Ironman Hamburg 2018: 175,000 spectators celebrate triathletes in Hamburg

Photo: Thomas Sobczak

Sarah Crowley was unbeatable in Hamburg.

With Bart Aernouts and Sarah Crowley won a Belgian and an Australian at the second edition of Ironman Hamburg. Instead of the clbadic combination of swimming, cycling and running, the duathlon version of running, cycling and running had to be put in place this year. The starting shot was different than originally planned for the professional men, so only at 7:00, the ladies followed two minutes later. Starting at 0710, the age group athletes went on the track. In total, approximately 2,150 athletes took the start, supported by some 175,000 spectators along the route.

Photographers Thomas Sobczak and Ingo Kutsche were on hand to run the world at the Ironman Hamburg 2018. You will find your best impressions of the race in the photo gallery above and below and in the middle of this article.

On the eve of the event the news was circulating that the swim of the Ironman Hamburg 2018 was to be canceled. The reason is the current concentration of blue-green algae in Alster. To protect the well of more than 2,000 participants, it was thus avoided an additional race of 6 kilometers, with which the race was launched. After the introductory tour and entry into the transition zone, the bike path began at the northern end of this area on Ballindamm. This ran from there on two 90-kilometer towers. Here, the Hamburg Gromarkt, which is normally closed to cyclists, has crossed and crossed the Brandshofer lock bridge. Then the road led into the industrially clbady Rothenburgsort and through the beautiful Vier- and Marschlande. The hotspots at Hohendeicher See and Zollenspieker Fhrhaus have proved to be meeting places for spectators and fans alike. After the first bend in Geesthacht just before kilometer 40, the triathletes made a loop through the Gammer Weg at Altengamme, before returning to the city center via the dike. The last kilometers of the circuit ran along the Lombards Bridge until the last turn in front of the TV tower at km 87. The last marathon was completed around the Binnen- and along the river. ; Auenalster. The Rathausmarkt was also pbaded three times during the four rounds.

Photo: Thomas Sobczak

The second half of the cycling cycle was followed by a backwind.

The Belgian Aernouts wins the Ironman Hamburg 2018

In an attractive race in which With 50 professionals at the start, Bart Aernouts won his first victory at Ironman Hamburg. In the first part of the day, some athletes arrived in the transition zone almost at the same time. The local hero, Michael Raelert, has again left this as a leader. Over the next 180 kilometers, the peloton became more and more deteriorated, so that 'Aernouts, with last year' s winner, James Cunnama, of South Africa, became the first athletes to take their running shoes. After about 20 kilometers Cunnama was overtaken by British Joe Skipper and pushed to third place. Nothing should change in this order until arrival. Thus, Aernouts won at the end in 7:05:26 hours ahead of Skipper and Cunnama. In fifth place came with Franz Loeschke the first German on arrival. In addition to fifth place, he also won the DTU long distance champion title. The British Tim Don, who had recovered from a broken neck, made his debut for the first time on long distance, reached the arrival at the City Hall market under the cheers of the spectators, then burst into tears of joy