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It’s a fair bet that the vast majority of those crossing the Ironman Austria finish line at the start of the month were in joyous spirits and thankful to the organisers, World Triathlon Corporation, for providing a rewarding – possibly life-changing – experience.
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Albeit unashamedly for-profit, as decreed by Wanda Group, its Chinese conglomerate owners, the brand consistently deliver world-class endurance events across the world, and for two decades Klagenfurt has been a particularly popular destination given its picturesque course, and potential for fast times and Kona qualification.
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It’s provided some seminal moments in professional racing too, such as in 2011 when Marino Vanhoenacker won his sixth title in 7:45:58, a time that stood as an Ironman-brand record for five years.
So what’s this gripe of a column for?
Well, nothing, if you’re counting the Ironman coffers or deservedly admiring your bling while sipping a post-race Stiegl.
Yet for those at the sharp end of the race and trying to make a living from the relatively trifling prize money on offer, or for those devotedly – or perhaps deludedly – following Ironman racing and trying to believe in its viability as professional sport, there was quite a bit that went wonky.
Unfortunately, in a week in which cycling was mired in a debacle over whether Chris Froome would race the Tour de France, Austria delivered a podium half-filled with triathletes who can be linked to the stench of doping. They comprise men’s winner Michael Weiss, runner-up Ivan Tutukin, and women’s runner-up Lisa Huetthaler. Each sorry tale has its vagaries, and a quick web-search will send you down those rabbit holes if you choose, but it underlines how triathlon is not free of the stigma that blights so many sports.
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However, the focus for this column – and an area that could be more easily rectified (if there’s a will) – was highlighted by a “Statement Regarding Drafting and Moto-pacing at Ironman Austria” released by fourth-placed British professional, Susie Cheetham, shortly after the race.
*Statement Regarding Drafting and Moto-pacing at Ironman Austria* Many people may have been disappointed be scenes of drafting and moto-pacing at Ironman Austria. I felt that unfair racing and officiating took place at the front of the women’s race, and that it affected the results on the day. I presented video and photo evidence this morning in an appeal against one of the top 3 girls for unfair drafting, and against the race officials for inadequate marshalling and providing an unfair advantage due to inadequate Moto-discipline. I’m pleased to say that after reviewing my evidence, and race footage, my appeal has been upheld. It has been agreed that the front 3 women received an unfair advantage. Although I have been told that retrospective penalties cannot be applied under the race rules; action will be taken to ADVANCE ALL WOMEN PROS BY 5 MIN FROM 4TH PLACE. The official results will be amended. I’m happy with this outcome as it vindicates my concerns that the front of the women’s race was not raced fairly. Unfortunately this will not change the positions and I believe that the advantage gained was a lot more than 5 min. I would also have raced differently if I had known I was 9 min back off the bike, rather than 14 min. I really appreciate the genuine concern and interest that I have been shown by the race organisers, officials and Ironman management. I think the matter has been handled swiftly and as well as possible, and I hope this can be used to learn and make this beautiful race better. Susie
After a brief post-Ironman 70.3 hiatus, middle-distance racing returns to St. Croix on 2nd December 2018 with the rebranded Beauty & the Beast Triathlon. Profits from the event will be donated to the post-Hurricane Irma recovery efforts in the US Virgin Islands.
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The legendary race began life in 1988 as the America’s Paradise Triathlon, and will once again offer more Caribbean splendour of turquoise waters, golden sands and sub-tropical rainforests… and the legendary ‘Beast’ climb that delivers a sucker punch for anyone who forgets this is one of the toughest middle-distance races on the planet.
The December 2018 event will offer three races: Long Distance Course (2km swim/90km bike/21km run), a sprint and a sprint aquathlon. Relays are offered in the Long Distance Course and Sprint Triathlon races. In addition, the Long Distance Course race is designated as the Caribbean Long Distance Triathlon Championship.
