Maja Jacober, Recordfinish with the Powerman Zofingen - Maja Jacober has finished the Powerman Zofingen about the long distance already eleven spots. Besides, the 38-year-old native of Zurich mostly landed in the Top-Ten. With her premiere in 1999 she was even second. Jacober is up to now the only woman in famous Jubilee club to which all athletes and female athletes belong who have finished the Powerman Zofingen at least ten times about the long distance - Raphael Galliker / Regula Riesen di Fede (Translation)
 

The Powerman Zofingen is Maja Jacober's favourite running. «A magnificent distance, a great atmosphere and THE challenge in the Duathlon par excellence!» Up to now the 38-year-old native of Zurich began 11 spot and came always to the aim, mostly under the Top-Ten. Before Jacober begun in 1999 to her first Powerman Zofingen, she didn’t know the Thutstadt at all. «And now Zofingen has become a sort of my second native country.» So really consciously this has become to her in May of this year when she went to the start of the Intervall-Duathlon. «I have gone to Zofingen and already they were there, all these positive recollections which I connect with the Powerman Zofingen. To me, it runs down every time coldly in the back, if I leave the highway direction to Zofingen.»

Big challenge

For them the challenge is the Powerman Zofingen par excellence in the Duathlon, says the physiotherapist. «When I started in 1999 for the first time in Zofingen, I did not know even yet whether I create these distances generally.» For example, she has never driven in the training with the racing bicycle more than 100 kilometres. «When I ran then after a cold, rainy day in the Powerman arena, I was just still happy to have created these distances.» If she takes the exhaustion, the tired legs and the recreational time after the competition as a graduation, the Powerman Zofingen definitively is the hardest Duathlon of the world. «On the other hand, give me the magnificent distance guidance by a wonderful scenery and the unique Zofingen atmosphere in each case also a lot of strength.» Besides, would meet me hilly to mountainous distances rather than quite level courses.

Climaxes and breakdowns

Best of all in recollection Jacober remained her Zofingen debut in 1999, when it mastered her first long distance competition as a greenhorn and could keep up with 2nd rank with the Duathlon-world élite. «Then, however, remains to me also of the Powerman in 2005 in special recollection when I became in the Powerman arena still finished and lost with it place 3.» There were bankruptcies, bad luck and breakdowns. «Thus I lost, for example, in 2004 with violent thundershower during the competition the air pump as well as an upholsterer of the arm edition of the «Aerolenkeraufsatz.» Aerodynamic going on became subsequently a quite painful matter.»
She has shot the «biggest bird» probably in 2006. «After the missed platform in 2005 I put to myself then quite clearly a stage place to the aim.» However, unfortunately, Jacober suffered in summer, 2006 a fatigue fracture in the foot and could finish the last six weeks before the Powerman Zofingen no running. Pains in the foot are only low on the day of the Powerman and also the bone has healed so far that it was load-stable again. «To optimise at least all the other conditions, I have borrowed for the bikesprint one week before the Powerman a disc wheel», describes Jacober. When she wanted to pump the disc wheel late-in the evening before the running, unfortunately, the corner piece did not fit. «Apart from the fact that air went to the tyre, I had to consider desperately with, as usual, more air from the tyre escaped.» The fact that the night ran before the competition not quite quietly, one can fancy.« I put my whole hope in another participant with disc wheel and ten minutes before the starting signal my racing wheel also had, finally, an inflated wheel.»

The first woman in the Jubilee club

In 2008 it was taken up the Jacober resident in Ossingen/ZH after ten finishes about the long distance as the first woman in the Jubilee club. «This has already particularly pleased me, because who would have thought this in 1999!» The native of Zurich got a golden honour-pin as well as a special ten-times-Finisher-T-Shirt with the winner's honour. Since that time she may carry on every start in Zofingen as Jubilee Club-Member a special, golden-yellow start number. Besides, twelve members up to now Jubilee clubs have an everlasting start right and own start number with the Powerman Zofingen! As long as there is the Powerman Zofingen still, Jacober to him wants to remain loyal. «Absolutely during the next ten years, maybe sometime any more on the long distance, but it does not give meanwhile still many other start possibilities.»

Form is not right yet

Jacober does not feel at the moment yet in form. «Till present the season did not run really well, among the rest, also because of big health problems. But there remain luckily a few more weeks up to the Powerman Zofingen.» The native of Zurich has set a special goal to herself this year. «I want the Powerman Zofingen in such a way to run that to me John Raadschelders, the president of the international Powerman union, the long and hard winter does not consider any more!» And then still seriously: Last year she has taken approach for an other stage place. «Whether this approach already reaches or whether it needs this year an other additional loop, will appear on the 5th of September.» Whether with sunshine or rain Maja Jacober makes no difference, besides. In contrast to many other athletes and female athletes, she has absolutely no problems with rain weather. This completely after the motto: «There is no bad weather, there are only bad clothes.» What does not accept to her at all, are hot temperatures. Text: Raphael Galliker

Photos: Kirsten Stenzel / Raphael Galliker