World Championship: Neubrandenburger will start at the Ironman in Hawaii

Stephan Schwandke still can’t really believe it, even if he now has the confirmation: The 38-year-old triathlete from HSV Neubrandenburg will start at the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii on October 9th. Stephan Schwandke laughs and says: “You still hold your head there.” The whole thing is simply unbelievable.

You don’t get a starting place for Hawaii – the place of longing for almost all triathletes – you have to qualify for it. Stephan Schwandke succeeded in this last Sunday, August 8th, at the Ironman race in Gdynia, Poland.

It was his first ever start over the distance of 3.8 kilometers of swimming, 180.2 kilometers of cycling and 42.2 kilometers of running. After a remarkable 10: 15.58 hours he reached the finish line on his Ironman debut, finishing seventh in his M35 age group. “The time wasn’t great now, but it was so good that it was enough for Hawaii,” he says.

He only briefly wasted a thought about the cult Ironman in advance: “Hawaii was a long way away for me.” Then chance played into his cards.

Continue reading: Things to know and notable about the Ironman World Cup in Hawaii

The number of Hawaii slots has increased

“Thomas Weber, my trainer, told me shortly before the race that the organizer had increased the number of starting places that Ironmans are giving away for Hawaii in Gdynia,” says Schwandke, who lives with his family in Rossow near Neubrandenburg. Usually around 30 so-called Hawaii slots are awarded in races.

Since Ironman races have been canceled worldwide due to the corona pandemic, there are more starting places for other competitions. “I was also just a little lucky that in Gdynia there weren’t that many great people in my age group. I just took the chance, “says the HSV triathlete, who emphasizes that the whole thing wasn’t given to him:” I had to do something for it, “he says.

Bike course was extreme

Above all, Schwandke was ready to torment himself that day. The 180-kilometer bike course with an altitude of 1,600 meters was particularly tough. “It also rained in places, that was extreme,” he looks back. In the final marathon, the 38-year-old, who works as a surveyor at the State Office for Agriculture and the Environment, had to take breaks from walking – his body was pretty much exhausted. Nevertheless, he still ran a top time of 3:34 hours over the 42.2 kilometers. “When someone told me at the finish line that I was seventh in my age group, tears came to me,” he says.

There are many who do not accept a starting place in Hawaii – for financial and sporting reasons. For Stephan Schwandke that was not an issue: “It’s as if you were allowed to compete in the Olympic Games as an amateur, you wouldn’t refuse that either.”

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