World Cup #1 Entry List

WikiLeaks has just revealed which competitors will be seen in the first world cup of this year (Palm Springs (CA), United States, 24-27 February). Just kidding, the list is now made public by the organizers and can be found at the official website. Let me say it's a really impressive entry list, most of the top pentathletes are confirmed (84 men and 61 women from 27 countries). Of course we are right now more than one month before the competition so it's subject to small changes. Among the names announced, we have 18 out  of the current top20 in the men's field and 15 out of  the current top20 in the women's field. We can expect a great competition in the Californian desert.

Check the entry list at: http://www.pentathlonworldcup-us.org/pb/wp_4d49f059/wp_4d49f059.html

The American team is still to be announced but if you click the hidden link you can see more about the head pentathletes.

Latest competition results: Paris, Drzonkow (2010) and Palm Springs, CA (2011)

Finishing the 2010 season, we had competitions in Paris (FRA) and Drzonkow (POL) and in the current year we had one competition already, a test and qualifying competition for US World Cup #1 in Palm Springs, California.

In Paris the French Championships  (11-12 December, 2010) had world champion Amelie Caze and youngster Maurin Holyst successfully defending their titles from the previous year. Competitors from Germany and Ireland took part in the competition.

UIPM report: http://www.pentathlon.org/media-centre/latest-news/item/667-caze-adds-french-champion-to-her-impressive-2010-collection
Results: http://ffpentathlon.franceolympique.com/ffpentathlonmoderne/fichiers/File/competition/2010/chpts_de_fce_2010.pdf

In Drzonkow there was an international tetrathlon competition (18-19 December, 2010) with a pretty good line-up and a lot of competitors (with pentathletes from Germany, Czech Republic and Russia). In the men's competition, Michal Kacer finished first, just ahead of Horbacz and Golis, in a very close competition, while in women's competition Oktawia Nowacka didn't have much trouble to top the field, leaving Gomolinska in second and Skarzynska in third.

Full results: http://www.pentathlon.org.pl/upload/2010/halowe_2010.pdf

Opening the 2011 season American and Canadian pentathletes were in action in January the 7th at the US Open/ World Cup Qualifier (featuring the laser pistol, the new addition to combined event). Margaux Isaksen confirmed her favouritism while Sam Sacksen was too strong in the combined event and claimed the title among the men.

Full results: http://www.pentathlonworldcup-us.org/Final_results_in_Palm_Spring.pdf
UIPM report: http://www.pentathlon.org/component/k2/item/675-saksen--isaksen-claim-us-open-title
Pictures: http://usapentathlon.org/multimedia/photo_gallery/2116?ngb_id=17

Open Hungarian Chps. and Brazilian Nationals

The Open Hungarian Championshisps was held in the city of Tata.The line-up was pretty good, with  top pentathletes from Great Britain, Lithuania, Italy, Egypt and Russia, besides the strong Hungarian squad.  Local pentathletes Leila Gyenesei and Adam Marosi  were the winners. Results at: http://www.cardsys.hu/versenyek/2010ob/index.htm

After the successful Pan American Championships, Brazilian modern pentathlon will have its National Championships this weekend in the same venue of the continental competition. See more at: http://www.pentatlomoderno2010.com.br/brasileiro.html. Teammates Priscila Oliveira and Larissa Lellys will fight for  the title and for the second position in the women's national ranking, while Yane Marques will rest and not take part of this event . In the men's field, a quite wide open competition will feature current champion Aloísio Sandes, veterans Daniel Santos and Wagner Romão, youngster Willian Muinhos and  also Luís Magno and Rafael Marzullo. Others competitors will try to impress and upset the favourites though, so we can expect a thrilling competition.
Wagner Romão and Priscila Oliveira were the winners. Full results: http://www.pentatlo.org.br/pdf/252.pdf

Asian Games (Guangzhou, China): Chinese pentathletes win 2 individual golds

Miao Yihua from China won the women's competition on Tuesday by crossing the finish line in first place and scoring 5240 points. Her teammate Wu Yanyan finished in second place after surpassing South Korean Yang Soo Jin, who collected the bronze medal. 2009 World Champion Qian Chen was only fifth, finishing behind her countrywoman Ye Zhang. Former Asian Games champion Lada Jienbalanova, from Kazakhstan, finished in 13th position (out of 16 participants) after not scoring points in riding. In the team competition, China won the gold, South Korea got the silver and Kazakhstan was bronze.

On Wednesday, Cao Zhongrong from China was the best pentathlete of the day as he finished in first position, having recorded 5768 points. South Koreans Lee Choon Huan and Kim In Hong finished in second and third, respectively, with 5704 and 5628 points, and led their country to claim the gold in team competition. China was silver and Japan was bronze.

sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_pentathlon_at_the_2010_Asian_Games
http://www.pentathlon.org/media-centre/latest-news/item/653-china%E2%80%99s-miao-takes-gold-in-guangzhou
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/china/2010-11/24/c_13620778.htm

Pentathletes from the past: Rest in peace, Pavel Lednev

UIPM website brought today the sad news that modern pentathlon legend Pavel Lednev passed away, at the age of 67. Pavel Serafimovich Lednev (or Lednyov, in Russian Павел Серафимович Леднëв) settled two Olympic records during his successful career: the Russian was the pentathlete with most medals won (7) and the oldest pentathlete to win a medal (at the age of 37, in Moscow 1980 Games). After the years of Andras Balczó (HUN) dominance, it was Lednev the most successful pentathlete in the 70's and through his career Lednev faced not only Balczó, but also Janusz Peciak (POL), Björn Ferm (SWE), Daniele Masala (ITA) and his teammates Igor Novikov, Boris Onyschenko and Vladimir Zhmelev. 

