“The fittest in the world” got cold at the World Championships in Lahti due to stomach problems – this is how Alexander Stubb and Hannu Manninen managed

This week, the triathlon half-distance World Championships have filled the entire city of Lahti. Of course, Lahti has become known as the organizer of large international sports events before, but then it was mostly about winter sports.

How is it even possible that the World Triathlon Championships have been held in Lahti?

– First of all, Lahti is a sports-crazy city. Lahti has long traditions and big events are wanted here. Now we have had a half-distance competition for five years in a row. Hunger grows when you eat, race director Tiina Boman said.

Boman adds right after that the search for the World Cup sounded like “a really crazy idea” at the beginning.

– From the beginning, we have had seamless cooperation with the international Ironman organization, the city and the officials. That’s also what it takes if you want such a big event here, Boman emphasized.

Lahti’s trump cards are, among other things, ideal conditions, long experience in organizing competitions, solid professionalism of the volunteers, and solid cooperation with the Ironman organization.

On Saturday, the women’s pro series was won by an American Taylor Knibbwhose winning time of 3:53.02 was the fastest in history at the World Championships.

On Saturday, the atmosphere of the games was marred by an unfortunate death. The race organization announced that the athlete was lifted from the water in the middle of the swimming section and he received help from, among other things, the event’s two doctors, but died despite the efforts of the professionals.

Read more: Sad news from the World Triathlon Championships in Lahti: One athlete has died

In the half-distance triathlon, you swim 1.9 kilometers, cycle 90 kilometers and run 21.1 kilometers.

The basic triathlon distance contested at the Olympics consists of a 1.5 kilometer swim, a 40 kilometer bike ride and a 10 kilometer run.

More than 6,200 competitors from 115 countries had registered for the World Championships in Lahti. There were both professionals and age group athletes.

On Sunday, the men’s series were contested. There were no Finns in the Pro series. Instead, the reigning world champion, a Norwegian Kristian Blummenfelt29, competed in Lahti, despite having suffered from stomach problems all week.

However, due to illness, Blummenfelt was not able to perform at his best, and ended up in 36th place. Blummenfelt’s ME time from the full distance triathlon is 7.21.12, from Cozumel, Mexico, from the other year.

Blummenfelt is an Olympic triathlon champion from Tokyo, so we are talking about a really exceptional guy, because the quarter and full distances of the Olympic category require very different qualities and very different training.

Read more: The world’s fittest man will perform in Lahti this weekend – “1,300 hours a year”

On Sunday in Lahti, a 22-year-old German took the men’s half distance WC gold Rico Bogen. Bogen swam 1.9 kilometers in 22.52, cycled 90 kilometers in less than two hours (1.56.17) and ran 21.1 kilometers in 1.11.02. Bogen’s time of 3:32.22 is a new World Championship record for the series.

Germany was the first to land in the swimming section Justus Nieschlag in time 22:43. In the cycling section, the Germans emerged with a wide front, when no less than five Germans were in the leading group. The fastest time in the cycling section was clocked by Germany Frederic Funk, whose time of 1:55.13 made a mockery of the ghost limit of two hours. The Germans Bogen, Funk, Jan Stratmann and France Mathis Margirier.

After two kilometers of running, Bogen moved to the top of the race and held on to his lead until the end.

Having won the Kraichgau Ironman earlier this summer, Bogen became the youngest Ironman World Champion in history.

– I think I might be the youngest world champion ever, which is really incredible. The bike was really hard today, but fortunately my legs had enough kick to run, Bogen said at the finish line.

The biggest early favorites of the competition were in trouble. Blummenfelt had therefore suffered from stomach problems and Australia Lionel Sanders was disqualified due to a rule violation in cycling.

The World Championships were held in Finland for the first time. Finns in the age groups included, among others, the presidential candidate who won the Ironman competition in his age group in July Alexander Stubb and an Olympic medalist in combined skiing Hannu Manninen.