An age-group spectacle as over 1000 athletes converge in Lahti for the IRONMAN 70.3 Finland. Perfect race conditions made the 2021 IRONMAN 70.3 Finland a special one for Juuso Manninen (FIN) and Laura Jalasto (FIN) crossing the finish line in the fastest overall time in the age-group men’s and women’s races respectively. Athletes started off the swim in calm conditions with the water temperature reaching 22.9 degrees Celsius, and the air temperature at 28 degrees Celsius at the start of the race.
The race marked its return after being postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 1000 athletes converged in Lahti to participate in the third edition of the IRONMAN 70.3 Finland, under The IRONMAN Group’s Safe Return to Racing Guidelines. IRONMAN 70.3 Finland is known for its unique start time, with the 1.9km one-loop swim start beginning at 03h15 pm (CEST) at lake Vesijärvi. Following the swim, athletes transitioned onto the bike for a 90km one-loop bike course that took athletes through forests, along lakes and across rolling hills which are surrounded by Finnish villages like Sairakkala, Kärkölä, Vesala and Hollola before heading back to Lahti. The run portion of the race comprised of a fast flat 21.1km, finishing at Sibelius Hall.
“Well done to all the athletes that took part today, it felt great to be back out there after a year of no racing. A special mention to the incredible volunteers who year on year come out in full support of this event, such an event would not be possible without the residents of Lahti. Together with our partners, we worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that athletes had an unforgettable race experience under our Safe Return to Racing Guidelines,” said Tiina Boman, IRONMAN 70.3 Finland Race Director.
Full age-group results for the 2021 IRONMAN 70.3 Finland can be found at www.ironman.com/im703-finland-results
For more information on the IRONMAN 70.3 Finland triathlon please visit www.ironman.com/im703-finland