Originally published at: Swim Baie des Anges: The IRONMAN World Championship 2025 Practice Swim - Slowtwitch News
Photos: Kevin Mackinnon
Australia’s Sam Askey-Doran (pictured above), who set a new swim course record at the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona last year (45:43), led the way out of the water at today’s Swim Baie des Anges – the practice swim for the big event on Sunday. The 481 participants completed a 1.9-km (1.2-mile) swim that roughly duplicates the first leg of Sunday’s swim.
There weren’t a lot of pro athletes at the swim, with 18-24 age-grouper Askey-Doran leading the way onto the rocky beach here in Nice in 22:47, with Switzerland’s Sven Thalmann finishing in 23:11 and Germany’s Wilhelm Hirsch rounding out the top three in 23:21.
Despite this weekend’s race being the men’s championship (the women, of course, compete in Kona next month), there were 45 women in the field, with Great Britain’s Lizzie Rayner leading the way in 26:31. She was followed by American Michelle Haustein (27:39) and Japan’s Maiko Ota (30:19).
Here are some photos from this morning’s swim:
Aussie pro Nick Thompson gets ready to hit the water.
The pros left a few minutes before the age group competitors.
IRONMAN CEO Scott DeRue and photographer James Mitchell were happy to take in the morning’s action.
Sven Thalmann was the first pro out of the water.
Athletes were happy to receive their medals after the race.
Frank, Jonas and Silke Wechsel took in the swim as a family affair. (Frank and Silke are the founders of Germany’s Triathlon Magazine and are covering the race – Jonas will be one of the youngest competitors in Sunday’s race.)