“We’re are bringing the race back to its initial grassroots nature,” says race organiser Theresa Harper after Ironman dropped their 70.3 event in 2017. “Once again as an independent race, we’re focusing on community involvement. Our goal is to bring back legendary pro triathletes who were part of the beginning years of making history on St. Croix. So far we have Michellie Jones, Karen Smyers and Wendy Ingraham coming. Karen has offered to put on a tri clinic as a contribution to our post-hurricane recovery efforts.
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“Nearly 100% of the proceeds of this year’s race, including the clinic, will be donated to several local non-profits who were devastated by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017,” adds Harper. “Recovery is happening (slowly) but there are still many homes without roofs and businesses that have yet to reopen.”
Those who came and conquered St. Croix over the past 30 years essentially reads like a who’s who of the sport’s legends. That cast list has included Mark Allen, Scott Tinley, Dave Scott, Scott Molina, Mike Pigg, Paula Newby-Fraser, Erin Baker, Karen Smyers, Greg Welch, Michellie Jones, Natasha Badmann and Spencer Smith.
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Head to stxtriathlon.com for more information on the Beauty & the Beast Triathlon.
2016, 2017, 2018… it’s a THREE-PEAT! What a come-from-behind performance by @mariomola to win #WTSHamburg for the third straight year! pic.twitter.com/W38KA1BmNM
— World Triathlon (@worldtriathlon) July 14, 2018
Mario Mola underlined why he’s the firm favourite to win a third consecutive world title with victory in Hamburg.
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The north German city has proven a happy hunting ground for the 28-year-old Spaniard, who relied on his formidable leg speed on the 5km run to come from behind and triumph for the third straight year.
Britain’s Jonny Brownlee raced aggressively to forge a three-man breakaway on the bike, but was eventually out-sprinted by France’s Vincent Luis and South African Richard Murray and had to settle for fourth.
“The atmosphere is unbelievable,” Mola said of the city where he’s enjoyed such success. “I enjoy the course and the venue.
“I am very happy with how things have gone, but know from past experience it’s not decided until the end. I just have to keep doing the work and hopefully will be at my best in [Gold Coast in] September.”
Hamburg is the longest-standing venue on the ITU World Triathlon Series calendar, having hosted events since 2002. It reverted to sprint distance in 2012 and consistently draws crowds of thousands.
Mola went into the race with a commanding lead over Luis in the series thanks to a win in Yokohama, runners-up spots in Abu Dhabi and Leeds, and a fourth place in Bermuda.
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Tom Bishop was the highest-ranked Brit in 14th, with Brownlee having competed just once in an injury and illness-ravaged season.
Belgium’s Marten van Riel and Slovakian Richard Varga led out the 56-strong field over the 750m swim, which included a short, dark tunnel section before they reached the ramp to T1.
New Zealand’s Ryan Sissons also marked his 50th WTS race by joining Australian Ryan Bailie in picking up a 10sec penalty for a false start.
After the race looked like it might come together on the flat, city centre course, Kristian Blummenfelt, Luis and Brownlee managed to make a breakaway stick and grew the lead to 15secs halfway into the 20km and retained the advantage into T2.
Brownlee (2013) and Luis (2014) had both won previously in Hamburg, and Norwegian Blummenfelt had recorded four runners-up spots in his past seven WTS races, so it looked as if all three were strong podium contenders.
But on the first lap of two on the run, Blummenfelt pulled up with what looked like a stomach issue, and Murray and Mola all but eroded the lead of Luis and Brownlee.
The four came together with just 2km to go, before it was Mola who seized the initiative to ease clear clocking a 13.59 5km split, with Luis just having the speed to pip Murray for second. Bishop finished 17th with Sheldon being lapped out on the bike.
The team mixed relay takes place tomorrow and the next stop on the World Triathlon Series is Edmonton on July 27-29, with Montreal and the Grand Finals at Gold Coast to finish the season.
Hamburg WTS: Race result.
Mario Mola, 53.24
Vincent Luis, +5sec
Richard Murray, +8
Jonny Brownlee, +12
Jacob Birtwhistle, +18
Series standings.
