Offering one of the toughest bike courses on the IRONMAN race circuit, IRONMAN Lanzarote celebrates 24 years in style this year with a record-sized field of over 2,000 athletes. The race was conceived by race director Kenneth Gasque after he competed at the IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii in 1985. Like the race that inspired it all, Lanzarote (which offers 40 qualifying spots for Kona) is set on a volcanic island. Just 60 miles (100 km) off the coast of Africa, the area is part of Spain, despite the fact that it’s a four-hour flight from Madrid.
What makes this event truly unique is the bike course. In addition to riding through a series of lava fields, athletes experience breathtaking ocean views, two spectacular mountain climbs and a series of technical, high-speed descents before returning to the transition area in the seaside resort town of Puerto del Carmen. The day begins on the town’s beautiful beach and ends there with a three-loop run.
The competition promises to be tough amongst the pro athletes as some of last year’s top five finishers are back to fight for the title including two-time winner Bert Jammaer (BEL), Miquel Blanchart (ESP) and Kiril Kotsegarrov (EST). Another man to watch will be Frenchman Romain Giullaume, a former champion at IRONMAN Mont-Tremblant renowned for his strong bike skills.
2013 women’s winner, Kirsten Möller (GER), returns hoping to make it a double, though this won't come easy as she takes on last year's third-place finisher Saleta Castro. Her countrywoman Sonja Tajsich is both a multiple IRONMAN champion and top finisher in Kona and could be considered the favorite tomorrow. Others to watch will be Great Britain’s Corinne Abraham, Lucy Gossage and Joanna Carritt.
There are some inspiring age group competitors we’ll be watching, too.
British father and son (David and Chris Hamlett) are doing their ninth IRONMAN together.
Danish fitness celebrity Charlotte Bircow is dong her first IRONMAN after having cancer only two years ago.
Sheika Hessa Alkahlifa aims to become the first ever woman from Bahrain to complete an IRONMAN.
Arnoud Bouvier comes to Lanzarote to finish his 32nd Ironman
Sean Duffy, member of the Household Cavalry in Knightsbridge, London is doing his very first triathlon here at IRONMAN Lanzarote as part of his fitness training, and as a very strong swimmer, he could be one of the first out of the water.
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