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Ironman Switzerland, ironman Kalmar or Ironman Copenhagen
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A friend of mine is looking at doing her fisrt Ironman and she's looking for feedback for the following races. She's a good athlete, but fairly new to endurance cycling. Could you provide feedback if you've race in the following?

Ironman Switzerland

Ironman Kalmar

Ironman Copenhagen

Thank you

Formely stef32
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Re: Ironman Switzerland, ironman Kalmar or Ironman Copenhagen [StephanM] [ In reply to ]
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Copenhagen is great, I did my first there. Very spectator friendly. The swim is in a sheltered area with bridges that your family can follow you on. The bike is rolling with only one hill. There are a few spots that spectators gather and families set out picnic tables in various areas. The run is four laps with huge support throughout. Its very well run and I would do it again in a heartbeat. The weather was perfect with a high in the 70's when I did it. The finish line was loud and raucous. Copenhagen was a great city to visit.
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Re: Ironman Switzerland, ironman Kalmar or Ironman Copenhagen [StephanM] [ In reply to ]
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StephanM wrote:
A friend of mine is looking at doing her fisrt Ironman and she's looking for feedback for the following races. She's a good athlete, but fairly new to endurance cycling. Could you provide feedback if you've race in the following?

Ironman Switzerland

Ironman Kalmar

Ironman Copenhagen

Thank you

I've done Zurich (2016) and Kalmar (2013). Kalmar was a twofer because we flew into Copenhagen, spent a couple days touring the city, then took the train to Kalmar. We toured the Kalmar castle and cathedral, and my wife and daughter enjoyed shopping all over the quaint town. Kalmar will have a much colder water swim than Zurich, a much flatter bike course (biking by an old Viking graveyard on the island of Oland is just cool). Zurich/Switzerland offers more to see but it is a more expensive venue and definitely a much tougher bike course. For me, the question is like asking whether I prefer my right arm to my left. I want both of them thank you.
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Re: Ironman Switzerland, ironman Kalmar or Ironman Copenhagen [StephanM] [ In reply to ]
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Can only speak to Copenhagen, as I did it this year. Have done two other Ironman-length races. Wisconsin 2x and Norseman.

Did Copenhagen as a tourist as I've been nursing injuries the last couple of years. Very sheltered, easy to navigate swim, bike is a really great ride, not challenging, but very scenic. And as someone has alluded, run is four laps in the heart of Copenhagen. Was quite sentimental for me actually as I ran by (4Xs) both the place I proposed to my wife and the church in which we were married. :)

I'm biased as I'm married to a Dane (from Copenhagen) but it was a fantastic venue. The Danes really embrace the race... during heart of day, most of the run course lined with people (many places several people thick). A fantastic atmosphere. And super compact for any friends/sherpas. And with Denmark... you're almost guaranteed it won't be too hot.

For a maiden IM, would highly recommend.
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Re: Ironman Switzerland, ironman Kalmar or Ironman Copenhagen [StephanM] [ In reply to ]
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I've done Kalmar and Copenhagen. I would choose Copenhagen over Kalmar every single time.

Copenhagen is a better city to be a tourist in, more things to do before AND after the race. Kalmar is a ghost town the day after the race. I like the swim, bike, and run course better in Copenhagen. All three were more scenic.


__________________________________________________________________________
My marathon PR is "under three, high twos. I had a two hour and fifty-something."
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Re: Ironman Switzerland, ironman Kalmar or Ironman Copenhagen [zoom] [ In reply to ]
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Thank you so much everyone

Formely stef32
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Re: Ironman Switzerland, ironman Kalmar or Ironman Copenhagen [StephanM] [ In reply to ]
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I was registered for Copenhagen but just had to withdraw due to life circumstances. It looks like a great race and a great city. I'll definitely be going there at some point.
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Re: Ironman Switzerland, ironman Kalmar or Ironman Copenhagen [StephanM] [ In reply to ]
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I loved Copenhagen and I loved Zurich. Never done Kalmar.

Zurich was definitely more expensive.

Zurich had a much better swim, in my opinion. Cleaner water and more room to maneuver

Copenhagen definitely had and easier bike but Zurich's bike was fantastic as well. Although you do have to climb more in Zurich, there is a 30k stretch by the water that's perfectly flat which you do twice.