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Mario Mola, 4641pts
Vincent Luis, 3133
Richard Murry, 2507
Jacob Birtwhistle, 2389
Pierre Le Corre, 2226
Cassandre Beaugrand destroyed a steller field to record her first World Triathlon Series win in serene fashion in Hamburg.
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The reigning French champion had finished eighth in Yokohama and recorded the fastest women’s split in the mixed team relay in Nottingham in June.
But this still represented a huge breakthrough for the 21-year-old who dropped out of last year’s race in Hamburg after the swim.
Germany’s Laura Lindemann – who beat Beaugrand to the junior world title in Edmonton in 2014 – held off series leader Katie Zaferes to go one better than her third place in Hamburg last year. Non Stanford and Jodie Stimpson were the best of the Brits in sixth and seventh.
“Last year I had a crash and today it’s Bastille Day and my boyfriend’s birthday, so I’m very happy to win,” Beaugrand said.
Lindemann said: “I didn’t expect to be on the podium after the swim and bike. I had such a bad transition and just ran for my life. I really like to race here with a home crowd.
“Cassandra was amazing. I raced with her as a junior and mostly I won, but now I’m very happy to see her winning a WTS race.”
The women’s race started an hour after the men’s in Hamburg and was again a non-wetsuit swim. It featured a strong British contingent with Vicky Holland, Jessica Learmonth and Georgia Taylor-Brown, joining Stanford and Stimpson.
The series also welcomed back reigning world champion Flora Duffy. The Bermudan won in Hamburg last summer, and had been out with injury since winning her home WTS in April.
Learmonth, the Commonwealth silver medallist behind Duffy, was ranked eleventh having only appeared twice in the WTS this season, but it was no surprise to see the Yorkshire triathlete emerge first from the water with the competition lined out behind.
Duffy and Taylor-Brown were also in close proximity and it was the Bermudan who surged to the front on the bike as a front pack of six formed also including Beaugrand, Vittoria Lopes of Brazil, and the steadily improving Taylor Spivey of the US, who finished seventh in Leeds.
While Duffy so often manages to break away, either solo or in a small group, the rare presence in WTS racing of 2012 Olympic champion Nicola Spirig, combined with the efforts of Australian Ashleigh Gentle and Britain’s Jodie Stimpson, meant the chasing pack cut the lead from 25sec to just 13sec heading into the final bike lap of six.
The field were back together by the time they reached T2 and while Spirig and Stimpson took the lead initially, it was soon Beaugrand who burst with seeming effortless ease to the front and was never threatened as she decimated a world-class field over the run to win by 30secs.
Rounding out the Brits, Taylor-Brown finished 11th, Learmonth 14th and Holland 22nd, as she slipped from second to fourth in the overall standings.
Hamburg WTS: Race result.
Cassandre Beaugrand 58.06
Laura Lindemann +30sec
Katie Zaferes +31
Nicola Spirig +36
Kirsten Kasper +38
Series standings
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Katie Zaferes 3493pts
Rachel Klamer 2639
Vicky Holland 2579
Flora Duffy 2496
Kirsten Kasper 2480
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Just over an hour before their nation kicked-off in Moscow, attempting to win the football World Cup for the second time, a youthful French quartet achieved the same feat in the ITU Mixed Relay World Championship.
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Team France take the tape after another superb #WTSHamburg #TriMixedRelay!! Australia come home in second just ahead of USA after a thrilling sprint finish pic.twitter.com/ojPb5GYKIB
— World Triathlon (@worldtriathlon) July 15, 2018
It was an impressive curtain-raiser for the sporting afternoon in Hamburg as Leonie Periault, Dorian Coninx, Cassandra Beaugrand and Vincent Luis repeated the gold medal success of 2015.
Australia’s fast-finishing Jacob Birtwhistle just defeated USA’s Kevin McDowell in a dramatic sprint for second, and although Britain had been well-placed for much of the race, Tom Bishop eventually slipped to fourth on the anchor leg, 63sec behind the champions.
