What was meant to be a grueling mix of swimming and running became an unexpected 25-kilometer run at the prestigious Yotta XP, one of France’s most well-known endurance events. Originally set to feature four kilometers of swimming and 40 kilometers of running – split into five 800-meter swims and five 8-kilometer runs – organizers were forced to drastically alter the format due to thunderstorms and poor water quality.
After a lengthy weather delay, the decision was made to scrap the swim entirely, converting the event into a straight 25-kilometer run. The format change dramatically shifted race dynamics, but the favorites still rose to the occasion.
In the women’s field, top seed Jeanne Lehair took the win in commanding fashion, crossing the line in 1:28:33. Margot Garabedian followed in second with a time of 1:30:38, and Ivana Kuriackova rounded out the podium in 1:31:20.
The men’s race also saw the favorite deliver: Belgium’s Jonathan Wayaffe took the win with a time of 1:15:05, narrowly edging out Britain’s Chris Perham, who finished just seven seconds behind in 1:15:12. Nathan Lessmann of France claimed third in 1:15:25.
