Challenge week - 10K Road Race Joergensen & Hjelmsoe win

Posted: Tuesday November 29, 2011

Spartans rule in Lanzarote Clasica

The annual International Running Challenge at Club La Santa kicked off this morning with the running of the Clásica de Lanzarote, a 10K Road Race.

The 10k race was won by Henrik Jorgensen of the Sparta club from Copenhagen, Denmark. His winning time was 32:34 ahead of Ireland’s Paul Duffy in 33:35. The Danish athlete led from start to finish and goes forward into the next leg with a comfortable 1 minute lead in the series.

Whereas the event and intention of the series is fun in nature, the competition amongst the women was fierce and lively.

Again the Sparta club delivered the winner, with Lene Hjelmso taking the Women’s title in a decent 36:15. This victory by a minute ahead of Germany’s Simone Maissenbacher may seem comfortable on paper however the gritty German athlete had sneaked an early lead to still be in pole position as they turned towards the ‘Ghost’ town which forms part of the 5km loop which is run twice before the winner is determined on the sport’s resorts tartan track.

With a further 3 events still to come the competition between Maissenbacher and Hjelmso will continue over the forthcoming days.

Comparing the athletes’ personal bests the German edges the Dane by 50 seconds, 34:47 compared to 35:39 and with a time of 75:34 over the half marathon the two athletes are well matched. However, over the marathon distance Hjelmso rules with a 2:41 run in Berlin in 2010 compared to the 2:47 of Massenbacher.

Hjelmso has suffered her fair amount of injuries which has curtailed her in running her club’s organised Copenhagen Marathon. But before this can become a reality she needs to focus on the races which will follow in the next 3 days where the international rivalry is sure to follow.

For the men Duff does not participate in the marathon but is known to enjoy the half however a person of endurance is sure to reign supreme in the end.

Clásica de Lanzarote 10km – Top Men and Women

Men
01. Henrik Jorgensen 32:34
02. Paul Duffy 33:35
03. Soren Helmer 33:51
04. Jonas Brandsbjerg 34:02
05. Brian Dåsberg 34:04
06. Paul O’Connell 34:12
07. Jose Reyes 34:13
08. Poul Greena 34:14
09. Martin Schäfer 34:17
10. Morten Lundsager

Men
01. Lene Hjelmso 36:15
02. Simone Maissenbacher 37:17
03. Christina Bruhn 38:36
04. Annemette Fischer 38:41
05. Louise Brasen 38:54

For full results 10k road race*