News
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February 8th, 2018
“Super Wood”, the Future of Bikes?
US researchers developed super-strong and tough densified wood that could be an alternative for road race bicycle manufacture in the future.
The team, led by Dr. Liangbing Hu, at the University of Maryland were successful in transforming natural wood into a high-performance structural material following a series of treatment. The “super wood” is expected to be substituted into any application where steel is currently used, such as cars, aeroplanes, buildings and, presumably, bicycle manufacture.
The new wood is comparable to carbon fibre but much less expensive and lighter. Wood had already been used for bicycle manufacture for some years as it absorbs vibrations well, making cycling on bumpy roads smoother and less tiring, and there are more than one hundred companies that make bikes from wood or bamboo. The “super wood”, which is claimed to be tenfold stronger than regular wood, could be used in race bikes.
University of Maryland researchers are proposing that bulk natural wood is transformed using a two-step process that involves the partial removal of lignin and hemicellulose through boiling in an aqueous mixture of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulphite. The material is then mechanically hot-pressed at 100°C, leading to the total collapse of cell walls and the complete densification of the natural wood with highly aligned cellulose nanofibers. The treatment results in a material that has a specific tensile strength that is higher than that of high-specific-strength steel, and even of lightweight titanium alloy.
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February 3rd, 2018
Fastest Field Ever Set For 9 February
15 men with sub-60 bests will hit the course at this year’s RAK Half Marathon while the world record holders of both marathon and half marathon will meet on the women’s side.
The race, promoted as the “World’s Fastest Half Marathon”, gathered a strong elite field once again staying true to its reputation. Jorum Lumbasi Okombo, who ran his PB of 58:48 last October, and the reigning RAK champion Bedan Karoki will line up on Friday, 9 February alongside 13 others who could go the distance faster than an hour. The Turkish distance star Ali Kaya is also entered in the race and will try to improve his career best of 1:00:16.
Two Kenyans with world record achievements within the last year are headlining the fast women’s field. Joyciline Jepkosgei who bettered her half marathon record to 1:04:51 in October and Mary Keitany, the new record holder of the women-only marathon by her 2:17:01 in London last April will clash with another nine women with sub-68 bests.
The event, held in Ras Al Khaimah, one of the seven Emirates that form the United Arab Emirates, utilises the timing services of the local Premier Timing, and Depar Timing acts as the Assisting Timing Company. The Depar Timing Team who will be in charge in RAK will fly to the Emirates on Wednesday, 7 February.
The outstanding elite field of the RAK Half Marathon 2018 is as follows;
Men: Jorum Lumbasi Okombo (KEN) 58:48, Guye Adola (ETH) 59:06, James Wangari (KEN) 59:07, Bedan Karoki (KEN) 59:10, Fikadu Haftu (ETH) 59:22, Josphat Tanui (KEN) 59:22, Albert Kangogo (KEN) 59:25, Augustine Choge (KEN) 59:26, Edwin Kiptoo (KEN) 59:26, Vincent Rono (KEN) 59:27, Leonard Barsoton (KEN) 59:28, Lelisa Desisa (ETH) 59:30, Alex Kibet (KEN) 59:32, Geoffrey Yegon (KEN) 59:44, Solomon Yego (KEN) 59:50, Shadrack Kimining (KEN) 1:00:07, Ali Kaya (TUR) 1:00:16.
Women: Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN) 1:04:51, Mary Keitany (KEN) 1:05:13, Fancy Chemutai (KEN) 1:05:36, Edith Chelimo (KEN) 1:05:52, Gladys Cherono (KEN) 1:06:07, Eunice Chumba (BRN) 1:06:11, Joan Chelimo Melly (KEN) 1:06:25, Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 1:06:35, Caroline Kipkirui (KEN) 1:06:48, Lucy Cheruiyot (KEN) 1:07:23, Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN) 1:07:44, Naomi Jebet (KEN) 1:08:44, Helen Bekele Tola (ETH) 1:09:48.
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January 26th, 2018
Historical Race in Dubai
Ethiopian Mosinet Geremew was victorious at Dubai Marathon with a time of 2:04:00. Top five athletes finished the race within eight seconds.
The Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon, which started early morning on 26 January, saw the course records smashed in both men’s and women’s races. Mosinet Geremew crossed the line first to beat his compatriots after a thrilling finish. The 27-year-old broke the course record by a margin of 11 seconds when he finished in 2:04:00. Debutant Leul Gebresilase took second with 2:04:02 while defending champion Tamirat Tola finished third in 2:04:06. Top seven runners dipped under 2:05, the highest number ever in a marathon.
The women’s race produced similar outstanding performances. For the first time ever in marathon history, top four women clocked sub-2:20 times. Roza Dereje of Ethiopia won the race in a course record time of 2:19:17, followed by Feyse Tadese with 2:19:30 and Yebrgual Melese in 2:19:36.
The winners of the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon takes home a prize purse of USD 200,000 each. Top ten finishers in the 19th edition of the event are as follows;
Men:
1. Mosinet Geremew, ETH, 2:04:00
2. Leul Gebresilase, ETH, 2:04:02
3. Tamirat Tola, ETH, 2:04:06
4. Asefa Mengstu, ETH, 2:04:06
5. Sisay Lemma, ETH, 2:04:08
6. Birhanu Legese, ETH, 2:04:15
7. Seifu Tura, ETH, 2:04:44
8. Yenew Alamirew, ETH, 2:08:56
9. Mekuant Ayanew, ETH, 2:09:20
10. Berhanu Teshome, ETH, 2:10:27Women:
1. Roza Dereje, ETH, 2:19:17
2. Feyse Tadese, ETH, 2:19:30
3. Yebrgual Melese, ETH, 2:19:36
4. Worknesh Degefa, ETH, 2:19:53
5. Haftamnesh Tesfay, ETH, 2:20:13
6. Gelete Burka, ETH, 2:20:45
7. Dera Dida, ETH, 2:21:45
8. Desi Jisa, BRN, 2:24:05
9. Sembere Teferi, ETH, 2:24:11
10. Muliye Dekebo, ETH, 2:26:52 -
January 25th, 2018
New Season In Triathlon
Triathletes of all ages have various race opportunities around the country in 2018. Turkish Triathlon Federation is further negotiating with private organizers.
The annual calendar of the Federation, where the traditional events hold their grounds, is again enhanced with national duathlon and aquathlon competitions. The calendar will offer more options to the triathletes once the private events are included.
The competitions in the 2018 calendar of the Turkish Triathlon Federation are currently listed as below;
Marmaris Duathlon, Marmaris, 10-11 March
Antalya Triathlon, Konyaaltı, 5-6 May
Duathlon Final, Kapadokya, 12-13 May
Didim Triathlon, Didim, 26-27 May
İznik Triathlon, Ünye, 21-22 July
Ünye Triathlon, İznik, 7-8 July
Zafer Aquathlon, Alaçatı, 30 August
Kuşadası Triathlon, Kuşadası, 1-2 September
Bademli Aquathlon, Bademli, 15-16 September
ETU European Cup, Alanya, 22-23 September
Eğirdir Triathlon, Eğirdir, 6-7 October -
January 5th, 2018
Record Number of Entries for Adana
Registration for the International Adana Half Marathon reached to 1500 entrants. The race, set to take place on 7 January, will be timed by Depar Timing.
Incorporating the first leg of the Turkish Half Marathon League this year, the event has already broken its entry record by the increase of the public interest. Depar Timing will make the best effort to serve the Adana Half Marathon with a team of 12 members who will be in charge of transponder distribution before the event, and officiate on the course during the race. On its eighth edition of the event since its inauguration in 2011, this is the sixth year that the services of Depar Timing are utilised.
Along with many Turkish distance stars, foreign athletes with international achievements will also be on the course on Sunday, 7 January. Africans have been dominating for the last five years in Adana, however, Asian representatives may steal the show this year. Kenyan Truphena Chepchirchir, the winner of the recent Mersin Marathon, is expected to face strong opposition from the World U20 Championships medallist Dalila Abdulkadir Gosa of Bahrain. On the men’s side, Dawit Fikadu who switched to Bahrain this year, Moroccon Zakaria Boudad and Alfred Kipchirchir Mukche from Kenya will be in the spotlight.
The women’s race record in Adana is 1:08:53, set by Kenyan Rose Chelimo in 2015. Men’s record is held by Barselius Kipyego with 1:00:46, standing from 2016.
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