Even though there are quite a few cancellations of top athletes, it is of course still more than worthwhile to follow the Ironman World Championships in St. George this Saturday. Thorsten Radde lists a number of good reasons for you.
- It’s the first Ironman World Championship since 2019 – 938 days after the last one.
- It’s the first Ironman World Championship not on Hawaii – and it may very well be the only one.
- With the race in May (also a first for an Ironman World Championship), there were only a few prep races in the 2022 season.
- The different location means a wetsuit swim, a much hillier bike and run course, and a drier climate than Kona – making it even harder to predict.
- Some favourites may have been forced to withdraw, but it’s still the strongest field we’ve seen for a long time.
- The rookies add another dimension: It’s quite likely that there’s more than one podium between Skye Moench, Kat Matthews, and Lisa Norden on the women’s side and Gustav Iden and Kristian Blummenfelt on the men’s.
- We will see some more “young guns” at the front of the men’s race. Kona 2019 had the oldest Kona podium (37 years average), this year’s male podium is probably going to be much younger.
- Sebastian Kienle is the only previous male Kona Champion in the field, it seems likely that we will see a new generation claim an Ironman World Championship title.
- There is more World Championship experience on the female side with two Kona champions. Anne Haug could become the oldest ever (men & women!) to win the Pro title.
- With the race in Utah instead of Hawaii, the time difference works much better for the Europeans, the Pros will finish in the late evening instead of 3am.
