Reigning IRONMAN World Champion Laura Philipp will kick off her 2025 season this weekend when she attempts to win 70.3 Kraichgau for a sixth time in her last six visits.
The German superstar heads the field on home turf in what is also a warm-up for her first IRONMAN of the season the following weekend in Hamburg when she will lock horns again with Kat Matthews, the woman she beat to the IMWC title after that memorable battle in Nice.
But while Matthews has already raced – and won – IRONMAN Texas this year, Philipp is beginning her campaign later than ever before as a pro, bar the years affected by the global Covid pandemic.
Five-star show
There could be no better start point though – her first Kraichgau successes came in 2017 and 2018 but she didn’t return until 2022, since when she’s won it every year.
Most of those have been clear-cut successes – and last year came in a best time so far of 4:13:12 – but Lucy Charles-Barclay pushed her all the way in 2023 before going on to win that year’s IRONMAN World Championship herself for the first time.
“I am excited to run into the first race week of the year at IM 70.3 Kraichgau on Sunday,” wrote Philipp on Instagram. “Can’t wait to race against a strong field in the land of the 1000 hills.”
Home advantage
Up against Philipp on Sunday are three fellow Germans.
Caroline Pohle notched four straight wins last year to move up to 11th in the world, including victories at IRONMAN 70.3 European Championship Tallinn and IRONMAN 70.3 Zell am See-Kaprun.
Last year’s third Laura Jansen and Lena MeiĂźner, third at IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence last weekend, also line up.
Other names to note include Natalie Van Coevorden (AUS) and Laura Addie (GBR).
Not surprisingly there’s also a strong German presence in the men’s race, looking to dethrone defending champion Niek Heldoorn of the Netherlands.
That includes 2024 IRONMAN Barcelona champion Jan Stratmann and last year’s third place finisher at Kraichgau, Jonas Hoffman.
