Picking the winner of Saturday’s IRONMAN World Championship in Kona looks an incredibly tough call.
Most people seem to think that bib numbers one to five are an accurate reflection of the favourites – but who will emerge triumphant?
We’ve got the last three winners; defending champ Sam Laidlow plus brilliant Norwegian duo Gustav Iden – who set a record time in Kona the last time it was held there in 2022 – and Kristian Blummenfelt.
They are joined by Patrick Lange, the winner in Kona in 2017 and 2018 and three-time Challenge Roth hero Magnus Ditlev.
Alistair Brownlee’s Kona pick is…
One big name not there is Alistair Brownlee, the only man to successfully defend an Olympic triathlon title and currently focussing on the T100 series this year rather than full distance.
He’s obviously raced against all of the ‘big five’ and he was asked on a Brownlee Fitness Q&A on Wednesday night [the full video is embedded below] who he thought would come out on top.
And he had no hesitation nominating the man he saw at close quarters recently at T100 Ibiza, saying: “I think it’s really hard to see past Sam Laidlow.
“I’ve been very impressed with him in T100 racing – and I think IRONMAN’s probably more his distance as well.
“His run seems to have really come on – and I think he’s probably the best swim and biker in the field anyway. And then his run is pretty up there so I think he’s going to be hard to beat.”
Nice next year for Alistair?
Also in the video Alistair was asked about his own ambitions for 2025 and whether the IRONMAN World Championship, which will be held on a hilly course in Nice which should play to his strengths, is on the agenda.
And he replied: “I must admit I’m not thinking too much about next year just yet. I think it’s important that you don’t think too far ahead and I’ve got another race left this year [T100 Dubai].
“But the IRONMAN World Champs in Nice, I’d love to be able to do that. Obviously that could be a great event for me. So, we’ll see.”
And asked if there’s a chance he could go ahead-to-head with brother Jonny at a T100 or 70.3 race next year, quick as a flash he replied: “I hope so because I’ll definitely win! He’s got no chance of beating me at that distance.”
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