EDIT: In the hours following the race, Caroline Pohle filed a protest. Based on the finish footage that was reviewed afterwards, it was decided to declare Pohle as the winner. As a result, Meissner was moved back to second place.
–original editorial–
In a race that quietly unfolded with little pre-event fanfare – notably missing Ironman CEO Scott DeRue, who opted to attend Challenge Roth instead – it was Fabian Kraft and Lena Meissner who stole the spotlight with commanding wins at the Ironman 70.3 European Championship in Jönköping, Sweden.
Men’s Race: Kraft Claims Breakthrough Victory
From the opening strokes in the water, Fabian Kraft set the tone, emerging in a lead swim pack of nine. That group narrowed early on the bike but still included contenders like Jannik Schaufler, Samuel Dickinson, Michele Bortolamedi, Cedric Osterholt, Brock Hoel, and local favorite Gabriel Sandör. Shortly after the 20-kilometer mark, Hannes Butters, Robert Kallin, and Harry Palmer bridged across, ballooning the front group once again.
It was Sweden’s Robert Kallin who then launched a decisive move in the latter half of the bike leg, splintering the group and entering T2 with a commanding 1:41 lead.
But the run told a different story. Kallin’s bold effort on the bike came back to haunt him, and by the 5K mark of the run, Kraft had reeled him in and surged into the lead. Though the gaps remained tight, Kraft never relinquished control, pushing through to the tape in 3:35:37 for a well-earned European title.
Samuel Dickinson (GBR) claimed silver in 3:37:06, and Sweden’s own Gabriel Sandör delighted home fans with a podium finish in 3:37:23.
Women’s Race: Meissner Outkicks Rivals in Thrilling Finish
The women’s race was a nail-biter from start to finish. From the swim, a quartet – Natalie van Coevorden, Caroline Pohle, Lena Meissner, and Spain’s Sofia Aguayo Mauri – established an early lead. However, Mauri fell off the pace on the bike, while Denmark’s Laura Madsen surged forward to join the leaders by T2.
That left a group of four entering the run, but Madsen soon faded, leaving Meissner, Pohle, and Van Coevorden locked in a tight three-way battle.
With just a few kilometers to go, Van Coevorden began to drop back slightly, ultimately finishing third in 4:06:44. But up front, it was a shoulder-to-shoulder duel between Meissner and Pohle right up to the line. In a thrilling sprint finish, Meissner edged out her compatriot, both clocking 4:05:33 – but the gold going to Meissner by the narrowest of margins.
