Muetze and Gocian hold off competition to win

The Riyadh Triathletes faced one of the hardest and hottest events of the season with the dreaded Double Duathlon on Friday the 13th.
This event consists of a four-kilometer run, followed by a 10-kilometer cycle ride, a three-kilometer run, another 10-kilometer ride, a two-kilometer run, yet another 10-kilometer ride and finally a one-kilometer run. The event was hosted at Ranco Farm, a regular venue, so club members were used to the course and well aware of the many leg-sapping climbs and the very sharp corners on the downhill section of the cycle route.
Thirty-one competitors began the first of the four runs, all which followed an “out and back” format. Steve Tomlisson (M – Veteran) came home first just ahead of Antonio Castellanos (M – Open) and Dave Wright (M – Open) who finished together.
After the quickest of transitions Gerd Muetze (M – Open) was first to return to transition completing the opening 10-kilometer ride in 00:17:33. Castellanos came home second with Nasser Al Mutrad (M – Open) in third place.
At the end of the second run, Tomlisson had regained third place, with Castellanos and Muetze switching places at the top. Casetellanos and Muetze again switched positions at the end of the next ride, this time joined by seasoned cyclist Scott Waight in third place.
By the end of the two-kilometer run Muetze, Castellanos and Tomlisson were fighting between themselves for the top three positions. Muetze took first overall, benefitting from his consistently faster transition times.
In the Category B race Freda Gocian (F – Veteran) dominated the bike stages, and despite being relegated into second place in most of the run stages by Katerina Holeckova (F – Open), Gocian took first place overall. Congratulations must also go to the club’s triathlon newbie Loreli Watson (F – Open) who battled on to take third place in Category B.
All the competitors would like to thank the supporters for enduring the early morning start and distributing much needed water throughout the race.
Riyadh Triathletes would also like to thank Carrefour @5 le Mall for their support for this season.
Join Riyadh Triathletes on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/RiyadhTriathletes) and Twitter: @RTriathletes
Results:
Category A: 1st: Gerd Muetze, (M-O), 1:39:31; 2nd: Antinio Casetllanos (M-O), 1:41:53; 3rd: Steve Tomlisson (M-V), 1: 42:34; 4th: Nasser Al Mutrad (M-O), 1:49:43; 5th: Scott Waight 1:50:13

Category B: 1st: Freda Gocian, (F-V), 2:11:36; 2nd: Katerina Holeckova, (F-O), 2:13:44;
3rd: Loreli Watson (F-O) 2:50:54