The Ironman World Championship in Nice delivered its fair share of drama, but perhaps the most surprising moment came when home favorite Sam Laidlow suddenly came to a halt mid-swim while in the front pack. Viewers were left puzzled as Laidlow lost over a minute drifting in open water, even briefly turning back toward shore.
The mystery has since been solved: the Frenchman was struck by crippling leg cramps. “I just couldn’t wait to get out of the water,” Laidlow admitted afterwards.
Laidlow had been positioned well after nearly two kilometers of swimming when the spasms forced him to stop. What looked bizarre on the live broadcast was, in fact, a desperate attempt to stretch his legs in the middle of the Mediterranean. “I wasn’t strong enough to swim at the front,” Laidlow said with a wry smile. “But I do like a bit of attention, so I stopped swimming.” He quickly turned serious: “The cramps hit me hard, especially in my quads and around the hips. I couldn’t do anything but stop and try to stretch. Honestly, I’ve never been closer to pulling out of a race than in that moment.”
At one point, Laidlow even considered climbing into a safety boat. “But then I thought about all the people who came to watch – former coaches, friends, family. I would’ve felt guilty stepping out during the swim.”
That decision to push on proved crucial. Laidlow rallied strongly on the bike and run to finish fifth overall, behind only Casper Stornes, Gustav Iden, Kristian Blummenfelt, and Marten Van Riel.