The IRONMAN European Championship features a unique German battle between Olympic champion Jan Frodeno and IRONMAN 70.3 world champion Sebastian Kienle.
IRONMAN racing will have a uniquely German focus over the next few days. A few days away from the IRONMAN European Championship two athletes have become the main focus. This Sunday will be the first time that 2008 Olympic champion Jan Frodeno will compete in an IRONMAN race. In his debut Frodeno will take on some of the world’s best including Frederik van Lierde, the reigning IRONMAN world champion, and two-time IRONMAN 70.3 world champion Sebastian Kienle.
When the gun goes off in Frankfurt a lot of people will be watching this unique German duel. This season Kienle and Frodeno have raced twice. In March both made the podium at IRONMAN 70.3 California in Oceanside, but the results made it abundantly clear who was in the best form. Frodeno not only beat defending champion Andy Potts (who entered the race with three consecutive wins in Oceanside), but also relegated Kienle to third place by four minutes. It was Frodeno’s second early-season victory in a row after winning the IRONMAN 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship in Auckland in January.
In May Kienle wrote a note to Frodeno on his website after the Olympic champ’s impressive race at the IRONMAN 70.3 U.S. Pro Championship in St. George. Kienle felt like a dog with his tail between his legs after St. George, where he finished in 10th place. On paper the winner, Frodeno, was only four minutes ahead, but from Kienle’s point of view, there was a world between them. Kienle wrote online to Frodeno to say thanks for a race that opened his eyes.
"Thank you for showing the way," Kienle said. "Obviously you have not noticed that the race distance is longer, you are still going at Olympic-distance pace."
Kienle seems to have used the result in St. George as new motivation. Six weeks later, at the German national middle-distance championship in Kraichgau, (which will be IRONMAN 70.3 Kraichgau next year) Kienle shocked the strong field. Coming in to T1 he was almost two minutes behind. By the end of the bike he was almost six minutes ahead.
After Kraichgau Kienle didn’t feel the need to send any more on-line notes. His race said it all. As dominant as Frodeno has been this year, it would appear that he’ll be taking on a very different athlete on Sunday.