“We came here with the A Team. When everything works, the team works, and we had a great race. Let’s hope for the same for the match tonight,” Luis said. “We are also really looking forward to racing the relay in the Olympics. It will be a special atmosphere – we’ve never won an Olympic triathlon medal.”
The two-man, two-woman relay is taking on increasing importance in elite triathlon. It was accepted as an additional medal even at Tokyo 2020, and is playing a more prominent role in this season’s World Triathlon Series as Olympic qualifying gets underway.
The first competition of this season’s trio of events took place on the banks of the Trent in Nottingham in June, and there is a further contest in Edmonton in a fortnight.
Australia won last year’s world title in Hamburg and backed that up with victory in April’s Commonwealth Games. It’s a title Great Britain has won three times, but not since 2014.
Twenty teams lined up, with Britain represented by Vicky Holland, Jonny Brownlee, Jodie Stimpson and Bishop.
Netherlands’ Rachel Klamer led out the first 300m swim, narrowly followed by GB’s Holland and the pair – who both had spills on the bike in yesterday’s individual race – quickly set about establishing a lead.
The gap could not be sustained into T2 though, and it was France’s Periault and Germany’s Laura Lindemann, buoyed by the home crowd and her second-place finish from yesterday, who led out the 1.6km run.
On to the second leg, and after Jonas Schomburg emerged first from the swim, a group of four formed on the bike as the German was joined by Brownlee, the USA’s Ben Kanute and France’s Coninx.
The quartet established a 18sec gap over the chasers into T2, and with the rest of the field starting to splinter – limiting the chances to work as a pack – it looked as if the break could be decisive.
Coninx was the quickest over the mile. A previous junior and world under-23 champion, he also won the French title last year – as did the women he handed over to, yesterday’s individual race winner, Beaugrand.
Brownlee was next in and set Stimpson away on to leg three, as Kanute kept the USA in the hunt, with Schomberg fading to end the home nation’s hopes
At the front, Beaugrand kept the advantage and looked as impressive as she had done in the individual event as she time-trialled solo for the lionshare of the 7km bike leg.
But behind her Stimpson was joined by Katie Zaferes and Japan’s Yuko Takahashi, who put in a superlative effort to join a three-woman chase pack that eventually caught the French youngster.
Beaugrand used her run pedigree to again help France take the lead on the run, but Zaferes clung on, leaving McDowell to start the final leg in contention with Luis.
After the two reached T1 together, Luis showed no appetite to work with the American and leave it all to the run, and immediately took off at the front.
By the halfway stage of the final bike leg, the McDowell was 10sec down, Bishop for GB had slipped to 47sec adrift and the ominous presence of Australia’s Birtwhistle was just 4sec further back.
As Luis savoured the finish chute, Birtwhistle powered past Bishop then remarkably clawed back the USA as McDowell tied up in the final stages.
Mixed Real World Championships. Final results
1. France 1.20.06
2. Australia +43sec
3. United States +45
4. Great Britain +63
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5. Netherlands +78
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The IOC have announced the competition schedule for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, confirming the Men’s Triathlon event will take place on Monday 27th July and the Women’s race the following day. The highly anticipated Olympic debut of the Triathlon Mixed Relay will take place on Saturday 1st August.
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The individual races will be disputed over the standard Olympic distances (1.5km swim, 40km bike and 10km run), early morning in the fantastic setting of Odaiba Marine Park. The Mixed Relay teams will bring together two men and two women from the same country, each completing a mini-triathlon before tagging their team mate. The team event also takes place at Odaiba Marine Park, where each of the four athletes will complete a 300m swim, 7.5km bike and 1.5km run.
“We are extremely satisfied with the dates of our events, following months of hard work taking into consideration all the requirements of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and our Sport Department”, said ITU President and IOC member, Marisol Casado.
