Returning to Ironman Frankfurt this July are two of the biggest names in long-distance triathlon both: reigning Kona king Sebastian Kienle (GER) and 70.3 world champ Daniela Ryf (SUI).
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>>> Want to know what it’s like to race Ironman Frankfurt? Watch this video
In the men’s race, Kienle will be racing against fellow German and 2008 Olympic gold medallist Jan Frodeno and 2013 Ironman world champion Frederik Van Lierde (BEL). “It’s going to be one tough, but exciting, day,” said Kienle. “Winning here in Frankfurt in front of my home crowd meant the world to me. If they want the title they’ll have to give me a good battle for it.”
>>> Jan Frodeno’s 10 top tips for stepping up to iron distance
Frodeno’s transition to long-distance triathlon has been impressive, overcoming a ripped wetsuit, bike tire punctures and cramping legs on his full-distance debut in Frankfurt last year to finish third in 8:20:32. Frodeno repeated that feat (despite technical problems again) at Kona 2014 placing third behind Kienle and American Ben Hoffmann.
Van Lierde is also looking to hit the heights of his 2013 season, when he won the biggest prize of all – Kona. He’s already off to a strong start after winning Ironman South Africa with a 14min lead over a strong field that included fellow Belgian Bart Aernouts.
Women’s race
In the women’s race, Daniela Ryf – a protégée of top coach Brett Sutton – lines up as favourite after some amazing performances last year, including winning her Ironman debut in Zurich, a second title at Ironman Copenhagen, the 70.3 European title and 70.3 Worlds. She also finished runner-up at Kona 2014.
She’ll be racing against fellow Swiss Caroline Steffen, two-time runner-up at Kona, and German athlete Julia Gajer, whose top results include victory at Ironman Arizona 2013 and sixth at Kona last year, where she finished just behind Steffen. “For German athletes, the Ironman European Championship is one of the most prestigious titles in the sport,” says Gajer.
Outside of the pro ranks, there will be more than 3,000 age-group athletes racing on 5 July in Frankfurt, which has hosted the Ironman European Championship since 2002. This year, the organisers will be offering live video coverage, a GPS tracking of the pros and enhanced age-group tracking on the event website.
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Are you racing Ironman Frankfurt this July? Let us know in the comments below!
Returning to Ironman Frankfurt this July are two of the biggest names in long-distance triathlon both: reigning Kona king Sebastian Kienle (GER) and 70.3 world champ Daniela Ryf (SUI).
Advertisement
>>> Want to know what it’s like to race Ironman Frankfurt? Watch this video
In the men’s race, Kienle will be racing against fellow German and 2008 Olympic gold medallist Jan Frodeno and 2013 Ironman world champion Frederik Van Lierde (BEL). “It’s going to be one tough, but exciting, day,” said Kienle. “Winning here in Frankfurt in front of my home crowd meant the world to me. If they want the title they’ll have to give me a good battle for it.”
>>> Jan Frodeno’s 10 top tips for stepping up to iron distance
Frodeno’s transition to long-distance triathlon has been impressive, overcoming a ripped wetsuit, bike tire punctures and cramping legs on his full-distance debut in Frankfurt last year to finish third in 8:20:32. Frodeno repeated that feat (despite technical problems again) at Kona 2014 placing third behind Kienle and American Ben Hoffmann.
Van Lierde is also looking to hit the heights of his 2013 season, when he won the biggest prize of all – Kona. He’s already off to a strong start after winning Ironman South Africa with a 14min lead over a strong field that included fellow Belgian Bart Aernouts.
Women’s race
In the women’s race, Daniela Ryf – a protégée of top coach Brett Sutton – lines up as favourite after some amazing performances last year, including winning her Ironman debut in Zurich, a second title at Ironman Copenhagen, the 70.3 European title and 70.3 Worlds. She also finished runner-up at Kona 2014.
She’ll be racing against fellow Swiss Caroline Steffen, two-time runner-up at Kona, and German athlete Julia Gajer, whose top results include victory at Ironman Arizona 2013 and sixth at Kona last year, where she finished just behind Steffen. “For German athletes, the Ironman European Championship is one of the most prestigious titles in the sport,” says Gajer.
Outside of the pro ranks, there will be more than 3,000 age-group athletes racing on 5 July in Frankfurt, which has hosted the Ironman European Championship since 2002. This year, the organisers will be offering live video coverage, a GPS tracking of the pros and enhanced age-group tracking on the event website.
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Are you racing Ironman Frankfurt this July? Let us know in the comments below!
Help for Heroes recently ran their third training weekend for the upcoming Arch to Arc challenge, with around 30 wounded, injured and sick service person heading to Yorkshire for a weekend that was ‘by no means for the fainthearted’.
