THROUGH THE LENS: TOP IMAGES FROM THE 2023 VINFAST IRONMAN 70.3 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
LAHTI, Finland (Aug. 28, 2023) – Lahti, Finland took center stage of the triathlon world with two-days of racing at the 2023 VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship triathlon this past weekend. More than 6,000 registered athletes from 115 countries, regions and territories converged in Lahti, Finland
The 2023 VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship triathlon kicked off with a 1.2-mile (1.9km) ROKA Swim Course, which took place in beautiful Lake Vesijärvi. A challenging but fast 56-mile (91.3km) FULGAZ Bike Course led athletes through the stunning Finnish countryside passing through the small towns of Kärkölä and Hollola and culminating in a steep incline just before returning to transition at the Sport and Fair Centre. The 13.1-mile (21.1km) HOKA Run Course took athletes on two loops beginning indoors at the Sport and Fair Centre, passing inside the Lahti Stadium and tackling a long climb up Salpausselkä ridge before making their way back towards Lake Vesijarvi. The run path showcased beautiful water views and eclipsed the Pikku-Vesijarvi before culminating in an exhilarating finish line experience just in sight of famous Salpausselka Ski Jumps.
RACKED & READY: As the sun sets on Day One of the 2023 VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship, the male professionals and age-groupers rack their bikes in Teivva Harbour ready for Sunday’s race day. (Photo by: Ville Kashkivirta for IRONMAN)A FINNISH WELCOME: An aerial view of the famous Salpausselka Ski Jumps and Lahti Stadium just beyond the 2023 VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship finish line (Photo by: Ville Kashkivirta for IRONMAN)DIVING IN: The age-group men dive into the waters of Teivaa Harbour with an arch just like the rainbow in the background to kick off their day of their day of racing at the 2023 VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship on Sunday, Aug. 27 (Photo by: Ville Kashkivirta for IRONMAN)FOLLOW THE LEADER: The 2023 VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship age-group women’s field took on the the 1.2-mile (1.9km) ROKA Swim Course in beautiful Lake Vesijärvi (Photo by: Ville Kashkivirta for IRONMAN)A DAY TO SHINE: The IRONMAN Group President & CEO, Andrew Messick takes a selfie with athletes moments before the age group start of the 2023 VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship triathlon in Lahti, Finland. (Photos by: Ville Kashkivirta for IRONMAN)Daniela Ryf exits the water. (Photos by: Ville Kashkivirta for IRONMAN)Race volunteers help an athlete remove their wetsuit just outside the swim. (Photos by: Ville Kashkivirta for IRONMAN)A FINNISH THANK YOU: Alexander Stubbserved as Prime Minister, Finance Minister, Foreign Minister, Trade and European Minister of Finland (2008-2016) and will be running to be the next President of Finland. Stubb is a keen IRONMAN triathlete who competed in the IRONMAN World Championship event in Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i in 2016, and came top in his age-group at the IRONMAN 70.3 Lahti triathlon earlier this year. On Sunday, Stubb completed the 2023 VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Lahti in a time of 4:40:18. Following the event, Stubb shows his appreciation for his home crowd at the finish line (Photo by: Ville Kaskivirta for IRONMAN)WIND AT HER BACK: Tuuli Petäjä-Sirén is a mother of two and Finnish Olympian having won silver in the windsurfing RS:X category at the London Olympics in 2012. In January 2013, she was chosen as Finland’s Athlete of the Year. At the Rio Olympics in 2016, Petäjä-Sirén received an honorary position and served as the Finnish team’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony. The fourth Olympics of the Finn’s career in Tokyo in 2021 were the last Olympics of the RS:X class. Petäjä-Sirén participated in a combination of sailing and wind surfing World Championships 17 years in a row. At the VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship this past weekend, Petäjä-Sirén would go on to finish in a time of 5:40:45. (Photo by: Ville Kaskivirta for IRONMAN)A FINNISH CELEBRATION: Taylor Knibb (USA) shines bright successfully defending her IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship title doing so by also securing a world best IRONMAN 70.3 time of 3:53:02, edging out Laura Phillipp’s (DEU) previous time by one second, set at IRONMAN 70.3 Dubai in 2022. Knibb greets second place finisher Kat Matthews (GBR) as she crossed the finish line at the VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship title in Lahti, FinlandINSPIRING THE FUTURE: Taylor Knibb (USA) takes a picture with a young fan moments after winning her second straight IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship title at the 2023 VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship title in Lahti, Finland (Photo by: Ville Kashkivirta for IRONMAN)PARATRIATHLON PIONEER: Arturo Yarasca from Lima, Peru competed in the PC division following the amputation of his right forearm elbow due to the detonation of an explosive device whilst serving in the armed forces of Peru. After a period of physical rehabilitation, Arturo decided to continue serving his country, spreading the message of improvement and inclusion of people with disabilities in society through sport, and chose the triathlon as the ideal vehicle to do it. (Photo by: Ville Kashkivirta for IRONMAN)STRENGTH IN COMMUNITY: Age group athlete María ‘Flaca’ Guerrero, representing Ecuador, gratefully blows a kiss to the crowd following her finish at the 2023 VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship title in Lahti, Finland. Guerrero’s World Championship race almost didn’t happen after her bike was broken while travelling. After a plea for help on social media, professional contender Emma Pallant-Browne and her husband Jaryd Browne reached out to offer Maria one of their bikes so that she could still participate in Saturday’s race (Photo by: Ville Kashkivirta for IRONMAN)TO DIVE OR NOT TO DIVE: Age-groupers start their swim-bike-run journey on Sunday morning as they make a splash into Lake Vesijärvi with various methods of entering the water. (Photo by: Ville Kashkivirta for IRONMAN)BRIDGING THE NATIONS: An age-group runs over the Bridge of Nations on the two lap Hoka Run Course.(Photo by: Nigel Roddis / Getty Images for IRONMAN)LET THE CELEBRATIONS BEGIN: Athletes prepare to cross the finish line at the with the famous Salpausselka Ski Jumps in view at the 2023 VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship title in Lahti, Finland (Photo by: Ville Kashkivirta for IRONMAN) SHOWING ITS BEAUTY: Lahti, Finland showed its true beauty as over 6,000 registered athletes descended on the region. Lahti is the 10th city in history to host the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship (Photo by: Ville Kashkivirta for IRONMAN)
