Live Ironman-WM
Now live – a show of strength by the triathletes around Haug and Kienle
As of 2:27 p.m
The bike course in Utah has it all. Canada’s co-favorite Lionel Sanders, here in 2018 at the 70.3 in the same place, knows at least part of the adventure
What: Getty Images/Donald Miralle
After two and a half years, an Ironman World Championship will take place again for the first time. The course is brutal, many young triathletes have moved up. Can Anne Haug defend her title and Sebastian Kienle celebrate again? All information in the live ticker.
Dhe setting is unusual, the track brutal. For the first time since its premiere in 1978, an Ironman World Championship will not take place in Hawaii, for the first time the king of triathletes will be crowned somewhere else after 3.86 kilometers of swimming, 180.2 kilometers of cycling and the final marathon – in St. George in the US state of Utah.
Because of the pandemic, the edition in October 2020 and also that in autumn 2021 had to be cancelled. However, the 2021 World Cup was only postponed and will now be made up for in St. George (from 2.15 p.m.). Whoever wins here is the 2021 world champion. The 2022 champion will be crowned in Hawaii in October.
Despite prominent injury-related failures, including top star Jan Frodeno and Patrick Lange, it will be exciting. Because of many young co-favourites, the spectacular location and a route that should have drama in store – and because of several German athletes who want to be at the forefront. Can Anne Haug defend her title? What does Sebastian Kienle do? Off to the racing action:
2.20 p.m.: Haug’s mission to defend the title begins
Now the professional women are in the water too. In October 2019, Anne Haug (39) was the first German athlete to be crowned world champion in Hawaii. Before starting in St. George, she told WELT: “The others are hot to wrestle this title from me. In addition, the course is completely new and my title was two and a half years ago, but of course I want to defend it.” As a small, light athlete, the course in Hawaii suits her a little better than the one in St. George, which is significantly more meters of altitude.
Laura Philipp (35) was considered a big co-favourite. And then this: Because of a strong cold with fever, she was unable to travel a week ago. The remaining hope faded with a positive corona test earlier this week. Carolin Lehrieder, the third German, was already in Utah when she tested positive. In addition to Anne Haug, there is a second German in the water in the form of the dentist Laura Zimmermann. It’s her first World Cup and her first year as a full professional. Your time is yet to come.
2:15 p.m .: The showdown has begun – with four Germans
The starting shot has been fired. The men’s race is extremely open, the group of co-favorites is large. The Norwegian Kristian Blummenfelt (28) in particular is repeatedly mentioned as one of the top favourites. Four Germans also want to get involved: Florian Angert (30), Andreas Dreitz (33), Boris Stein (37) and Sebastian Kienle (37). This is a special year for Kienle because it is the final year. But more on that later. For the strong cyclist and Hawaii champion 2014 it is important not to lose too much distance to the leading group when swimming.
14.05 clock: Novum im Neo
The athletes are ready. The first starting gun for the title fights will be in ten minutes at Sand Hollow Reservoir. The lake there has almost 18 degrees – no comparison to the warm Pacific off Hawaii. That’s why the athletes will be swimming the 3.86 kilometers in wetsuits for the first time at a World Championships. The field should thus move a little closer together. To put it simply: a wetsuit provides buoyancy, helping weaker swimmers more than stronger ones. However: when it’s windy, as the past few days have shown, the lake becomes extremely restless and a challenge.
“No matter where it takes place – a World Cup is a World Cup”
It is undisputed that this World Cup in St. George is a highlight. After that, however, opinions differ. While the rush of age group athletes in Hawaii is greater and some pros rate the value of the World Championships in Hawaii higher for themselves (including Lange and Frodeno), the young Norwegian and co-favorite Kristian Blummenfelt sees it differently. Even defending champion Anne Haug doesn’t mind that St. George replaces Hawaii. On the contrary. “For me, a World Cup is a World Cup,” she says. For reasons of fairness, she even thinks it’s better that the route is different. Hawaii isn’t for everyone.
The individual start times
The first start of this World Cup will be at 6:15 a.m. local time and thus at 2:15 p.m. German time. These are the individual start waves (CET):
- 2:15 p.m .: Professional men
- 2.20 p.m .: Professional women
- 2:25 p.m.: Para-Triathletes
- from 2.45 p.m. age group athletes, men
- from 3:47 p.m. Age group athletes, women
- 3.06pm last start group: women age group 45-49
Live on TV and stream
- TV transmission: hr television 2-5.45 p.m., 9-11.15 p.m
- Live stream on sportschau.de
- Live stream in English on the Ironman now Facebook page
Frodeno and Lange only spectators
For the first time since 2015, a new name will appear on the list of winners. Because both top star Jan Frodeno, who won in 2015, 2016 and 2019, and Patrick Lange, who won in the other two years, are missing due to injury. With Frodeno it is a partial tear of the Achilles tendon.
Lange had to undergo shoulder surgery after a bicycle crash in a training camp. The 35-year-old can at least train fully again, the rehabilitation went well. His next start: July 3rd at the Challenge Roth.
A hard blow for the two athletes. But also for this competition – everyone wants to beat Frodeno. Nevertheless: Even with him and Lange, the race would have been more open than it had been for a long time. Because: The two have never met in good health and in top form – that should now happen in Hawaii. But above all: A few young athletes have shaken up the scene.
