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March 20, 2012

New bike course at this years edition of the Frankfurter Sparkasse IRONMAN European Championship

Winter is over and spring almost here. Finally we can return with our bikes back on the roads.

Speaking of roads: in this years edition of the Frankfurter Sparkasse IRONMAN European Championship 2012 we´ll have a modification on the bike course.

From the city of Friedberg, the course is not leading to Bad Nauheim (like the previous year).

The new bike course for download as a PDF-Document: Bike Course Describtion IRONMAN European Championship 2012

The new bike course for download (PDF file): Bike Course 2012

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March 16, 2012

Marino Vanhoenacker has confirmed he will be racing at the Frankfurter Sparkasse IRONMAN European Championship. The race on July 8th 2012 now features the world’s two fastest triathletes over the IRONMAN distance.

It’s been an unwritten rule forever: The top triathletes in the world try to avoid each other in races before they meet at the IRONMAN World Championship in October. Until now. Belgian Marino Vanhoenacker, who has won the IRONMAN Austria six times and has already taken two titles in the Southern Hemisphere at this year’s IRONMAN 70.3 South Africa and IRONMAN 70.3 New Zealand races, has confirmed that he will race at the Frankfurter Sparkasse IRONMAN European Championship on July 8th 2012 where he will face local hero Andreas Raelert. It will be Vanhoenacker’s first race on German soil.

Over the span of his career the 35-year-old Vanhoenacker has won nine IRONMAN races in total, most notably setting an IRONMAN record time of 7:45:58 hours at the IRONMAN Austria 2011. Only a week later Raelert set a new long-distance record finishing in 7:41:33.

“Marino and Andreas competing against each other at the Frankfurter Sparkasse IRONMAN European Championship is a dream come true for all IRONMAN fans. To have the two fastest athletes in long-distance Triathlon in the same race will be an amazing thing to watch. Plus we have upcoming star Sebastian Kienle in Frankfurt too. This will be a race the Triathlon world will follow very closely”, says Kai Walter, the World Triathlon Corporation’s Managing Director International Operations Europe.

“Marino’s decision to race in Frankfurt is also a symbolic one. Now we have him, Andreas and Michael Raelert (the two-times IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion will debut in his first IRONMAN race in Regensburg), Kienle, Ronnie Schildknecht (Zurich), Faris Al-Sultan and Markus Fachbach (Klagenfurt) competing in IRONMAN races this season. These guys are the best male Triathletes in Europe and we’re thrilled to have them in our series”, says Stefan Petschnig, WTC’s Executive Manager Europe and South Africa.

“Of course it’s hard to see Marino go but we expect him to return to Klagenfurt as both the European and World Champion. He built his success story with six wins in Klagenfurt but now he’s ready to tackle Raelert in Frankfurt”, says Helge Lorenz, WTC’s Managing Director Austria.

“Marino is one of the most constant athletes around. Seeing him race against Andreas in Frankfurt will be the most thrilling duel to watch in Triathlon outside the World Championships in Hawaii. This just shows that athletes perceive the Frankfurter Sparkasse European Championship as a premier race to compete in”, adds WTC’s Managing Director Rolf Aldag.

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March 6, 2012

World-class triathletes Andreas Raelert, Sebastian Kienle and Caroline Steffen to race at the Frankfurter Sparkasse Ironman European Championship on July 8, 2012 / Kai Walter: “Appreciate commitments of these top athletes and their commitment to Ironman” / Michael Raelert to debut on long-distance course at Ironman Regensburg

Thousands of amateur triathletes from around the world have already signed up for the various European Ironman events this year. Now the first prominent professionals have also added their names to the start lists of the German Ironman events. World-class triathletes Andreas Raelert (Rostock), Sebastian Kienle (Karlsruhe) and Caroline Steffen (Switzerland) will race at the Frankfurter Sparkasse Ironman European Championship on July 8. Michael Raelert, younger of the two Raelert Brothers, will race at the Ironman events in Regensburg and Wiesbaden.

Kai Walter, Managing Director of International Operations of the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC), says: “We are very excited about the commitments of these top athletes to our races and to Ironman. They guarantee first-class sports and hopefully great media interest. Andreas Raelert and rising star Sebastian Kienle duelling at the Frankfurter Sparkasse Ironman European Championship will be a highlight for all triathlon fans.”

Rolf Aldag, Managing Director Germany of WTC: “Having the Raelert Brothers at the races is an upgraded to every event. Michael will also compete at the Thomas Cook Ironman 70.3 Mallorca and is making his long distance debut at Ironman Regensburg, which I’m particularly excited about. Andreas Raelert is certainly one of the top favorites to win the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii.”

Andreas Raelert, Sebastian Kienle and Caroline Steffen will start at the Frankfurter Sparkasse Ironman European Championship on July 8. Swiss Caroline Steffen, currently living in Australia, is defending champion in Frankfurt.

Michael Raelert will race at Ironman Regensburg (June 17) and the Sparkassen Finanzgruppe Ironman 70.3 European Championship in Wiesbaden (August 12).

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