“We have agreed competition dates that will fit extremely well into global television schedules, and we are confident of incredible engagement with the spectators, both on-site and watching on TVs around the world. It is perfect that the Mixed Relay, one of the most thrilling and vibrant spectacles in sport, will make its Olympic debut on ‘Super Saturday’,” she added.
Triathlon was first included in the Olympic Games programme at Sydney 2000, but Tokyo 2020 will mark an exciting debut for the Mixed Relay, the added team dynamic certain to capture the imaginations of sports fans around the world. The global profile of triathlon has been increasing consistently year after year and, with one more gold medal ready to be contested, the competition in the land of the rising sun is set to be hotter than ever.
A total of 110 athletes – 55 men and 55 women – will compete in Tokyo 2020 triathlon events, with the relay teams being formed of countries with minimum 2 women and 2 men athletes qualified.
The 30 Olympic triathlon medals awarded to date have been split between 13 countries, emphasising the strength of the sport worldwide. The men’s gold has twice been won by Great Britain’s Alistair Brownlee, at London 2012 and Rio 2016, and accompanying him on the podium on both occasions was his brother, Jonathan Brownlee. A bronze medallist in London, the younger of the Brownlee siblings then picked up silver in Rio to complete a famous family one-two.
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And of course British eyes in the lead up will be on the Brownlees with many wondering if Ali could make it three golds in a row…
Could Ali Brownlee win Olympic gold and Kona in 2020?
In the women’s event, Swiss athletes have twice taken home the gold, in 2000 and 2012. Of those, Nicola Spirig is the only female triathlete to have won two Olympic medals, taking the gold in an incredibly tight London 2012 finale ahead of Sweden’s Lisa Norden and then the silver at Rio 2016, finishing behind the USA’s Gwen Jorgensen.
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The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 will use a total of 42 venues, including 24 existing, ten temporary and eight new permanent venues. These will include three venues in Fukushima, Ibaraki, and Miyagi prefectures, which were among those most affected by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake.
Great Britain won nine medals at the ETU European Paratriathlon Championships in Tartu, Estonia, including Lauren Steadman winning a remarkable sixth career European title, and a debut gold for Hannah Moore.
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In case you missed it, GB Paratriathlon had a fantastic day at ETU European Champs today!
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On the 4th August one of the toughest iron-distance triathlons in the world takes place in Norway, the iconic Isklar Norseman Xtreme Triathlon
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It all starts with a jump off a ferry into a dark and icy fjord, which has an average temperature of 14°C, and it doesn’t let up from there. Both the bike course, which has an elevation of nearly 3,000 metres, and the run course, with a climb of nearly 2,000 metres to the race finish at the top of a mountain, are designed to test the toughest of the tough, and with a 15:35hr median finish time, it really isn’t a race for the faint-hearted…
Isklar Norseman Xtreme Triathlon race tips
The scenery is pretty stunning too, taking in some of Noways most beautiful parts including Hardangervidda mountain plateau, before finishing at the rocky peak of Gaustatoppen, Telemark’s highest mountain at 1,850m above sea level.
Norseman Xtreme Triathlon gallery
Above: Gaustatoppenn by iStock / Getty Images Plus /destillat
One of the founders Paal Hårek Stranheim says on Norseman’s website:
“I want to create a completely different race, make it a journey through the most beautiful nature of Norway, let the experience be more important than the finish time, and let the participants share their experience with family and friends, who will form their support. Let the race end on top of a mountain, to make it the hardest Ironman race on earth.”
Two-time Ironman world champion Tim DeBoom won the race in 2011. He says: “Norseman is like going back to the roots of triathlon. Events like this are why triathlon is so big today. The fact that events like Norseman exists gives me hope for the sport.”
British pros racing in 2018 include Emma Pooley and Harry Wiltshire – can they threaten, or come close to, the course records set by the Norweigians Lars Christian Vold (09:52:03) and Anne Nevin (12:04:18) last year?
