Powerman Experience Day 2023 – weather, atmosphere, participation – all great!

Wonderful weather and high temperatures, actually not at all like the Powerman weather normally is. The atmosphere was correspondingly great on Experience Day at the start of the 34th Powerman Zofingen. 250 participants had fun at the PowerKids, the Aargau Pupils Duathlon, the Swiss Youth & Juniors Championship or the Powerman Charity (running, cycling and hiking). On Sunday, the short-distance race and the 34th World Triathlon Powerman Long Distance World Championships will be more serious.

On Powerman Experience Day, the Powerman Saturday, spectators and participants were able to get a first positive impression of the new Powerman Arena. For the first time, the start and finish were no longer at the Stadthalle and the Gemeindeschulhaus, but on General-Guisan-Strasse and the Schützenwiese. The response was mostly positive. The spectators emphasised that the new arena was more familiar, the Expo exhibitors had even more customers than before because it was more centrally located, and the athletes immediately found their way around the new area.

Picture: The PerKids Panters before the start

Great increase

“In the power kids alone, we had 171 starters, an increase of more than 50% compared to the previous year – great,” said a visibly satisfied OC President Stefan Ruf. “Of course we would like to have 200 or even better 300 kids at the start in the future, but I am very satisfied with the turnout and especially the atmosphere this year.

Picture: Power Bernie cheers on the PowerKids

Future stars

With the PowerKids races, the Powerman Zofingen itself ensures that in the medium future there will probably be even more Swiss on the podium. “I definitely want to start in the long distance race later on and compete for the win there,” said Vito Thoma. The six-year-old from Aarburg won the PowerKids Panter race for 6- and 7-year-olds with aplomb. The young member of the Satus Aarburg also likes apparatus gymnastics and is very ambitious, he was already the fastest Aarburger in his age group. “I also want to fight for podium places over the long distance one day,” says nine-year-old Damal Lyan from Zofingen, who won the PowerKids category Tiger (8- and 9-year-olds). “Already my mother and father were very sporty. I myself still play handball at TV Zofingen.” The participants in the PowerKids Family category were also very sporty. “I will definitely take part again next year, together with my dad,” promised 5-year-old Leonie Frey from Unterentfelden, who competed in Zofingen for the first time. “It was a lot of fun and I want to compete here over the long distance later on.” Her 38-year-old father Daniel will be back in action on Sunday, “namely for the fourth time over the short distance, although I won’t have any great ambitions.

Picture: Damal Lyan, the winner in the PowerKids category Tiger in the middle.

World stars in the Expo Zone

The events at the Powerman Expo were already very interesting on the first day. For example, Natascha Badmann was there as an exhibitor. The six-time Ironman Hawaii world champion and two-time Powerman Zofingen winner will be in action in Volketswil on Sunday, 3 September 2023. The Duathlon Long Distance World Championships will be offered as a livestream in German and English on various channels. The easiest access is provided by the Powerman Zofingen homepage: www.powerman.swiss. The experts Natascha Badmann, Paul Groves, Michael Ott, Marc Widmer and Raphael Galliker will be commentating for eight hours starting at 7.55 am. In addition, there will be a two-hour live TV broadcast on Tele M1 and TV24 from 2 p.m. during the decisive final phase. Raphael Galliker, member of the management board of the Powerman Zofingen, will commentate on TV in the studio of NEP Switzerland AG in Volketswil. Co-commentators are Michael Ott (World Championship bronze medallist in 2022) and Marc Widmer, Duathlon Director at the Swiss Triathlon Federation. Also in the Expo Zone was the reigning world champion Melanie Maurer. The cyclist from Wikon was getting the finishing touches from bike doctor Michi Albani. “She is ready to defend her title, likes the high temperatures much better than cold and rain,” said Albani. Maurer confirmed: “Yes, I’m ready!” On Sunday, the women start at 8am for the 34th World Triathlon Powerman Long Distance World Championships. At 9 a.m. the men will get their turn. The World Championships programme includes 10 kilometres of running, 150 kilometres of cycling and another 30 kilometres of running. The starting signal for the short-distance duathlon over 10 running, 50 cycling and 5 running kilometres will be given at 9.45 a.m. (women) and 9.50 a.m. (men).

Text and photos: Raphael Galliker
More info/pictures on:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/powerman-zofingen/albums/72177720310911606

The PowerKids-Family category was very popular

Daniel Frey and his daughter Leonie from Unterentfelden, together with Power Bernie after crossing the finish line in the PowerKids Family category.

The reigning world champion Melanie Maurer gets the latest racing tips from bike doctor Michael Albani.