In Olympic Games, Lednev collected in individual events one silver (Montréal 1976, finishing behind Janusz Peciak) and three bronze medals (Mexico 1968, Munich 1972 and Moscow 1980); in team events, he was part of the winner teams of Munich 1972 and Moscow 1980) and won the silver in Mexico 1968. The Soviet team was disqualified in 1976 Montréal Games when they were favourites. In World Championships, Lednev took the individual title four times, in three straight years (1973-1975) and in 1978. In 1977, again Janusz Peciak finished ahead of Lednev in World Championships and the Russian finished in second position. Still in World Championships, Lednev was twice part of the Soviet winner team (1972 and 1973) - also collected one silver and two bronzes in team competitions. 

Lednev, as a great pentathlete, was an all-around performer, being a good swimmer, rider and runner and a master at fencing and shooting. 

 image from: http://www.livesport.ru/others/2010/11/24/lednev/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Picture of Lednev and his family at: http://visualrian.com/images/item/81450

sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavel_Lednyov

http://sports123.com/mpe/index.html

Last calendar changes/announcements

One year go I made a post about the calendar in next years: http://pentathloncircuit.blogspot.com/2009/10/calendar-tour-in-next-years.html 

Let's see what changed since then:

2011

WC1 - Announced: Palm Springs, California, USA - after many years (a decade), World Cup is back to the USA - see more at: http://usaworldcup2011.org

WC2 was supposed to happen in Guadalajara, Mexico, which later will host the Panamerican Games. No WC anymore in Mexico in 2011, it was replaced by Cairo (Egypt), which was originally WC3. Then WC4 Italy became WC3 and the venue changed from Roma to Sassari and WC5 Hungary became WC4 and it was announced it will be in the capital Budapest. The sumptuous venue of Chengdu, China,  where the 2010 World Championships took place, is now the last and 5th event of regular World Cups. London (UK)  is confirmed as WC Final venue.

The Junior World Championships was moved from Cairo, Egypt, to Buenos Aires, Argentina and the dates were changed (now it will be in September). 

Next year's Congress will be in Nice, France, oh la la! Of course it's subject to change (like happened this year) and is also subject to overturns (like happened this year, oh what a year).

The mysterious "Champion of Champions" still doesn't has a venue.

2012

Mexican and Egyptian World Cups are not confirmed anymore (WC1 and WC3), only the Hungarian WC (#4).It's still not scheduled a 5th WC (maybe because of Olympic Games). The WC Final will be in the fancy instalations of Chengdu, China. World Championships moved from Milano to Roma, Italy,  and I love pasta, yummy! The UIPM Congress will be in Stockholm, Sweden (modern pentathlon centennial in the place it was born - Olympic Games 1912).

2013

Cairo still confirmed for WC2; WC3 in Great Britain now replaced by millionaire Chinese venue in Chengdu (I guess some people still hurted because faced opposition?). Budapest currrently expected to host WC4 and WC5 (?!) at least it's what you can find at UIPM Calendar right now. 

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Just wondering: Americas will see USA, Mexico and Brazil hosting WC's in next years (USA have the next, Mexico will have the venue of Panamerican Games and Brazil will be approaching to 2016 Olympic Games). Africa will still have Egypt as first option since only this country has active pentathletes; other African countries could claim a competition in order to develop the sport in the country, but it seems they are far from this at this point. The African tournament then would be endangered, since Asia/Oceania might have one WC/year and European countries missing in last years with strong modern pentathlon teams (Czech Republic, France, Lithuania,Poland) and still not scheduled, like Germany and Russia -new darling of UIPM- also might be back to the calendar.

Farewell Libor Capalini!

Czech pentathlete Libor Capalini announced his retirement as professional athlete this year, at the age of 37. He was one the oldest pentathletes left on the tour and had a successful carrer, having struggled hard against injuries during his career, especially in his last years on the tour. I could not leave out that his career was somehow overshadowed by a certain underachievement because of his injuries, so it's not something to blame him since it wasn't lack of effort and discipline, but a lack of luck. I do not intend to forge a hero or victim here, but if I had to pick one of these options, I'd go with hero. Capalini is a role model for the younger talented Czech modern pentathletes generation - and as long as I know, he helped coach Jakub Kucera and others still as an athlete and now he will keep working with the national federation. 

In Olympic Games Capalini grabbed a bronze medal in the single event he took part, Athens 2004. He missed 2000 and 2008 when he was a high level competitor. In World Championships he finished 2nd (1999), 3rd (2004), 4th (2006), 8th (2005) and 9th (2002). In World Cup Finals, Capalini has a record of one title (2006), one silver (2002) and one bronze (2004). Capalini is also the winner of European Championships 2002, 2 titles at CISM Championships and several medals at World Cups, with 3 titles; not only his individual record is impressive, but Capalini has also several medals with his countrymen in relays and team competitions (see more abouth his achievements at: http://www.pentathlon.cz/cs/Historicke-prehledy-19.htm and http://pentathloncircuit.blogspot.com/2009_12_01_archive.html ).

Thank you Libor for all you did for modern pentathlon and you will be missed in the tour as an athlete and good luck in your next steps.