I'd say the runs were about the same. When I did Copenhagen it was 4 loops and a lot of very short, steep drops and climbs or 180° turns to get under or over roads. There were a couple of places where the crowd was so tight that it was tough to get by. But Copenhagen also had 4 loops, a ton of turns and some hard cobblestones to run on. Plus I had a terrible run at Copenhagen so it's likely that colors my perception,

As I understand it now Zurich's run is a little better and there are only 3 loops.

If I had to choose one, I would probably choose Copenhagen but I would not feel at all bad by choosing Zurich
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Re: Ironman Switzerland, ironman Kalmar or Ironman Copenhagen [StephanM] [ In reply to ]
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Or Austria. I bloody love Austria!
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Re: Ironman Switzerland, ironman Kalmar or Ironman Copenhagen [StephanM] [ In reply to ]
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I'm from Sweden and did my first in Copenhagen.

For many firsttimers the swim can be scary.
Copenhagen has wery calm swim (shielded swim) nice water and you can se the bottom (that calmed me alot).

The bike is nice 2 loop. Only thing i dident like was the cobblestones in one "village".

Awsome run in the city. Alot of people cheering.

The T1 and T2 are in different palces other than that I loved the city becouse i was not far to everything.
From the trian station you can walk everywhere (except T1, Swim start, take subway, bike or car).

Did my second the year after there again.

Doing Kalmar this year. They say the crowd support is amazing there. It mostly on my bucketlist becouse its "at home".
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Re: Ironman Switzerland, ironman Kalmar or Ironman Copenhagen [knighty76] [ In reply to ]
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knighty76 wrote:
Or Austria. I bloody love Austria!


I liked Austria but man, that bike was way tougher than I'd been told. Definitely tougher than Switzerland or Frankfurt.

The run was great with the exception of the fact that the spectators were using the porta-johns at every stop. I had to run past 3 of them that were occupied and at 2 of them I saw a spectator go in right before me. Grrr...

And the swim -- well it's great until the final 800 meters where you swim up a narrow canal with absolutely no room to move. The year I did it (2013) they had an early wave and a regular wave. I was lucky enough to get into the early wave and so the canal wasn't too bad but it was still really crowded. Those poor folks in the regular wave never stood a chance. I had my best ever swim there but had I been in the regular wave, that would not have happened.
Last edited by: JoeO: Dec 6, 16 7:29
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Re: Ironman Switzerland, ironman Kalmar or Ironman Copenhagen [JoeO] [ In reply to ]
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JoeO wrote:
I
As I understand it now Zurich's run is a little better and there are only 3 loops.

If I had to choose one, I would probably choose Copenhagen but I would not feel at all bad by choosing Zurich

I did Zurich this year and it was a 4 loop course. To celebrate the 20th anniversary they completely changed the run course to go right through downtown and some of the old historic district - more of a loop than the out and back routes used in previous editions. And there were a TON of spectators out but probably because it was such a warm afternoon. I personally like the loop run courses they use in Europe; and happiness is collecting your last band so you can finish.

Kalmar had a 3 loop course. It wasn't as iconic as Zurich's run, but the finish was spectacular. Each loop you run across a pedestrian bridge and through one of the old gates to the city center, then down the cobbles to the Kalmar Cathedral. I had mentally quit Ironman a dozen times during the run, but when I came into the city on my last loop and ran down the old street, I knew I would be doing another. It was fantastic.

Powerman Zofingen: Check
Ironman Switzerland: Check
IM70.3 Rapperswil: Some year.
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Re: Ironman Switzerland, ironman Kalmar or Ironman Copenhagen [HuffNPuff] [ In reply to ]
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Looking to Kalmar as a first Ironman as well - my wife-to-be is Swedish, and although it's mentioned as a ghost town after the race, that's not something I'll be complaining about.

