The Experience Oman IRONMAN Pro Series will arrive in the coastal city of southeastern Sweden on Saturday 15 August. As the 13th stop of the Series, and the final opportunity for athletes to secure their ticket to the 2026 IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, the race will be an epic showdown of some of the sport’s top triathletes.
The race will be broadcast live?and?free for all international audiences across?IRONMAN YouTube,?ironman.com/proseries, and DAZN, with additional regional live broadcast and highlight shows also available on?L’Équipe?Live in France, ESPN (within Disney+), SuperSport, hr-Fernsehen, RTVE, iQIYI, and Outside TV. Broadcast and streaming information can be found at?
www.ironman.com/proseries/how-to-watch.?
Women’s Professional Field
As the reigning IRONMAN Kalmar champion, Katrine Christensen will be wearing bib number one. Christensen took the tape last year in a time of 08:27:49 after finishing runner up in 2024. Well acquainted with the Kalmar course, Christensen will head into the race buoyed by one of her strongest seasons of her career, including podiums at IRONMAN Hamburg European Championship, ISUZU IRONMAN South Africa African Championship and IRONMAN 70.3 Elsinore just over a month ago. Christensen’s biggest threat will come in the guise of Germany’s Laura Philipp - 2024 IRONMAN World Champion, and one of the most accomplished athletes in long-distance triathlon. Philipp and Christensen last went head-to-head in Hamburg, when after an impressive bike from the Dane, Philipp produced her trademark marathon performance to sweep up Christensen in the early stages of the run to take second.
Philipp’s season so far has seen her secure a second and third place finish at IRONMAN Hamburg European Championship and IRONNAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence respectively, and she’ll be looking to make a big statement in Kalmar ahead of the IRONMAN World Championship.
Philipp and Christensen last went head-to-head in Hamburg, when after an impressive bike from the Dane, Philipp produced her trademark marathon performance to sweep up Christensen in the early stages of the run to take second.
Local hopes will be pinned on Sara Svensk (SWE). Svensk has proven that she is well capable of competing against the world’s top triathletes, following a strong performance at Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Texas North American Championship earlier this year which saw her finish sixth and a top 10 finish in Kona last year.
Representing the USA, will be Jackie Hering and Rachel Zilinkas; Hering will arrive with a consistent season of five top 10 finishes behind her, including a win at IRONMAN 70.3 Dallas-Little Elm and a third place at IRONMAN 70.3 Chattanooga. Zilinkas comes hot off a third place finish at Athletic Brewing IRONMAN Lake Placid. As one of the strongest swimmers in the professional field, Zilinskas could look to establish an early advantage in the water and force the powerful cyclists behind her into chase mode.
A strong German contingent featuring Franziska Hofmann, Leonie Konczalla, Johanna Ahrens and Jenny Jendryschik will further strengthen the 30-plus athlete field. Hofmann arrives as the reigning IRONMAN Wales champion, while Ahrens returns after securing sixth place in Kalmar last year.
While many of the race favourites have already secured the IRONMAN World Championship slot, Kalmar presents a last-chance opportunity for the likes of Leonie Konczalla, Rebecca Clarke (NZL), Jeanne Collonge (FRA) and Jenny Jendryschik (DEU).
Men’s Professional Race
A stacked men’s professional field of over seventy athletes will also take to the start line in Kalmar.
Leading the field is American favourites Matthew Marquardt and Trevor Foley, both of whom come off the back of Athletic Brewing IRONMAN Lake Placid. The pair are no strangers to racing each other, and over the years have been involved in several memorable battles. Both athletes will be looking to add valuable points to their respective IRONMAN Pro Series campaigns.
Jonas Schomburg (DEU), one of the sports’ most dynamic racers, is also an exciting addition to the stacked start list. Schomburg will be expected to lead from the front as he works to establish an advantage from the Americans. Fellow short-course star and Olympian, Pierre Le Corre will also help shape the dynamics early on in the race, ensuring a fast and aggressive race from the outset. Le Corre came second on IRONMAN debut in New Zealand earlier this year and will be a strong contender for the podium.
While Schomburg and Le Corre are likely to drive the pace early, athletes such as Matt Hanson (USA) and Antonio Benito Lopez (ESP) will be hoping their dynamic run strength pays dividends on the marathon and moves them to the front of the race, making for an exciting day of racing from start to finish.
Germany's Finn Große-Freese and Jonas Hoffmann, together with Finland's Henrik Goesch, are among the highest-ranked athletes in the field still seeking qualification, meaning a strong performance in Sweden could prove decisive in their pursuit of a Kona slot.
Local interest comes in the form of Jesper Svensson who had three top 10 finishes at IRONMAN races in 2025 including a third place at IRONMAN Copenhagen.
Professional Start Lists (Subject to Change):?
WOMEN'S PROFESSIONAL FIELD
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IRONMAN Kalmar is consistently ranked by athletes as one of the top races on the Global IRONMAN circuit, thanks to its electric energy throughout race week, incredible crowd support and an epic finish line party.
The ROKA swim course features a one-loop 3.8 km (2.4 mile) in the waters of the Baltic Sea. The one-loop 180 km (112-mile) ZOOT bike course heads out to the island of Öland via the iconic Öland bridge which is normally closed to athletes. The three-loop 42.2 km (26.2. mile) HOKA run course has gained quite a reputation as the whole city turns up to celebrate. Athletes run along the beach, through the city center and through the city wall at Västerport before they finish next to the cathedral.