Erika Csomor, the six times winner at the Powerman Zofingen - Erika Csomor won over the Long Distance the women’s race six times in a row now. The 36 year old Hungarian lady makes a three weeks training camp in Davos before she directly comes to Zofingen for the world championships. On the 5th of September she trys to get as close as possible to the track record held by Karin Thürig since 2002 - Raphael Galliker

Erika Csomor goes for the eleventh time to the starting line at the Powerman Zofingen. «My first time in Zofingen was special, of course. It was my first attempt on a long distance endurance event. I never ever raced so long before», says the 36 year old Hungarian lady. «On the third lap near the Bodenberg I wanted to toss my bike into the ditch and quit. It was rainy and I was exhausted but I continued ans I ran up to fourth place. The Powerman Zofingen was a legend for Csomor. «The first time I heard about it was a long time ago. They told about the event as if it was a terrible beast . And I wondered if I ever will have a chance to conquer it.» Only once she didn’t finish the race in Zofingen. «That was 2002, when I had to quitt he race due to sickness and I was very disappointed.» Csomor could celebrate a lot up to now in Zofingen. 2004 she had her first victory in Zofingen. «Winnning the first one in 2004 was the most important success for me. The first one in everything is special. Csomor: «But I was grateful for each victory. Nothing else tastes like winning!»

The Hungarian lady Erika Csomor wants to celebrate on the 5th of September
her seventh victory in a row at the Powerman Zofingen. Picture: Kirsten Stenzel.

Looking for a track record

Csomor looks back with pleasure to her victory in 2007. «With my so far fasttest time in Zofingen of 7:06:38 I missed the course record held by Karin Thürig just by 150 seconds.» She would like to beat this time. «To break a great record like this you need perfect weather conditions, strong opponents and of course great legs. If I would come close to it I will take my chance.» On the 5th of September she wants to win in Zofingen for the seventh time in a row. «On a long distance event like this you never can be confident. I know girls who would be very dangerous for me if they turned up. Every start is a new page. You have to fight from the beginning.»

Winning plan

Csomor talks about her winning plan. «On the first ten kilometers the other women can do the hard work. Then I set up a comfortably uncomfortable pace on the bike and exhaust everyone – including me, because I will suffer afterwards on the second run.» She has a special contract. «Me and the pain are old friends, knowing everything about eachother.» The Hungarian lady stayed at home during the summer. «I was just fed up with traveling, which was very tiring. I wanted a stable life at home.» She did many small races at home enjoying the easy fields and the home support with a lot less travelling kilometres. «So I had a peaceful summer and a good preparation fort he Powerman Zofingen», so Csomor, who had a little bike crash in the beginning of August. She even had to visit the hospital but everything is fine again. «There will be a training camp for three weeks in Davos. I come to Zofingen right away from up there.» Who wants to start at the Powerman Zofingen has to hurry up. You can still sign in online till the 2nd of September.