3.8 km of swimming, 180 km of cycling and 42 km of running, all in less than 7 hours for men, and less than 8 hours for women... It's a crazy bet that they launched Kristian Blummenfelt (long distance world champion in 2022), Nicola Spirig (short distance Olympic champion in London in 2012), Joe Skipper (long distance European champion in 2017) and Katrina Matthews (2nd in the long distance world championship distance in 2022) on this project launched by the organization Pho3nix (*).
Remember in 2019 when Eliud Kipchoge went below the legendary 2 hour mark in the marathon.
The performance can be just as historic this Sunday, June 5 on the scale of the triathlon.
To believe that pushing the limits of the possible is in fashion (although if there is a world record, it will obviously not be approved).
Surrounded by a dozen athletes
To go below the 7 and 8 hour mark, you will have to be more than 20 minutes faster than the best times ever recorded over the distance (current world records of 7 hours 21 minutes for men and 8 hours 22 minutes for women). women).
A stratospheric performance that cannot be achieved alone, at least not at the moment.
As a result, Kristian Blummenfelt, Nicola Spirig, Joe Skipper and Katrina Matthews will be surrounded by an entire team for the swimming part, the cycling part and the marathon.
These pacemakers will aim to be as regular as possible, and to protect the stars of the day from the wind (on the bike and on the run).
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Obviously, the pacemakers will not be unknown to the general public, and for good reason!
Kristian Blummenfelt will notably be surrounded (for the marathon) by Lani Rutto, record in 2h06, and Barnaba Kipkoech, record in 2h09. Nicola Spirig will have Olympic marathon runner Maja Neuenschwander (Switzerland), record in 2:26.
The times to achieve
Whether swimming, cycling, or running, the times to be achieved are inhuman.
And again, the word is weak.
Before the hour of truth (departure around 6:30 a.m. Paris time), Pho3nix published its time predictions for each of the athletes.
According to the organization, Kristian Blummenfelt should swim in 50 min (1min19 / 100m), ride the 180 km bike in 3h45 (48 km / h on average), and run the marathon in 2h25 (3 min 26 / km) .
For a total time (including transitions) of 6h 59' 59''... Joe Skipper should swim in 49 min, ride in 3h20 (54 km/h on average!) and run in 2h37 (3 min 43/ kilometres).
For a final time announced in 6h46!
For the ladies, Nicola Spirig hopes to swim in 50 min, ride in 4 h 19 (42 km/h on average) and run the marathon in 2 h 45 (3 min 54/km), for a final time of 7 h 54.
Katrina Matthews hopes to do better, by swimming in 50 min, riding in 4 hours (45 km/h on average), and running in 2h40 (3 min 47/km), for a total effort of 7h30!
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Unachievable performance?
Finishing an Ironman is already sensational.
It's a performance, regardless of the final time.
Completing it in less than 7 hours is just superhuman.
And when we look at the times needed to achieve this feat, we may have some doubts about the relevance of this race... Because as much to tell you that achieving these times alone over an Ironman distance is clearly impossible.
Anyway for now.
Here, the athletes will benefit from the help of hares, which is clearly forbidden on Ironman races.
So it's not really triathlon anymore... But beyond that, even with the support of other top athletes, these times are stratospheric and risk being a little too ambitious.
In reality, getting closer to 7:10 for men,
To push the limits of the impossible, the Norwegian Kristian Blummenfelt seems the best equipped.
This season, the current best triathlete in the world is on a little cloud.
Short distance world champion, long distance world champion, Olympic champion in Tokyo, and holder of the best time in history on Ironman distance (7h21), all this in the space of twelve months... Case to follow this Sunday June 5, 2022, from 6:30 a.m., to find out if “Blumi” becomes the first man on earth to pass the 7-hour Ironman distance mark.
(*) The Pho3nix Foundation is a non-profit organization created by the Polish businessman Sebastian Kulczyk, with the aim of promoting physical activity as a means of improving the health and well-being of children, with particular emphasis on those in a disadvantaged situation.