He finished sixth at Kona this year, finishing under eight hours for the first time at the big island. Sebastian Kienle called it ‘the beginning of the end’ and not very surprisingly so; his farewell had already been announced by then. Only next year – 2023 – will the German former World Champion still race. Currently, Kienle is enjoying ‘the mix of freedom, planning next year and knowing that there is some sort of countdown now’.
In 2023, Kienle will race as much as his body will allow, and especially pick races he had once wanted to do. Kienle has not yet revealed which races those are, although he has indicated on socials several times that he is open to suggestions. Kienle is in a different phase anyway, as he now even likes slogans he always hated before: ‘You have nothing to lose’. First stop: Ironman Israel in less than two weeks from now.
