Challenge Samarkand demanded a fight for every meter this year. With soaring temperatures and punishing winds, the Central Asian race proved a true test of endurance. In the end, it was Britain’s Will Draper and Spain’s Sara Perez Sala who rose above the conditions, delivering outstanding performances to claim victory in a thrilling day of racing.
Men’s Race: Draper Hunts Down Stapley
The men’s race began much as expected, with Henri Schoeman and Max Stapley breaking clear in the swim and exiting the water with a commanding gap. Once on the bike, Stapley surged ahead, dropping Schoeman with apparent ease and stamping his authority on the race. For much of the ride, Stapley looked untouchable, stretching his lead to minutes over the chasers.
But the final 20 kilometers of the bike told a different story. Signs of fatigue crept in – Stapley shifted restlessly in the saddle, glanced nervously over his shoulder, and his once-fluid pace began to fade. Behind, Draper was delivering a storming ride. Despite conceding several minutes in the swim, he clawed his way into contention and hit T2 just over a minute down, with the rest of the field already out of the picture for the win.
Under the blazing Samarkand sun, Stapley led the opening 10 kilometers of the run, but Draper was closing relentlessly. Meter by meter, he reeled his compatriot in, finally making the decisive pass around 12 kilometers. Draper never looked back, holding strong to the finish to cap off a superb victory.
He broke the tape in 3:40:42, with Stapley taking second in 3:41:35. Serbia’s Ognjen Stojanovic unleashed the fastest run of the day – nearly four minutes quicker than Draper – to charge into third place in 3:43:54.
Text continue below picture and finish line interviews with Draper, Stapley and Stojanovic:
Women’s Race: Perez Sala Executes Perfectly
The women’s race unfolded true to predictions, with Sara Perez Sala immediately surging to the front in the swim. The Spaniard opened a commanding gap that gave her the perfect platform for the bike, where she continued to impress. Despite pressure from the chasing pack – Amelia Watkinson, Sara Bergsten, Marta Lagownik, and Chloe Sparrow among others – Perez Sala proved simply too strong, extending her lead to around six minutes heading into T2.
The half marathon loomed as the decisive question mark. Perez Sala has admitted that running is her Achilles’ heel, and she knew survival would be the key. Starting sensibly, she avoided going out too fast, but that conservative pacing allowed Watkinson to rapidly eat into the deficit. The Kiwi posted a run split five minutes quicker, but Perez Sala refused to crumble. Staying calm and composed, she held her nerve and defended her lead all the way to the finish line.
Perez Sala claimed victory in 4:05:31, with Watkinson runner-up in 4:07:12. Bergsten rounded out the podium in 4:10:38.
Down below the finish line interviews with Perez Sala, Watkinson and Bergsten.