Ironman Kalmar is fast approaching, and triathlon fans and athletes alike are preparing to converge on the beautiful city that carries the following reputation during race week: “Small City, Big Heart.”

On Saturday, August 15th, all eyes will be on Kalmar, Sweden’s only full-distance Ironman. A destination race coveted by athletes from around the world, Kalmar sells out quickly. In fact, this year’s race sold out in less than a month, and the event has been named the most recommended Ironman race in the world by its participants.

Why is this race so important, particularly for the professionals? It represents the final opportunity to qualify for the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, as well as the final regular-season full-distance stop of the 2026 Ironman Pro Series.

As such, anticipation around the start list has been high, with just as much intrigue surrounding who’s not racing as who’s on the list.

Notable Contenders Not Racing

What may be catching the most attention is who isn’t on the start list.

This includes fan favourite Lionel Sanders, who is set to race Ironman 70.3 Northern California on August 16th but will not be chasing Kona this year following an injury-plagued stretch. However, judging by his recent Instagram posts, it doesn’t look like this is the end for Sanders. He continues to have ambitious racing goals, so fans can hope for a smoother 2027 for the Canadian, and perhaps a return to the Big Island next season.

 

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A post shared by Lionel Sanders (@lsanderstri)

Another headline athlete not racing is Jelle Geens, who opened the season by sharing in a YouTube video that he was all-in on Kona as his goal for the year. He debuted over the full distance in Texas and looked in contention for the win for much of the race, racing at the front alongside several of the sport’s biggest stars, before ultimately DNFing in the closing stages of the run. As per his latest update this morning, due to injury, Geens will instead delay his full-distance ambitions until next year, focusing instead on a potential hat trick at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Nice. Should he pull it off, he would become the first athlete ever to win three consecutive Ironman 70.3 World Championship titles.

Holly Lawrence is another notable absence after finishing an impressive sixth in her Kona debut last season. And Alanis Siffert, who stormed to a somewhat unexpected victory in Roth, firmly establishing herself as a name to watch over the full distance, is also not racing. It would have been fascinating to see what Siffert was capable of on the iconic Kona course. (Hopefully next year!)

Women’s Start List

In terms of who is racing, the first standout name is 2024 Ironman World Champion Laura Philipp, who still holds the fastest Ironman time ever recorded: 8:03:13, set in Hamburg last year.

Philipp had a slow and less-than-ideal start to her season due to illness. We caught up with her in Roth, where she spoke about intentionally stepping away from racing to rebuild her health and strength before targeting the championship portion of the season. We know her approach has been measured, with late-season racing in mind, and we’re very excited to see her back on a start line.

Katrine Christensen will be lining up wearing bib number 1. She currently sits 10th in the Pro Series standings and will be looking to move up the rankings by adding her second full-distance score following a third-place finish in Hamburg earlier this year. Jackie Hering, currently sitting 17th, will also be adding her second full-distance score here, which could see her climb the standings as well.

Among the leading contenders still seeking a Kona slot are Leonie Konczalla, Rebecca Clarke, Jeanne Collonge, and Jenny Jendryschik.

Men’s Start List

On the men’s side, big names include Jonas Schomburg, Matthew Marquardt, Matt Hanson, and Trevor Foley.

Foley started his season with a perfect two-for-two record in the Pro Series, winning Ironman New Zealand and the Ironman 70.3 North American Championship in Happy Valley. He had hoped to continue that streak in Lake Placid, but unfortunately the day didn’t go as planned with an eighth-place finish, prompting a quick turnaround to race in Europe in hopes of improving his Pro Series score ahead of championship season. He currently sits 12th in the standings and will be looking to improve on that.

 

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A post shared by Trevor Foley (@tfoleyracing)

Marquardt has had an exceptional season, arriving in Kalmar with a win at Ironman South Africa as well as a runner-up finish behind Marten Van Riel in Lake Placid, where both men went under Marquardt’s previous course record. He has shared that the full distance is his strength and he will absolutely be in contention for the title here.

Schomburg and Hanson are never athletes to overlook. Schomburg consistently races at the front of world-class fields, while Hanson’s renowned run speed remains one of the sport’s biggest weapons. We saw that on full display at Ironman New Zealand earlier this season, where he ran his way onto the podium and, for a time, looked capable of chasing down the win.

Most of the leading contenders have already secured their Kona slots, but Finn Große-Freese, Jonas Hoffmann, and Henrik Goesch remain among those looking to book their ticket to the Big Island in Kalmar.