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>>> Help for Heroes trains hopefuls for Arch to Arc Challenge
Around 30 participants had to complete over a mile in the pool, followed by a 15mile bike ride and 4×4 training on the running track. Following lunch there was a question and answer session about the challenge, and then back to the pool to complete a few more miles. Sunday did not see any change in tempo, another early 5.30am pool session followed by a cycle lesson and spinning session.
Help for Heroes is putting together a team to take on the challenge of running 87 miles from Marble Arch in London to the Dover coast, then swimming across the Channel, finishing with a 181 mile bike from Calaid to the Arc de Triomph in Paris. It has never been attempted by a disabled team before – something the charity is planning to rectify this September.
One participant in the latest training weekend was former soldier Caroline Buckle, who fell ill with depression in 2008 while on operations in Iraq on her second tour. “Help for Heroes have given me so much help and support. There was a time you would be lucky to hear a peep out of me. This challenge has helped me make new friends, helped my confidence no end and generally start to find my old self.
“Still a long way to go, but the lifelong support my husband and I receive help us both to understand me more and grow in confidence. Sport gets all of my good endorphins running and means my medication works better to keep me balanced, it also has helped me get back into sport and find a new way to run and laugh.”
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The next training weekend will be held at the end of April off the coast of Plymouth. For more info head to www.helpforheroes.org.uk.
Help for Heroes recently ran their third training weekend for the upcoming Arch to Arc challenge, with around 30 wounded, injured and sick service person heading to Yorkshire for a weekend that was ‘by no means for the fainthearted’.
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>>> Help for Heroes trains hopefuls for Arch to Arc Challenge
Around 30 participants had to complete over a mile in the pool, followed by a 15mile bike ride and 4×4 training on the running track. Following lunch there was a question and answer session about the challenge, and then back to the pool to complete a few more miles. Sunday did not see any change in tempo, another early 5.30am pool session followed by a cycle lesson and spinning session.
Help for Heroes is putting together a team to take on the challenge of running 87 miles from Marble Arch in London to the Dover coast, then swimming across the Channel, finishing with a 181 mile bike from Calaid to the Arc de Triomph in Paris. It has never been attempted by a disabled team before – something the charity is planning to rectify this September.
One participant in the latest training weekend was former soldier Caroline Buckle, who fell ill with depression in 2008 while on operations in Iraq on her second tour. “Help for Heroes have given me so much help and support. There was a time you would be lucky to hear a peep out of me. This challenge has helped me make new friends, helped my confidence no end and generally start to find my old self.
“Still a long way to go, but the lifelong support my husband and I receive help us both to understand me more and grow in confidence. Sport gets all of my good endorphins running and means my medication works better to keep me balanced, it also has helped me get back into sport and find a new way to run and laugh.”
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The next training weekend will be held at the end of April off the coast of Plymouth. For more info head to www.helpforheroes.org.uk.
If iron-distance racing in Norway appeals, new event Coastman may be worth a look – the organisers describe it as an ‘epic’ triathlon along the coast of western Norway, near Bergen.
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>>> Ironman: how many hours of training a week do you need?
The Coastman will take place on 9 August in some of the country’s most scenic landscape in Oygarden, and promised a beautiful sheltered swim along the islands, followed by a fast and exciting 180km bike ride crossing six bridges.
The bike slope has been used for the national time trial championships both in 2008 and 2012, and will be used for the 2017 world team trial championships. The race finishes with a flat, quick four-lap marathon.
Water temperatures are expected to reach around 15-18°C, and air temperatures for the bike and run will be around 14-24°C.
Entries will cost NOK 1800 (£155) and are available now from coastmannorway.com.
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Will you be racing Coastman this August? Let us know in the comments below!
If iron-distance racing in Norway appeals, new event Coastman may be worth a look – the organisers describe it as an ‘epic’ triathlon along the coast of western Norway, near Bergen.
Advertisement
>>> Ironman: how many hours of training a week do you need?
The Coastman will take place on 9 August in some of the country’s most scenic landscape in Oygarden, and promised a beautiful sheltered swim along the islands, followed by a fast and exciting 180km bike ride crossing six bridges.
The bike slope has been used for the national time trial championships both in 2008 and 2012, and will be used for the 2017 world team trial championships. The race finishes with a flat, quick four-lap marathon.
Water temperatures are expected to reach around 15-18°C, and air temperatures for the bike and run will be around 14-24°C.
Entries will cost NOK 1800 (£155) and are available now from coastmannorway.com.
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Will you be racing Coastman this August? Let us know in the comments below!
