1000th start by a Zug triathlon veteran
Mattias Derungs at the Zytturm triathlon 10 years ago in 2009.
Mattias Derungs clocks his 1000th time on the Raiffeisen Zuger Trophy this week. He has been a participant from the very beginning and is busier than ever.
On 21 May 2005, the then 39-year-old Mattias Derungs clocked his first Trophy time - from Zug over 2.4 kilometers up the Zugerberg. On a mountain bike. Since then, the triathlete has ridden the Trophy around 1,000 times and collected a good 5,700 kilometers. "Every year, I aim to complete all stages, all disciplines and all distances," says the multisport athlete. This year is going very well, he says, he has never managed so many starts. Derungs likes the variety of the Trophy. "If you do a lot of sport, you have to listen to your body. With the various sports and different distances, the Trophy offers the perfect training mix," explains Mattias Derungs, "walking and Nordic walking in particular are the perfect balance for me. When I'm Nordic walking, I'm running at seven to eight kilometers per hour for power and I'm happy to finish in the top ranks."
Tri Team founding member
20 years before his first participation in the Trophy, in 1985, the Zug native stood on the starting line of a triathlon for the first time. Tri Team Zugerland was founded in 1989, and Mattias Derungs has been a member since the beginning. He also lends a hand at the Zytturm Triathlon as a member of the organizing committee and treasurer. One of the highlights of his sporting career was the Gigathlon predecessor Transswiss, which he successfully completed in 1995: "We swam from Locarno to Tenero, cycled 230 kilometers over the Gotthard to Greifensee and then ran 46 kilometers to Schaffhausen," recalls the Trophy veteran. He was on the road for just over 16 hours.
Stage finish on Sunday
Even if he can no longer match his fastest times, Mattias Derungs still really enjoys exercising in nature as a balance to everyday life. He will also start a few more times in Menzingen before the end of the stage next Sunday at 4 pm.
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