Search
shop

Challenge St Pölten: Start time, preview and how to watch live

The historic Challenge St Pölten will take place this weekend in Austria and host a strong mix of veteran athletes and rising stars.
Staff Reporter
Last updated -
STRENGTH. ENDURANCE. PERFORMANCE.

The iconic Challenge St Pölten will take place this weekend in Austria, as the Challenge Family host back-to-back race weekends in Central Europe following the seventh edition of The Championship last week.

With over 1,700 athletes from 36 athletes lining up in the amateur race, there will be plenty of athletes out on course, at a race which also features an 80-strong pro field.

Below, we have all the information you need on the professional field, and more details on start times and how to watch the race live this weekend.

Advertisement

Start time and how to watch live

Challenge St Pölten will take place on Sunday May 26. The women will begin first, with the gun going off at 07:00 local time. This corresponds to 06:00 in the UK, 01:00 on the East Coast and 22:00 on the West Coast on Saturday May 25.

The pro men’s race will begin twenty minutes later, at 07:20 local time. This corresponds to 06:20 in the UK, 01:20 on the East Coast and 22:20 on the West Coast on Saturday.

The race doubles as the Austrian National Championship and will be broadcast live on both Austrian television and the Challenge Family website, plus via the embed below.

Pro Field

In the men’s race, German Tom Hug will hope to defend his title from last year, with the German racing for the second time this season in St Pölten after taking a win last weekend at the Apfelland Triathlon.

Challenge St. Pölten 2023 - Photo Credit José Luis Hourcade

His competition includes home favourite Michael Weiss, the 43-year-old Austrian who has secured two Top 10 finishes here in recent years, plus fellow German Nicolas Mann, the recent winner of IRONMAN 70.3 Mallorca.

Other notable names include Serbians Ognjen Stojanović and Ondrej Kubo, plus former IRONMAN Austria winner Ivan Tutukin of Kazakstan, who previously competed in short course racing for Russia.

In the women’s race, Germans Laura Zimmerman and Daniela Kleiser are the heavy favourites for the win, with Zimmerman last month finishing third at IRONMAN South Africa and Kleiser second last weekend at the Apfelland Triathlon.

Other contenders include Gabriele Obmann of Austria, who recently took third at Challenge Cesenatico, plus top Finnish athlete Tiina Pohjalainen and American Brittany Higgins.

Advertisement

Prize Money: What’s on the line?

Athletes will be racing for a total prize purse of $19,000, payable six deep as follows:

  • 1st – €3,500
  • 2nd – €2,100
  • 3rd – €1,400
  • 4th – €1,150
  • 5th – €850
  • 6th – €500
Tomos Land
Written by
Tomos Land
Tomos Land is a triathlon & running journalist whose expertise lies in the professional world of short course & long distance triathlon, though he also boasts an extensive knowledge of ultra-running.
Discover more
Challenge The Championship Marjolaine Pieree
How to qualify for Challenge The Championship – and why it should be on your triathlon bucket list
Cadomotus aero triathlon cycling shoes
Can your triathlon cycling shoes make you faster? How shoe choice could speed up your triathlon finish times
French Riviera T100 bike course Esterel
Is this the ultimate middle distance triathlon bike course? We rode the French Riviera T100 bike course and it’s EPIC
Ironman gear guide – everything you need to get to the finish line of a full distance triathlon
Challenge St. Pölten 2024 - image credit Jose Luis Hourcade / Challenge Family
Expert swim coach on the three most common swim mistakes age group triathletes make (and how to fix them!)
latest News
IRONMAN World Championship 2024 Nice Age Group Swim Start
IRONMAN to review World Championship slot allocation model after fears raised for Age Group women
Jonny Brownlee / Jonathan Brownlee - Super League Triathlon London 2023
Did the Brownlee brothers nearly join pro cycling’s Team Sky after 2012 Olympic heroics?
Kristian Hogenhaug interviewed after The Championship 2025
Danish triathlon star highlights blistering bike split as key to The Championship success.
Alistair Brownlee - T100 San Francisco 2024 bike
Olympic triathlon legend Alistair Brownlee completes iconic Gralloch race in latest gravel test
Jeanne Lehair Beth Potter WTCS Yokohama 2025
From Olympic heartbreak to joy of first WTCS win as emotions flow for Jeanne Lehair
triathlon on your terms
Never miss out with our triathlon alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.
The 247 Group

The home of endurance sports

Share to...