Like racing with your buddies? The Jenson Button Trust Triathlon has created a Team Challenge for this year’s event on Sunday 12 July, with two rounds of races to be held over the course of the day.
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Teams of three people (all male, all female or mixed) can enter the challenge for £250. The first team member will swim 200m before handing over to their teammate who will cycle 10km, then the third member will complete a 2.5km run. Each team will get to race twice – once in the morning and once in the afternoon.
Team members will all receive a medal and a goody bag as well as one signed race T-shirt per team from Jenson Button. The F1 ace will also be presenting the prizes at the end of the day in the event village, where food, drink and live music are also planned throughout the day.
>>> Gallery: Jenson Button Trust Triathlon 2014
This year’s race will be held in Derby, moving from its previous home in Luton Hoo, Bedfordshire to accommodate more people, and there will be a £7,000 prize purse on offer, with £1,000 on the table for both the male and female overall winners.
The organisers have also teamed up with Pentahotel Derby to offer discounted room rates for race weekend of £52 for the night of Friday 10th July, and £62 for the night of Saturday 11th July – enter ‘Jenson Button Triathlon’ when reserving here.
For more information and to register for this year’s event, head to www.jensonbuttontri.com.
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Are you racing the JB Trust Triathlon this year? Let us know in the comments below!
Like racing with your buddies? The Jenson Button Trust Triathlon has created a Team Challenge for this year’s event on Sunday 12 July, with two rounds of races to be held over the course of the day.
Teams of three people (all male, all female or mixed) can enter the challenge for £250. The first team member will swim 200m before handing over to their teammate who will cycle 10km, then the third member will complete a 2.5km run. Each team will get to race twice – once in the morning and once in the afternoon.
Team members will all receive a medal and a goody bag as well as one signed race T-shirt per team from Jenson Button. The F1 ace will also be presenting the prizes at the end of the day in the event village, where food, drink and live music are also planned throughout the day.
>>> Gallery: Jenson Button Trust Triathlon 2014
This year’s race will be held in Derby, moving from its previous home in Luton Hoo, Bedfordshire to accommodate more people, and there will be a £7,000 prize purse on offer, with £1,000 on the table for both the male and female overall winners.
The organisers have also teamed up with Pentahotel Derby to offer discounted room rates for race weekend of £52 for the night of Friday 10th July, and £62 for the night of Saturday 11th July – enter ‘Jenson Button Triathlon’ when reserving here.
For more information and to register for this year’s event, head to www.jensonbuttontri.com.
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Are you racing the JB Trust Triathlon this year? Let us know in the comments below!
With Ironman 70.3 Pays d’Aix just over two weeks away, British athletes will make up an impressive third of the 18 female pros on the start line, including 2013 winner Susie Cheetham and 2014 Ironman Lanzarote winner Lucy Gossage.
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>>> Lucy Gossage cruises to victory at Ironman Lanzarote
The other four Brits are Alice Hector, Eimear Mullan, Georgie Rutherford and Amy Forshaw. Their main rivals include Denmark’s Camilla Pedersen, who won the 2014 ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Champs in China – a remarkable comeback nearly a year to the day since a serious bike accident that left her in a coma.
In the men’s race there are 53 pros competing, including just two Brits – Scotland’s three-time Ironman 70.3 winner Fraser Cartmell, and fellow Wimbleball winner Ritchie Nicholls. Up against him are French athlete Romain Guillaume, who placed 10th at Kona last year, and Joe Gambles (AUS), who placed third at the 70.3 Worlds in 2013.
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Are you racing in Pays d’Aix? Let us know in the comments below!
With Ironman 70.3 Pays d’Aix just over two weeks away, British athletes will make up an impressive third of the 18 female pros on the start line, including 2013 winner Susie Cheetham and 2014 Ironman Lanzarote winner Lucy Gossage.
Advertisement
>>> Lucy Gossage cruises to victory at Ironman Lanzarote
The other four Brits are Alice Hector, Eimear Mullan, Georgie Rutherford and Amy Forshaw. Their main rivals include Denmark’s Camilla Pedersen, who won the 2014 ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Champs in China – a remarkable comeback nearly a year to the day since a serious bike accident that left her in a coma.
In the men’s race there are 53 pros competing, including just two Brits – Scotland’s three-time Ironman 70.3 winner Fraser Cartmell, and fellow Wimbleball winner Ritchie Nicholls. Up against him are French athlete Romain Guillaume, who placed 10th at Kona last year, and Joe Gambles (AUS), who placed third at the 70.3 Worlds in 2013.
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Are you racing in Pays d’Aix? Let us know in the comments below!