Iberian MTB Orienteering Championships 2016: Two giants named David(e)

Davide Machado and David Toll Clos shared the Iberian MTB Orienteering male titles in the Elite class. In Cadaval and Torres Vedras, Portugal, Machado was the strong in the Middle Distance, while Toll Clos get the victory in the Long Distance. Overall, Spain got 7 titles against 5 from Portugal.

Took place this weekend in Cadaval and Torres Vedras municipalities, Portugal, the Iberian MTB Orienteering Championships of 2016, in the male classes. Organized jointly by the Clube Português de Orientação e Corrida and the Académico de Torres Vedras, the event was attended by 133 Portuguese and Spanish athletes, of which 87 struggling directly for the Iberian male titles in the Middle Distance and Long Distance, in six different classes.

The titles of Middle Distance were contested on Saturday, opening the program. 19th placed in the IOF World Ranking, the Portuguese Davide Machado (.COM) confirmed the favoritism, meeting the 14.3 km of his race in 53.29, against 54:14 from the Spanish Ángel Garcia (Brigantia), ranked second. Another Portuguese, João Ferreira (CA Bairrada), closed the podium with a time of 55:36, after a tight fight with his compatriot Daniel Marques (COC) and taking the bronze by narrow 4 seconds. This morning took place the Long Distance stage and then, not unsurprisingly, the Spanish David Toll Clos (Go-Xtrem) was the big winner, covering the 30.5 kilometers of his course in 1:23:11. More than Toll Clos' victory - winner of the recent Spanish MTB Orienteering Championships -, it's impressive the advantage of more than six minutes for the second placed, Davide Machado, with the Spanish David Tarrés (COB) finishing the podium in the third place with a time of 1:31:42.

In the other classes, a special reference to the victory in both stages and the consequent two Iberian titles for the Spanish Martin Enrique Alvarez Braña (Gallaecia Raid) in M17 class and Juan Francisco Abellán Ortin (Lorca-O) in M40 class and to the Portuguese Norman Jones (GafanhOri), in the M60 class. Overall, Portugal earned 24 of the 36 medals distributed, although the largest number of titles would fit to Spain, with 7 wins against five from Portugal. To conclude, it should be noted that the Portuguese event was extended to the female classes, with the Spanish Monica Aguilera (Tierra Tragame) to demonstrate once again her excellent shape, winning both stages in the Women Elite class.

Results

Middle Distance

Men Elite (14,3 Km 500 m 20 C)

1. Davide Machado (.COM) 53:29 (+ 00:00)

2. Angel Garcia (Brigantia) 54:14 (+ 00:45)

3. João Ferreira (CA Bairrada) 55:36 (+ 02:07)

4. Daniel Marques (COC) 55:40 (+ 02:11)

5. David Toll Clos (Go-Xtrem) 56:29 (+ 03:00)

Long Distance

Men Elite (30.5 Km 610 m 15 C)

1. David Toll Clos (Go-Xtrem) 1:23:11 (+ 00:00)

2. Davide Machado (.COM) 1:29:35 (+ 06:24)

3. David Tarrés (COB) 1:31:42 (+ 08:31)

4. João Ferreira (CA Bairrada) 1:33:06 (+ 09:55)

5. Angel Garcia (Brigantia) 1:33:16 (+ 10:05)

More information at http://www.atv.pt/actividades/evento/5/886.

[Archive photos]

Joaquim Margarido