Can’t make it there to watch or race? Don’t worry we will be streaming all the action live on our website, just go to the 220 home page
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If you want an adventure of a lifetime this race is it…
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Vicky Holland won gold and led a British charge at the ITU World Triathlon Edmonton to move up to second overall in the world rankings. Teams mates Georgia Taylor-Brown, Jess Learmonth and Jodie Stimpson finished third, fourth and fifth.
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Holland demonstrated with her win at the AJ Bell World Triathlon Leeds that she is in excellent form this season, and came to Edmonton fired up after an unfortunate crash on the bike leg in Hamburg two weeks ago. She made sure in Edmonton that she would be the one to beat, attacking the race throughout.
An early swim and bike lead was established by Learmonth, Summer Cook (USA) and Vittoria Lopes (BRA), but it was swallowed up by the leading pack on the climb during the first of five bike laps. At the start of the 5km run, all of the key contenders were there but Holland had by far the best transition and looked full of confidence.
Holland set the fastest run time to win in Edmonton for the second time in her career, the last time being in freezing conditions in 2015. In bright sunshine this time, she raised the finish tape ahead of Australia’s Ashleigh Gentle and a hugely impressive Georgia Taylor-Brown, who ran into the bronze medal position.
Jess Learmonth and Jodie Stimpson followed her home to achieve one of Britain’s best ever results at an ITU World Triathlon Series event.
Holland, who now moves up to second in the Series rankings behind Katie Zaferes (USA), said: “I was really riding high after Leeds, and I put in a really good block of training. It was unfortunate I had a crash in Hamburg, and I felt very angry and frustrated.”
She added: “I take a race at a time. I try not to think about leading the series too much. Katie has had such a strong season, she hasn’t messed up any races.”
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Taylor-Brown backed up her first ever podium finish in Leeds with another, commenting: “It’s amazing to be up here.”
The British women crushed it in @WTS_Edmonton, with @VixHolland claiming her second title of the season. You can watch again the full race on https://t.co/qNsCefRDxv! pic.twitter.com/S5FWpsYekm
— World Triathlon (@worldtriathlon) July 28, 2018
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In an exciting early evening showdown in Edmonton Mario Mola (ESP) surged ahead of Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR) in the final lap of the run to capture his fourth consecutive WTS podium. Blummenfelt showcased his tremendous power, twice surging ahead of Mola in the bell lap before dropping back for a second place finish.
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“Kristian gave me one of the toughest runs. Every time I go out I try to race my best, and he made me work. Maybe it was harder than it looked,” Mola said. “This race is another step forward. But until I cross the finish line in the Gold Coast in the next couple weeks, the race towards the World Championships is not over.”
Vincent Luis (FRA) and Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) lead out of the water with Marten Van Riel (BEL), Marco van der Stel (NED) and Tayler Reid (NZL) forming a lead pack on the six-lap bike course. Halfway through the bike, the chase pack caught the lead, with Blummenfelt and Ryan Fisher working hard to bridge the gap and a massive group converged together moving into transition.
“I thought I had a chance on the run. I couldn’t stay behind him (Mola) I had to try and kick up the pace,” said Blummenfelt.
Behind Blummenfelt was a cluster of runners including early leaders Luis and Brownlee. Fernando Alarza (ESP) and Aussie Jacob Birtwhistle ran with the group of men until the last 500 metres when Birtwhistle broke ahead to sprint himself into a third-place finish.
Birtwhistle said: “I knew it wasn’t over until I crossed that line. I wasn’t given a big gap at the end, but I had to try to use my kick. I would rather use it to challenge for the win, but today I had to try to use it to my advantage. There is so much that can happen, even in a sprint, it isn’t over until we cross that line.
“I wanted to swim and bike to the best of my ability. I am pretty happy with where things are sitting (in the overall standings). I missed a few points early on in Bermuda and Leeds, so I am trying to backend my season to finish off well. I need to perform in the last two events.”
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There are two races left in the 2018 season: WTS Montreal and WTS Gold Coast which also serves as the Grand Final.
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