JER: How to Watch a Pentathlon

Our part time status as Pentathlon Nation continues today with an article about watching the 2012 Modern Pentathlon World Cup #3 finals online this weekend.

From JER:

The Rolex live stream is still two weeks away, which gives you two weekends to practice sitting up in bed and getting online first thing on Saturday morning.  We know that’s not always easy.

This weekend, however, offers a unique motivational wake-up training opportunity.   The 2012 Modern Pentathlon World Cup #3 finals are on in Szazhalombatta*, Hungary, and YouTube and ESPN3 will be live-streaming the competition.

The women’s final is on Saturday; men go on Sunday.

Direct links:   women (Sat) — HERE

men (Sun) — HERE

Schedule:

Fencing Highlights:  8.15 – 8.55 (EDT, do the math for CDT and PDT)

Swimming Highlights**: 8.55 – 9.15

Riding LIVE: 9.15 – 10.35

Fencing, Swimming & Riding Highlights: 10.35 – 11.20***

Combined Event LIVE: 11.20 – 11.50

ESPN3 is US-only, and has a shorter schedule beginning at 10.35 EDT.  The direct link for Saturday is here; the schedule – with 40 minutes of riding highlights – is posted at the link.

If you’ve never seen a pentathlon before – and of course you haven’t – here’s my advice: go outside and feed the horses during the swimming.  Everything else makes for great watching, especially the riding and the combined run/shoot.

In Thursday’s women’s qualifications rounds, Canadian Melanie McCann advanced to the final while teammates Donna Vakalis and Mathea Stevens finished just outside (so close!) of the top 12 cut-off.

Go pentathloning.

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*Szazhalombatta means ‘one hundred tumuli.’  A tumulus is a burial mound.  Those Magyars are a cheery lot when it comes to competition venues.
**There is no such thing as swimming highlights.  People in pain swimming laps in a pool is people in pain swimming laps in a pool.
***Don’t forget the post time for the Grand National is 11.15a EDT.  TVG will be airing in the US.  Can Synchronised pull off the Gold Cup-Grand National double?  Will Nina Carberry or Katie Walsh become the first woman to win the big race?