The first edition of Challenge Venice has been won by Dirk Waijnarda of Nederland who finished the full-distance triathlon's 3.8-kilometre swim, 180-kilometre cycle and 42-kilometre marathon, in a time of 8 hours 9 minutes and 14 second, 10 minutes and 10 seconds ahead of second-placed Sergio Marques of Portugal, and Malte Bruns of Germany who was third across the line.
The top spot on the women’s podium went to Erika Csomor of Hungary who finished in a time of 9 hours and 4 minutes, 42 seconds ahead of the Italian Martina Dogana. They were followed in third position by Carla Van Rooijen of Nederland who crossed the line in 9 hours 33 minutes and 3 seconds.
The 6.30 am start from the Island of Venice was a spectacular sight as the 800 athletes dived into the water while there was a huge turnout of spectators along the cycling route which traversed the Provinces of Venice and Treviso, winding its way through the Municipalities of Quarto d’Altino, Marcon, Meolo, Monastier, Musile, San Donà and Roncade before the final marathon in Parco San Giuliano.
01 Dirk Waijnalda NL 57:24 4:20:34 2:46:49 8:09:14 02 Sergio Marques PT 57:09 4:22:26 2:54:44 8:19:28 03 Malte Bruns DE 54:23 4:23:38 2:56:47 8:20:18 04 Sebastian Bleisteiner DE 54:12 4:24:20 3:01:32 8:25:15 05 Teemu Lemmettylä FI 58:23 4:28:23 2:57:46 8:30:02
01 Erika Csomor HU 1:04:21 4:47:52 3:06:16 9:04:00 02 Martina Dogana IT 59:49 4:52:49 3:06:30 9:04:42 03 Carla Van Rooijen NL 1:15:39 4:55:37 3:15:42 9:33:03 04 Yvette Grice GB 1:01:52 5:08:13 3:21:34 9:43:56 05 Vanessa Pereira PT 1:05:31 5:05:54 3:25:22 9:44:15