Till Schramm has the best of both worlds. The 30-year-old triathlon champion from Cologne, Germany, is proud to call Dubai his second home, and between the two cities he spends the year plotting his assaults on some of the world’s biggest races.
On Saturday, Schramm is hoping to add the Dubai International Triathlon to a long list of victories.
“Last year I really enjoyed the Dubai Triathlon,” he said.
“I finished second which I was happy with, but, of course, victory is always better. I am a Dubai resident so to race and win at home would have been great.”
Schramm attempts to enter as many international triathlons as possible, dividing his commitments between European and Middle East events.
“I spend half the year in Germany and half the year here in Dubai,” he said.
“Staring from October 1am a resident here for half the year and the other half I live in Cologne and take part in the European season.”
This year he has taken part in several regional races, and looking ahead he will take place in the Triple Crown series made up of Dubai Challenge, Oman Challenge and Bahrain Challenge.
The majority of his time is taken up with training for each gruelling competition, but he also has other interests in his adopted city; this year he also spent a good part of the summer in Dubai, as he partners with other entities in providing training services here.
All his thoughts for now are on the Dubai International Triathlon, which this year has a new course: a 1.9km swim leg, at JBR beach next to Doubletree Hilton Hotel; the athletes will then cycle 90km through Dubai Marina and Jumeirah Park towards Motor City, passing through Al Qudra cycle track before reaching Dubai International Endurance City (DIEC), next to Bab Al Shams resort; then the 21.1km run, ending with three laps of a technical course in the grounds of DIEC.
Schramm is looking forward to tackling this route for the first time but says he is already familiar with most parts of it.
“I go swimming in JBR quite a lot so I know the area quite well and I’m used to it,” he said.
“I also know the bike route. It’s a tough route, especially when it’s windy, but that’s the same for all the competitors. You cannot change the conditions.”
Despite rainy conditions on Thursday, ideal weather is forecast for Saturday’s race, which starts at 6.30am.
Schramm also says that he is in great physical condition to go one better than his second-place finish last time out.
“This time last year I was hanging on a little at the end of the European season, but now I feel ready,” he said.
Schramm has won several domestic and international titles since becoming champion of Germany at Under 23 level in 2003. His proudest achievements, he says, are far more recent.
In August he won the Osteeman Triathlon in Glucksburg, Germany, with a time of 8 mins, 37.28 secs and followed that up in September with another victory in his hometown of Cologne (8:56:02).
“Some people might think because I won international titles those would be the highlights, but for me although they were great those were at U23 level,” he said. “But it meant a lot for me to able to win those two races five weeks apart.”
Once the temperatures in Dubai start to rise again in April, Schramm will pack his bags and head home for the European season.
But he will be back.
“One hundred and ten per cent I’ll be here next year,” he said.
“Like I said, I live here and you always find me at the race. It’s the second race for me after Germany.
“I am happy to be here during the winter rather than under a Christmas tree.”
akhaled@thenational.ae
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