New training partner

Matchmaker Pertl brought Vorarlberg to Salzburg

Leon Pauger often trains with the Pertl brothers in Salzburg.

(Bild: VTRV)

The triathlon brothers Lukas and Philip Pertl are now training with Vorarlberg's Leon Pauger. Philip set the man from Bregenz up with his best friend. As a threesome, they have their sights set on the 2028 Olympic Games.

Love can move mountains. Or, in the following case, provide a new training partner. Triathlete Leon Pauger has moved at least part of his life to Salzburg because of his girlfriend Laura and therefore often trains with Lukas and Philip Pertl. "I think it's really cool, the training conditions are really good with the Olympic Center in Rif," says the Vorarlberg native. The man from Bregenz really likes it in Salzburg. "The surroundings are really great and the city is cool anyway."

The fact that he is here is largely thanks to Philip Pertl. "Leon's girlfriend is my best friend and I set them up," says the Gastein native with a grin. "We fought each other when we were twelve. We get on really well, it's ideal for us as training partners." The Pertl brothers have a good friend with whom they can work together and compete. Just recently, the Vorarlberg native and Lukas Pertl took first and second place at the national championships over the Olympic distance in Wallsee (Lower Austria).

Leon Pauger with girlfriend Laura.

(Bild: zVg)

Everyone involved hopes that this advantage will lead to an improvement in performance, which will be particularly important for the 2028 Olympic qualifiers. This year it was not enough for any of the three. They will try again in four years' time. With the right training partners, it can work.

Before that, however, "Paugi" will tackle other competitions. Next week an Ironman 70.3 event in Poland, at the beginning of September one in his new province of Zell am See. Another World Cup is scheduled for the following week.