It may not be the strongest or deepest field, and it may also not get the attention that it deserves due to the Pho3nix Sub7 and Sub8 event taking place on the same day, but for Sunday the European Championship Ironman is scheduled to take place in Hamburg, Germany. While the men’s Ironman European Championship is due to take place at Ironman Frankfurt, Hamburg is a woman pro only event. Strangely, Ironman Frankfurt will also allow women to race, unlike Ironman Hamburg.
One of the top favorites is Germany’s Laura Philipp, who was a late announcement, as she only decided this week – after winning Ironman 70.3 Kraichgau – that she felt fit enough to race a Long Distance again. After a COVID-19 infection that she sustained just before the Ironman World Championship in St. George, Philipp already proved to be back in shape. Still, she thinks she can do much better.
Philipp can expect most competition from America’s Chelsea Sodaro, France’s Manon Genet and Australia’s Renee Kiley. The other eight athletes that will toe the line, are Heini Hartikainen (FIN), Chantal Sainter (GBR), Verena Walter (GER), Annika Timm (GER), Vanessa Pereira (POR), Janien Lubben (NLD), Karina Gosvig (DEN) and Jenny Nae (SWE).
