Emotions run high in Kona

Scandinavia’s top triathlete and ECCO brand ambassador, Rasmus Henning, may have completed his last competitive race at the prestigious Ironman World Championships in Hawaii, but it was fellow Scandinavian and ECCO ambassador Michelle Vesterby who really made her mark on her Kona debut, finishing in 12th place.

Rasmus KonaRasmus completed the race in 8:53:39. Although positioned in the top 10 for a large part of the race, the run took its toll and he crossed the line in 22nd place, a respectable finish for the Danish athlete who has given his all to the sport in a 13 year career.

After completing the race, Rasmus said:

“I would of course, have liked to finish better, but my body didn't give me any more to work with. My swim was great, and I actually felt better on the bike than I have during the previous two years here, but half way through the marathon I simply ran out of energy. I did my best to take in the atmosphere and enjoy the final bits of the race. Crossing the finish line was really quite emotional. It was fantastic to hear the love and good thoughts from my fellow racers and the spectators.

“It is a perfect time to retire, and I am absolutely happy about my decision. I stop at the end of a great season with 3 big victories, while my body is still in a condition which will allow me to do more recreational sports for all the years to come.

"I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported me in my career as a triathlete over the past years”.

Michelle Vesterby made her debut at Kona. Tackling the challenging course for the first time, Michelle finished in 12th place with a time of 9:42:22, a great result for the athlete who completed her first ever Ironman distance in November 2011.

“I want to say thank you for all the support; it meant the world to me! I was really happy with my final position but it really was a hard day, with many ups and downs. The mental fight was hard and made even more tough by the high temperatures and strong winds. But, all in all, I'm happy to be the 12th best girl in the world.”

Matthias Schwarte, Marketing Manager ECCO Performance, says: “We’re extremely proud of Michelle and Rasmus’s performances at Kona as the only two Scandinavian pro-athletes to qualify.

”It’s been a pleasure working with Rasmus since 2009 and he has provided invaluable insight as an elite athlete into the development of BIOM Running Range. We wish him every success in his next venture.  Michelle is a rising star in triathlon and we’re delighted with her success this season and at her Kona debut. We are sure that Michelle has a bright future in triathlon and ECCO look forward to supporting her along her journey.”

Rasmus and Michelle premiered the ECCO BIOM EVO RACER at Kona, available from spring 2013.





 

Sports news / 09.08.2012

SCANDINAVIAN ATHLETES RASMUS HENNING AND MICHELLE VESTERBY QUALIFY FOR KONA

ECCO ATHLETES ARE THE ONLY TWO SCANDINAVIANS TO QUALIFY FOR IRONMAN’S FLAGSHIP EVENT

Rasmus and MichelleKona, Hawaii, July 2012: Professional tri-athletes and ECCO ambassadors, Rasmus Henning and Michelle Vesterby have earned themselves a place at the World Championships in Kona, and secured a place in Scandinavia’s triathlon history as the only professional athletes from the region to qualify this year.

Rasmus qualified following an exceptional run at the half Ironman in Calgary, Canada last weekend, finishing with a 40 second lead on his nearest rival, Chris Legh, who placed second. 2012 has been a strong season for Rasmus who topped the podium at the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon in March, Challenge Fuerteventura in April and now the half Ironman in Canada.

"The transfer time from bike to run is always a crucial point for me, as a few seconds either way can make a real difference to a close race – especially in one like Kona where you’re competing against world-class elite athletes. Since I don’t have to wear socks with my ECCO BIOM’s as the sole is sewn into the uppers, it helped shave seconds off my time going into the run in Calgary and I’ll definitely be using this to my advantage in Kona.”

Michelle Vesterby qualified for Kona with very strong performances in her last two triathlons; finishing first and second at the famously grueling Ironman Lanzarote and Ironman 70.3 Haugesund respectively. It’s a fantastic achievement for the athlete who only completed her first Ironman distance in November 2011. She has now set her sights on placing in the top 10 at the world-renowned Hawaii event:

“It’s a great feeling to have qualified in the first cut. It gives me a chance to focus in on training for Hawaii. Taking into account my performance so far this season I think I stand a real chance of a top 10 finish and I’ll be going to Boulder, Colorado in August to focus all my efforts on training for the event. Being the only Scandinavian women competing at Hawaii is an amazing honour and it’s a personal achievement for me to stand on the starting line alongside the top triathletes in the world.

ECCO’s Marketing Manager Performance Matthias Schwarte added:

"We are proud that two of our athletes qualified for Kona, whilst wearing BIOM, and it is even better that they are the only Scandinavians. We are happy that our shoes could make a difference and we’ll be supporting Rasmus and Michelle all the way on their road to Kona."

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