by The Dani Molina Aquathlon held its VII Edition yesterday, in the wonderful surroundings of Lake Pareja. On a hot and sunny afternoon, but in which the gusts of wind sometimes made it difficult for the swimmers to progress. The test had a total of 239, registered in different categories, all of them adapted according to age and the corresponding sporting guidelines, and in rounds that took place throughout the afternoon.
As Dani Molina, organizer of the test, states, “the Pareja weir is the perfect place to do an aquathlon test, you don’t have to go anywhere, you don’t have to cut roads, we have a perfect lake for swimming, a bike lane where you can run is phenomenal and I think the atmosphere and the place are the best there is.”
It so happens that the five-time Triathlon world champion chose the Pareja weir and its surroundings as a training place for the various sporting challenges he faces, which is why he states that “this is my home, my training place, my high performance center.” “Here they have taken very good care of me from the beginning, they have treated me very well, they have always allowed me to train with all the facilities in the world, and when we started with the issue of the aquathlon the Pareja city council decided that it was a good bet for the people and for everyone” he adds.
Unconditional support from the Pareja City Council
As is customary in the celebration of the Dani Molina Aquathlon of the Pareja Azud, representatives of the town’s City Council did not miss the event since, as stated by the Mayor of Pareja, Javier del Río, in relation to the organizer of the aquathlon ” “This is his home, he trains here continuously and what better place to do it, with this bike path, with these clean waters.”
“Last week we were watching people training here and that was precisely what stood out, the clean and transparent waters, the environment and, apart from all that, the endorsement that Dani Molina as an athlete, as an organizer and also as a person, offers to this test” , adds the first mayor, who concluded by stating that “from the Pareja City Council we have been betting on sport for many years, on sport for everyone but also quality sport like the one that Dani Molina offers us.”
For her part, the Councilor for Sports, María Tierraseca, did not want to miss the test either and stated that, for the council she represents, “the one organized by Dani Molina is very important, so we offer him all the collaboration that he asks of us.” , and what better than to be able to give it to them here on the Pareja weir, with people from the area who know the area so that together we can take the name of Pareja to any part of Spain.”
Tierraseca also took the opportunity to announce some of the sporting events that will soon arrive in the area, such as the regattas that will be held on the weir on June 30, the Lago de Pareja Race, which will take place at the end of September or the recovery of the Couple’s Triathlon which, although it stopped taking place, will try to recover with the help of Dani Molina himself. “Let’s hope that next year it can be a reality,” says the Sports Councilor.
An exciting test with exquisite organization
The transformation of the weir bank into a competition complex was a fact thanks to the extensive experience of the organizer. There was no shortage of various tents from which the test was coordinated, providing bib numbers and brand measurement devices, entry control for runners, run by the company tcronometro.com, the area set up so that participants could equip themselves to run after leaving. of swimming or the one in which they were able to regain strength after completing the test.
There was also no lack of support measures in the water, which came from the local company River Aventura, which provided canoes, paddle surf boards and support from volunteers to guide or help the participants in such a sacrificial sporting performance. Of course, a motorized inflatable boat with an aquatic lifeguard on board was following the development of the different categories at all times, even having to provide some assistance to participants who at a given moment could not continue swimming due to cramps, jerks or similar circumstances.
With all this organizational staff prepared, the start of the lower categories took place from 5 p.m. in the afternoon, with water and race distances proportional to the age of the competitors. Starting at 6 p.m., and after the briefing, the sprint test was put into action from the boat dock on the dam, which is held over a distance of 750 meters in swimming, and 5,000 meters in the race. pedestrian. Dani Molina himself gave the start, accompanied by Javier del Río, mayor of Pareja, and María Tierraseca, sports councilor of the town.
In sprint distance, the winner was Jaime Fernández Núñéz, with a magnificent time of 30’42”, which gave his rivals no option. The athlete stated yesterday that “the test is a spectacle, the environment is incredible and the organization, as always, is a 10, a 10 for Dani and for all the volunteers who help.”
In women, the first to reach the finish line was Paula Mayero, who did a superb test and clocked a magnificent time of 30’46” upon arrival. “Last year I came to do the relay and I wanted to do the entire test alone, so this year I dared. The swimming part was too short for me, but the running part was harder for me, although it was very good because there were a lot of people cheering,” says Mayero.
In the Olympic distance, the athlete Jesús Cabrero Soto won, recording a time of 57’49”. Cabrero Soto stated that for him this is a fixed test on the calendar because it has been the fourth edition in which he has participated. “It has been tough because of the heat and, since we swam with neoprene, we came out a little hotter. The place is spectacular, and the atmosphere that Dani prepares is appreciated,” he stated.
In women, and in this same distance, Nadia Rodríquez Ayala won, with a time of 1h 15’35”, who stated that “water is my specialty and I did quite well despite a small problem at the start. In the race part, the first lap is a little hard until you get settled, but then it gets better.”
In the Olympic couples category, CNG CA La Esperanza, from Guadalajara, won with a time of 57’45”, in women the Morenazas couple, who had a time of 1h 08’18” and in mixed the Go Fit Peñagrande team, from Valladolid, with a time of 1h 07′ 33”.
Sports festival on the weir
Throughout the afternoon, participants were able to enjoy the nature that populates the weir and, around the start and organization posts, they even improvised their own preparation spaces in the shade of the olive trees. Both participants and the attending public who so desired were able to access the food and drink stand that the local company El Balcón de Pareja had installed next to the lake.
At around nine o’clock at night, the trophy presentation put the finishing touch to a magnificent sporting afternoon. She was accompanied by Javier del Río himself, mayor of Pareja, María Tierraseca, local councilor for Sports, the also councilor of Pareja, Antonio Alcalá, and Nacho Redondo, deputy for Guadalajara in the Regional Courts and supportive athlete, and Dani Molina himself, organizer of the test, who did not want to miss the opportunity to hold a new edition of the same despite being currently immersed in the preparation of his participation in the Paris Olympics.
