Astroman Team
Astroman Race Report – 22/05/2011
130 athletes on the start list, blue sky, sunshine and warm temperatures: exceptional circumstances looking back at the days of rain and grey weather which preceded the event.
Saturday at 2pm the flow of the athletes to the registration area grew steadily as another category of athletes were running up and down the streets in anxiety. The children’s event was the highlight of the day.
Children events:
At 5pm 40 children aged 5 to 15 lined up on the beach in three separate groups, ready to compete in their first ever mini aquathlon. Swim and run was on the menu and the competitors were hungry! 
Encouraged by a large crowd of parents, athletes and local curious they all swam and ran to the finish, proudly collecting their medals and certificates under heavy cheering.
Saturday evening as the transition area finally looked full, Dimitris Kasimis started his pep-talk to 80 athletes, briefing them about race strategies, rules and behaviours. His status of last year winner and leading multisports coach made for a thoroughly appreciated speech by all present. Then it was time for the pasta-party by the small-port and early sleep for everyone.
Race report:
Sunday morning finally, it was time for the 117 athletes to start the 2nd edition of the Astroman. The start bipper went and the washing machine started. Ioannis Fanakis quickly made his way to the lead of the pack, developing a visible gap from the very start. Following him in a second wagon were Alyfantis and Kasimis. Fanakis eventually completed the swim with a 30sc lead over Alyfantis, himself ahead of Kasimis by 20sc.
On to the bike and Kasimis quickly found his place leading the race. Papanikolaou and Dekker were on his heels, trying to make up the minutes lost at the swim. The gap was closing, with Dekker smashing the course of the bike in 2h35 albeit with a fall over a derailed chain.
In T2 Kasimis registered a 5mn lead over Papanikolaou and Dekker who finished the bike a few seconds appart. Fanakis, who was 7mn behind the leader, dropped out of the race over a strained back.
Kasimis steadily increased his lead to 6mn over Papanikolaou in the 1st loop of the run, 8mn in the 2nd loop of the run and finally 10mn at the finish.
Kasimis finishes the race in 4h45, followed by Papanikolaou in 4h55 and Dekker in 5h00. The times are a bit slower than 2010 and it reflects the additional distance of swim, the distance reading 2300m this year due to a displaced buoy.
The two women of the race were both new to the distance. Maria Kamizaki has a few years experience in the sprint distance while French Magali Chevalier is new to triathlon all together. They both raced quite apart with their goal to reach the finish in good shape, which they both achieved. Maria finishes in 6h36 while Magali completes in 7h29. Congratulations to them 2, it takes some courage to be 2 girls in such a bunch of men athletes!
Special note for a special athlete. The last athlete to complete the course, in 8h15, was 58 years-old Moldavian athlete Dimitri Rabutki. Dimitri had travelled by bus all the way from Moldava and finished the race despite a knee injury.
In conclusion. Prior to Astroman, the numbers of greek athletes having completed in a 1/2IM or full IM distance ever (since the sport started end of 1970’s) could be counted on the fingers of both hands. Astroman has brought in 2 years over 170 Greeks to the ½ IM distance. 110 athletes started last year and 117 this year. We wish to keep on improving the event and making it an international race by 2012.
Congratulations to all the participants – and see you next year!
Special thanks:
The Municipality of Astros Kynourias has taken some very good steps supporting the event. The streets around the transition area were all closed, we had full access to the school (transition area) over the week-end. The roads were supervised by the police, and a motorcycle was opening the road to the leading athlete. The Municipality ensured a boat was at our disposal for the swim supervision. At the finish, all participants received a unique “Komboloi” of Astroman made especially for us by the Municipality as well as a finisher certificate. To top it all, the top athletes of the race each received a basket filled with local products. The Mayor has expressed his satisfaction at hosting the race and vowed to contribute and support the event further for the next edition.
In addition to the local Municipality´s support, the local travel Agent Heliatoras represented by Eleni Axiotopoulou, acted as a coordinator between the organisers (based in Athens) and the local community. The organisation team is very pleased with the development, which is key to offering a better event each time.
Sponsors:
Pharmshop and Multirama are the two essential supporters of the Schiniathlon series and of the Astroman in particular. Pharmshop also provided all the bike bottles distributed on the bike course, as well as special presents to the top athletes.
Cyclist and Lestos were both present to ensure bike service during the race. They managed to save a couple of athletes from a potential DNF thanks to their presence both at the transition area and on the bike course.
ΑΠΟΤΕΛΕΣΜΑΤΑ [...]
