The stage is set for a bumper weekend of IRONMAN racing across Europe this coming weekend with two IRONMAN European Championship races in Frankfurt and Elsinore, as well as IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 events taking place in Nice and Westfriesland.
In Germany, a new male IRONMAN European Champion will be crowned at the Mainova IRONMAN European Championship Frankfurt; and in Denmark, a male and female IRONMAN 70.3 European Champion will be named at the IRONMAN 70.3 European Championship Elsinore.
With pros and age-groupers alike also due to line up at IRONMAN France, IRONMAN 70.3 Nice and IRONMAN 70.3 Westfriesland, a memorable weekend of racing is expected.
The likes of Patrik Nilsson (SWE), Daniel Bækkegård (DNK), Rodolphe Von Berg (USA), Joe Skipper (GBR), Daniela Bleymehl (GER), and Susie Cheetham (GBR), will all be lining up for their respective races on Sunday, June 26, 2022.
Mainova IRONMAN European Championship Frankfurt
Germany will welcome over 3,000 athletes from 80 nationalities to the 20th edition of Mainova IRONMAN European Championship Frankfurt.
The event will see some of the best male triathletes battle it out to become IRONMAN European Champion. This comes just two weeks after Laura Phillip took the female European Champion crown in Hamburg, whilst also setting the fastest ever time for a woman to complete an IRONMAN event, with a finish time of 8:18:20.
Defending champion, Patrik Nilsson (SWE), will be back on the start line looking to retain his title in Frankfurt. The Swede won’t have it easy with the likes of Nils Frommhold (GER) and the uber-swimmer, Josh Amberger (AUS), looking to break the finish tape first. Bradley Weiss (ZAF) who came second at the IRONMAN African Championship back in April will also be targeting the podium.
And while the pro men battle for a European title and a piece of the prize purse, the pro women ranks will include local favourite, Daniela Bleymehl (GER) as well as Susie Cheetham (GBR).
While the eyes may be on the professional battle this weekend, Sam Holness (GBR), will be looking to be the first ever openly autistic athlete to cross the finish at the event, “I am excited and pumped up about the race. I cannot wait to compete in my first full IRONMAN distance event,” Holness said.
IRONMAN 70.3 European Championship Elsinore
Staged near the 15th century Kronborg Castle (immortalized as Elsinore in Shakespeare’s play Hamlet), the IRONMAN 70.3 European Championship Elsinore is billed as… ‘a fusion of Danish culture and nature.’
With a field of over 3,300, a notable 2,000 athletes will be taking on this event for the first time. There will be 72 nationalities represented, with the oldest athlete being 73 years of age and the youngest 18 years of age.
Top triathletes across the male and female fields will be going head-to-head to become IRONMAN 70.3 Champion and get a piece of the prize purse. Local favourite, Daniel Bækkegård (DNK), will be looking to take down Europe’s defending champion George Goodwin (GBR), while the likes of Miki Taagholt (DNK), Chris Leiferman (USA) and David Macnamee (GBR) will be hot on both their heels.
With current female reigning champion, Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR) out due to injury, a new IRONMAN 70.3 European Champion will be crowned. After coming second last year, Holly Lawrence (GBR) will be eyeing the top podium spot this year. It won’t be easy with a top field looking to do the same, featuring fellow Brits Emma Pallant-Browne and Ruth Astle along with Ellie Salthouse (AUS), Anne Reischmann (GER) and Sarissa De Vries (NLD).
IRONMAN France Nice and IRONMAN 70.3 Nice
Over 5,300 athletes will be flying into the Côte d’Azur to take part in IRONMAN France Nice (2,750 athletes) and IRONMAN 70.3 Nice (2,600 athletes), which for the first time ever will take place on the same day.
IRONMAN France Nice will also see a strong professional battle as athletes use Nice’s renowned tough bike hills to test their fitness as they prepare for what awaits later this year at the IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kina, Hawaii. The men’s professional field will feature the likes of Rodolphe Von Berg (USA), Cameron Wurf (AUS), Joe Skipper (GBR) and local favourite, Dylan Magnien (FRA).
The women’s professional field will feature the likes of Manon Genet (FRA), who came third in the Mainova IRONMAN European Championship Hamburg. She will be racing alongside Justine Mathieux (FRA), Svenja Those (DEU), and Federica De Nicola (ITA).
As an age group athlete only race, IRONMAN 70.3 Nice will give amateur competitors a chance to be crowned age group champions for 2022.
IRONMAN 70.3 Westfriesland
Known as the ‘Dash of Dutch Duality’, the third edition of IRONMAN 70.3 Westfriesland is positioned as a celebration of age group racing. Athletes from all over the world will race in Hoorn, Netherlands. The event will see 62 nationalities represented, with athletes coming from 232 different states/provinces and 1,012 different cities.
The organising team in the Netherlands note that athletes will… ‘enjoy racing past landscapes dotted with windmills, polders, and both historic and modern villages against a pastoral backdrop. The course exudes the character of the region with historic city centres, dykes and green countryside.’
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