlon St. Pölten on Sunday starts with the kick-off bike ride. With the exception of the highway, the original race course will be used. Michi Weiss, who already won in the provincial capital in 2018, is the top favorite for the race on 26 May...

...and is highly motivated this year for his second home victory on the half-distance: "Last year, I did two long Ironman races just before St. Pölten," reveals the Gumpoldskirchner, "this year, everything speaks for St. Pölten, so I'm going into the race fresh." But not without preparation: next Saturday, Austria's most successful triathlete will compete in the half-distance in Utah, where the now 43-year-old won the first of his nine long-distance Ironman races in 2010. "It's all about points for the Pro Series there."

The traditional start in St. Pölten with a jump into Lake Viehofner See.(Bild: JOSEF SALOMON)

This will also be the 43-year-old's first contact with a new system: Race Ranger. This is designed to electronically measure compliance with the 20-meter distance when cycling and indicate this to athletes and judges by means of flashing lights. This is now standard in all major races, including St. Pölten. "Then the discussion about slipstreaming is over," nods organizer Christoph Schwarz. Ex-mountain biker Weiss hopes for fair races at last: "As the worse swimmer, I always have to ride in front. Then I was always the donkey that pulled others along," says Weiss.

"With slipstreaming, we're talking about a 20 to 30 percent increase in performance." His performance is boosted by the motivation that the national championship title beckons. And it's not just Michi who is chasing it: based on the registrations so far, it is already clear that St. Pölten has the largest field of starters of any championship to date.