The Catalan athlete delivered one of the most thrilling moments with a sprint finish alongside the second-place finisher, Kurt McDonald (AUS)
In This year’s edition of the German franchise Challenge Family has seen the participation of 800 athletes from 43 different countries. It has been an incredible day, with weather conditions ideal for triathlon. Athletes also felt the warmth of the Salou crowd, who once again rallied behind all participants as they crossed the finish line.
Race director Juanan Fernández expressed his satisfaction with the overall outcome of the event, stating: “I am very pleased with the overall result of the race; receiving countless congratulations from athletes as they crossed the finish line has been our greatest reward.” He also emphasized that “the success of the OTSO Challenge Salou is due to the effort, dedication, and professionalism of the entire team.” Fernández took the opportunity to invite all athletes to participate in the event’s tenth anniversary, to be held on May 10 and 11, 2025.
Salou Mayor Pere Granados, who was present throughout the race from the swimming start to the awards ceremony, highlighted that “this is an event of great international prestige that enhances our commitment to sports tourism; undoubtedly, a winning strategy for Salou and the entire Costa Daurada.” He added: “We want to thank the excellent work of the entire organization, as well as the collaboration of volunteers and participants, which have made the Challenge Salou a successful event year after year.”
In the men’s middle distance category, Kurt McDonald (AUS) took the lead in the swimming leg and maintained his advantage in the cycling segment. However, the relentless pace of Guillem Montiel (ESP) in the run leg changed the game. McDonald, who dominated the cycling course with an impressive time of 1:49:26, finished just a fraction of a second behind Montiel, both with a time of 3:43:20. Thomas Davis (GBR) secured third place with a time of 3:44:13. Montiel clinched victory in an exciting final sprint, overtaking McDonald in the last kilometers after closing the gap during the run leg. The changing dynamics among the top contenders kept spectators on the edge, culminating in one of the most thrilling finishes in recent Challenge Family history.
The Salou crowd also thrilled to the competition in the women’s category. After an excellent swim, Natalie Lawrence (GBR) emerged from the water with approximately a one-minute lead over Aurélia Boulanger (FRA). However, Boulanger took the lead midway through the bike leg, extending her advantage to five minutes by the end of the run leg. Boulanger, who won with a time of 4:15:22, dominated the race and showcased her prowess by maintaining a significant lead throughout. Rachel Brown (GBR) fought hard, overtaking Lawrence midway through the run leg to claim second place with a time of 4:20:04, while Natalie Lawrence finished third with 4:21:31.
In the short distance, the men’s victory went to Jimmy Caverzan in 03:01:15, followed by Joan Rodríguez in 3:02:49 and Max Rodrigo in 3:12:33. In the women’s category, Mònica Pau clinched victory with a time of 3:31:18. Second and third place went to Cristina Ramírez in 3:34:07 and Amélie García in 3:41:35, respectively.
Lastly, in the fast distance, victory went to Fernando Bonillo in 1:32:28 and Ellie Green in 1:41:31.
More Than Just a Race
Yesterday, Saturday, June 1st, various activities were organized alongside the OTSO Challenge Salou 2024. In the early morning, a bike course race was conducted with the participation of 100 athletes. Later, the activity moved to Llevant Beach, where a swimming course race took place.
Mid-morning yesterday, the official race hotel, the Medplaya Hotel Calypso in Salou, hosted the briefing and press conference to present the 2024 edition. The event featured the participation of Salou Mayor Pere Granados, Challenge Family President Zibi Szlufcik, race director Juanan Fernández, international professional triathletes João Pereira and Sarah Bonner, and spanish athletes Ariadna Arisó and Guillem Montiel.
In the afternoon, over 100 families also had the unique experience of crossing the finish line at the OTSO Challenge Salou 2024, with a 2-kilometer run.
Acknowledgments
The organization once again thanks all athletes for their attitude during the event and, especially, all volunteers, institutions, police, sponsors, and collaborators whose support made the ninth edition of the OTSO Challenge Salou a success.
Results: challenge-salou.com/en/results-2024