What was your feeling on the bike course? Two reasons for interest here - firstly I live in what must be close to the flattest area in the world, Cambridgeshire and secondly, I'm sitting about 220lbs at the moment, which although it will probably come down to about 200 by race time, I'd still much prefer a relatively flat or windy course to a hilly one.
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Re: Ironman Switzerland, ironman Kalmar or Ironman Copenhagen [altayloraus] [ In reply to ]
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I've raced Kalmar -12 and -16. I't a very fast course, a little bit slower if it's windy, both the swim and the bike is quite "unsheltered" you could say. Bike course is very flat! Roads are pretty good for the entire course I would say. You will not spend many seconds out of the saddle. And you will probably get away with using your brakes less than 10 times in total. ;)

The people are great in Kalmar, you'll have a lot of support the entire day.
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Re: Ironman Switzerland, ironman Kalmar or Ironman Copenhagen [altayloraus] [ In reply to ]
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altayloraus wrote:
Looking to Kalmar as a first Ironman as well - my wife-to-be is Swedish, and although it's mentioned as a ghost town after the race, that's not something I'll be complaining about.

What was your feeling on the bike course? Two reasons for interest here - firstly I live in what must be close to the flattest area in the world, Cambridgeshire and secondly, I'm sitting about 220lbs at the moment, which although it will probably come down to about 200 by race time, I'd still much prefer a relatively flat or windy course to a hilly one.

I live in Tampa, Florida where it is also very flat...and since I know Cambridgeshire, I'm claiming flatter! (I lived in Stoke Ferry near Downham Market from 1997-1999). I would describe the bike as flat to rolling. Assuming they use the same course as when I did it in 2013, it's a flat start with the exception of crossing the bridge over to Oland. The island itself is fairly flat going around perimeter but there is a slight grade up then down as you come across the island to complete that loop. There is also one hill on the south end of the island as you cross to the other side. I also remember a few hills as we headed up north on the mainland but overall this is a fairly flat course; but not as flat as Copenhagen from what I hear.
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Re: Ironman Switzerland, ironman Kalmar or Ironman Copenhagen [StephanM] [ In reply to ]
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I am resurrecting this thread as I'll be in northern Europe next August and am considering racing either Copenhagen or Kalmar. Any updated thoughts or advice on which to choose?
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Re: Ironman Switzerland, ironman Kalmar or Ironman Copenhagen [alligatorCAN] [ In reply to ]
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Can’t help you decide cause I only did Kalmar in 2019 but that was great, first part of bike course is flat, wind will come in from one side of the other for sure, course gets into rolling for the last 60km. 3 loop run with millions of spectators literally. I found it more crowded than Roth.
An older reply said that it will be a ghosttown after the race, that’s true. From that point Copenhagen is definitely a nicer tourist spot (been there without racing decades ago)

-shoki
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Re: Ironman Switzerland, ironman Kalmar or Ironman Copenhagen [alligatorCAN] [ In reply to ]
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I did Copenhagen in 2018 and loved the whole race! Never did Kalmar but would love to do that one too someday. I don't think you'll go wrong choosing either one. I've heard Kalmar is great too. People say it's a ghost town after the race but that might not be a bad thing. We did enjoy drinking beer and sitting by the water in Copenhagen after the race. The Danes know how to live and relax. I am not a city person but that is one city where I could live.

Death is easy....peaceful. Life is harder.
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Re: Ironman Switzerland, ironman Kalmar or Ironman Copenhagen [alligatorCAN] [ In reply to ]
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Can only speak to Kalmar as I raced there in 2018 but I loved it. No complaints. Nice little village with quite a few hotels so once we were there we didn't need a car for anything. My hotel room was maybe 100 yards from the swim start. Everything is all in one place. Really enjoyed the course. Swim was fun and cool where you get to swim under some bridges with spectators, bike is pretty flat and fast and the run had tons of support the entire time. Would definitely do it again. Went to Stockholm for a few days after the race and that was fun too.

I feel like there has been a lot of talk lately about locals in the US hating having Ironman athletes in town. I guess I don't entirely blame them. But it's definitely fun to go do some of these races in towns where people seem genuinely excited to be hosting the event.
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Re: Ironman Switzerland, ironman Kalmar or Ironman Copenhagen [Emzee] [ In reply to ]
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I ran Copenhagen in 2019 with a great course that was fast for the bike and very flat for the run with lots of people on the side of the road as the marathon is 100% in the city.
Last week I was in Thun to recognize the bike course because I will race in 2023.
The bike course is with 1800D+ but very fast because the descents are not dangerous and it is possible to go very fast. The water is often a little cold (for me) with around 18/19°, and the course is very flat but with a few turns. It will be a great race if the weather is nice and it's a windless region, unlike Copenhagen where there can be a lot of it.
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