On Saturday July 22nd 2006, the Canoe-Triathlon took place, as it does every year, in my hometown Kelheim (located in the lovely Danube valley Altmühl). This race is organized by the local canoeing club with the intent of joining three different sports, that are usually hard to combine, together into one competition.

Equipped with a specially assembled Pirate Team outfit (thanks Ron!), we started as a relay tream, which means that the runner starts out and then turns the race over to a mountain biker, who turns it over to the guy in the boat. The runners' track was 2.8m/4,5km long, the mountain bikers' route was 7m/12km long with 656 verticle ft/200hm and the people in the kayaks had to go 1.2m/2km up stream and then 1.2m/2km down stream on the Danube.

The starting shot was fired at noon, in extremely hot weather that included high ozone readings.
Our runner had a great start and made it to the transition area with the first group, in 4th place, where he sent me off onto the bike route. After a short ride, I reached the first ascent, which made 92°F/32°C in the shade feel like 104°F/40°C. But hey, it's finally summer, so who are we to complain! After 7.5m/12km and a few sweaty battles for positioning, I turned the race over to the "Chief Pirate" and master of the Danube in his kayak. He defended our position in the field and held on to third place all the way across the finish line.

All in all, it was a successful beginning for "Team Pirate" and MikeyBikey dressed all in pink.

Greetings to all of you from Bavaria