As before, the men will hold their European Championships at the Ironman in Frankfurt/Main (June 26). The first starting signal in Hamburg – for the professional women – sounds at 6.15 a.m. on the Jungfernstieg. The first athlete to finish is expected around 2:45 p.m., the first female athlete around 3 p.m. The race ends at 11 p.m.
According to the organizer, the field of participants is more international than ever. Germany, Great Britain, Denmark, the Netherlands and Spain provide the most athletes.
Will the Germans repeat their successes?
In Hamburg, swimming takes place in the Inner and Outer Alster. The bike course leads over two laps from the city center first westwards over the Reeperbahn, the fish market and past the Landungsbrücken to Othmarschen and then through Altona and Borgfelde via Rothenburgsort along the Norderelbe through the Vierlande and Marschlande. The final marathon runs around the inner and outer Alster.
“We are overwhelmed that the Ironman European Championship Hamburg was already sold out within two months.”
— Managing Director Oliver Schiek of Ironman Germany
Last year, the Ironman in Hamburg was firmly in German hands. Former rower Lars Wichert (8:12:43 hours) won the men’s race. The Hamburger by choice relegated Jan Stelzner (Lübeck/8:30:31) and Alexander Siegmund (Hamburg/8:37:18) to second and third place by a large margin. Laura Zimmermann from Baiersbronn (8:54:31) was at the top of the podium for the women.