The Raelert-Brothers are really looking forward to the next weekend. On Sunday, they will both toe the starting line at the Ironman Hamburg. This race is the Raelert-Brothers’ first joint start since the 2012 Ironman Hawaii. For Andreas Raelert, the Ironman Hamburg means a very special debut, for his brother Michael the second start at the classic full-distance event in the North of Germany. "Hamburg has a special meaning for us as a city," the Raelert-Brothers from Rostock say. They visit Hamburg regularly, and they are really looking forward to discover an impressive audience and atmosphere on Sunday. "Last year, I was thrilled by the atmosphere out on the course," says Michael Raelert. "The race is a real highlight. That's why I really wanted to start in Hamburg again."
The two brothers want to share and enjoy the experience of Hamburg together, but with different ambitions on Sunday. For Andreas Raelert, who received bib number 1, there is a clear priority: the qualification for the Ironman Hawaii. "My goal is definitely clear," says Andreas Raelert, "I want to grab a Kona slot." After managing a positive race during the first part of the Ironman Lanzarote, the shape of the Rostockian makes him think positive of the Ironman Hamburg. "I'm optimistic, that I could optimize the details that did not fit in Lanzarote." Even though the professional line-up for the race in Hamburg is strong, Andreas Raelert wants to focus on himself and his clear goal: the Hawaii qualification.
For Michael Raelert, it is all about defining his status of shape in Hamburg. "My first races in this season have not been what I want to show," he says. "In recent weeks, I have worked a lot in St. Moritz to improve this." Together with his coach Brett Sutton, Michael Raelert selected the Ironman Hamburg as a race to adjust the further training and season planning exactly. "We are both prepared well," says Michael Raelert, "and I'm looking forward to the atmosphere in Hamburg."
The competition on Sunday has a strong international pro field. In addition to the South African Matt Trautmann, there is Italian Giulio Molinari besides Clemente Alonso-McKernan from Spain, Ruedi Wild from Switzerland and the British Will Clarke racing, or the German Horst Reichel. The start list includes moreover strong cyclists such as the Danish Esben Hovgaard or Bryan Mccrystal from Ireland, while there are some strong runners to be noted as well, just as Diego van Looy from Belgium.
MALE PRO:
1 Raelert Andreas DEU (Germany)
2 Trautman Matt ZAF (South Africa)
3 Clarke Will GBR (United Kingdom)
4 Pietrek Lukas DEU (Germany)
5 Breuer David DEU (Germany)
6 Hogenhaug Kristian DNK (Denmark)
7 Liebelt Markus DEU (Germany)
8 Guhr Sebastian DEU (Germany)
9 Schilling Alexander DEU (Germany)
10 Navrotskii Grigorii RUS (Russian Federation)
11 Cool Hannes BEL (Belgium)
12 Sagarzazu Imanol ESP (Spain)
13 Deisenhofer Roman DEU (Germany)
14 Castella Vicenc ESP (Spain)
15 Arroyo Bugallo Victor ESP (Spain)
16 Mccrystal Bryan IRL (Ireland)
17 Hovgaard Esben DNK (Denmark)
18 Raelert Michael DEU (Germany)
19 Huerzeler Samuel CHE (Switzerland)
20 Brugiere Steeve FRA (France)
21 Alonso-Mckernan Clemente ESP (Spain)
22 Nemcik Marek SVK (Slovakia)
23 Guilloux Arnaud FRA (France)
24 Polan Lukas CZE (Czech Republic)
25 Dicke Benjamin DEU (Germany)
26 Haupt Christian DEU (Germany)
27 Norberg Sebastian SWE (Sweden)
28 Schumacher Stefan DEU (Germany)
29 Molinari Giulio ITA (Italy)
30 Jais Christian DEU (Germany)
31 Reichel Horst DEU (Germany)
32 Overmars Steff NLD (Netherlands)
33 Unger Marc DEU (Germany)
34 Frandsen Jacob DNK (Denmark)
35 Fahrenholz Philipp DEU (Germany)
36 Mock Philipp DEU (Germany)
37 Van Looy Diego BEL (Belgium)
38 Wild Ruedi CHE (Switzerland)
39 Bosch Thomas DEU (Germany)
40 Schuster Paul DEU (Germany)
41 Borch Andreas DNK (Denmark)
42 Christensen Anders DNK (Denmark)
43 Tutukin Ivan RUS (Russian Federation)
FEMALE PRO:
51 Steffen Caroline CHE (Switzerland)
52 Piampiano Sarah USA (United States of America)
53 Hufe Mareen DEU (Germany)
54 Gajer Julia DEU (Germany)
55 Cheetham Susie GBR (United Kingdom)
56 Steurer Bianca AUT (Austria)
57 Lubben Janien NLD (Netherlands)
58 Grohmann Katharina DEU (Germany)
59 Seymour Natalie GBR (United Kingdom)
61 Liepold Kristin DEU (Germany)
62 Kunz Martina CHE (Switzerland)
63 Lewis Sarah GBR (United Kingdom)
64 Chapman Shannon AUS (Australia)
65 Krivankova Simona CZE (Czech Republic)
66 Abraham Corinne GBR (United Kingdom)
67 De Nicola Federica ITA (Italy)
68 Zelinka Gabriella HUN (Hungary)