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“The Other” becomes The Won as Stornes Shocks with IRONMAN World Championship Victory
IRONMAN World Championships, and six devastating running mistakes!
Matthew Sharpe
September 16, 2025
Good morning everyone,
It was a Norwegian victory at the IRONMAN World Championships this weekend. Not the first, and most certainly not the last.
It reminded me of a prescient run in 2021, after the individual Olympic race in Tokyo where I somehow ended up jogging around the Olympic village with the freshly crowned Olympic champion Blummenfelt, Iden, and Sunday’s winner, Stornes.
We traded war stories from the Olympic competition, and they shared their plan to conquer IRONMAN racing - starting with IRONMAN Frankfurt later that month.
At the time, I figured they would do well…eventually. But with three World Championship wins in the four years since our jog, eventually arrived a lot sooner than anyone expected!
In today’s edition:
🏆 Stornes shocks with IRONMAN World Championship victory.
🏃♂️ Six running mistakes you might be making
🏊♂️ And a swim drill that adds power to your stroke!
-Matt Sharpe, newsletter editor
Have a triathlete in your life who can't stop swimming, biking, or running? Fire this off to them. Forwarded from a friend? Sign-up for free.
ONE BIG THING
“The Other” becomes The Won as Stornes Shocks with IRONMAN World Championship Victory
IRONMAN
What is it: This past weekend, after close to eight hours of brutal, volatile, and action-packed racing, Norway’s Casper Stornes claimed his place in history, becoming the IRONMAN World Champion.
Often referred to as “the other Norwegian,” Stornes stood firmly above his notable compatriots Gustav Iden and Kristian Blummenfelt as a part of a historic Norwegian World Championship podium sweep.
The Swim
As the athletes completed their pre-race routines, some quite unique, and others punctuated the start area with Paris Fashion Week-inspired warm-ups, the stage was set for an unforgettable day of racing.
From the starting gun, Jamie Riddle (ZAF), Andrea Salvisberg (SUI), Jonas Schomburg (GER), and Marten Van Riel (BEL) began asserting their swim strength as each athlete took their turn, attacking from the front.
Halfway through the swim, the leaders had broken the field into four distinct packs. The devastating pace had proven too much even for pre-race favorite Sam Laidlow (FRA), who appeared to be suffering significantly early on.
As the swim finished, the gap to the chasers grew. Salvisberg and Schomburg would exit the water first, quickly followed by Riddle, Van Riel, and five other athletes, Stornes included.
The next pack, containing Blummenfelt and other pre-race favorites, Magnus Ditlev (DEN), Rudy Von Berg (USA), and Matthew Marquardt (USA), hit the shore one minute behind the leaders.
Athletes further back included ☟
+2’ - Iden, Laidlow, Patrick Lange (GER).
+6’ - Cam Wurf (AUS), Leon Chevalier (FRA), Sam Long (USA)
The Bike
After attacking the swim, the triumvirate of Riddle, Van Riel, and Schomburg - knowing no other tactic - continued to blow the race apart on the bike. Meanwhile, Laidlow, still believing he had a chance, began working his way through the field.
After 40km, the leaders hit the leg-crushing Col de l’Êcre - an 18km climb averaging 5% gradient. At this point, they had built up a 90-second lead over a large chase group containing Stornes, Blummenfelt, Ditlev, Iden, Von Berg, and - surprisingly - Laidlow.
As the climb wore on, athletes - like 2024 World Champion Lange, Von Berg, Marquardt, Long, and Wurf - began to see their podium dreams slip away.
Ditlev would drop off the pace, and shortly thereafter, dropped out of the race.
By the time the leaders crested the l’Êcre, their advantage had slimmed. Blummenfelt, Laidlow, Stornes, Ditlev, Iden, and Nick Thompson (AUS) were heading towards an inevitable catch.
As the ride wore on, Riddle and Schomburg would drop off the lead while Laidlow and Blummenfelt found themselves joining Van Riel at the front.
For a moment, it appeared the lead three would compound their gap. But Iden, Stornes, and Thompson held on and were able to regroup ahead of T2.
The Run
Six athletes, three podium spots, and one marathon for eternity.
Starting the run, Laidlow and Van Riel had a slight gap over the Norwegians. Thompson had been dropped. And not long after, a group of five would form at the front.
But for how long?
10km in, Van Riel was first to say goodbye. Soon after, Laidlow and Stornes were jettisoned. It was now just a duel between Blummenfelt and Iden.
Except it wasn’t. Stornes, refusing to just be “the other Norwegian,” battled through the pain to return to the front of the race.
Suddenly, Gustav was gone. Leaving Blummenfelt and Stornes to fight for the crown.
And as the final lap began, Blummenfelt ended. Stornes pulled away from the race favorite and showed no signs of slowing down even as he entered the finishing straight.
And in this moment, there was no “other,” there was only a champion.
🥇 Casper Stornes (NOR)
🥈Gustav Iden (NOR)
🥉Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR)
Tempo’s Take
Ironically, in its last edition as an IRONMAN World Championship venue, Nice showed just how incredible a canvas it could be for the best racing in the world. The course profile allowed for dynamic and unpredictable racing, while viewers were treated to breathtaking views of the French countryside.
And displayed on Nice’s canvas - triathlon art.
Each segment - swim, bike, and run - brought drama and intrigue. And Stornes, who battled back after being dropped on the run by two of the best to ever do it, is a deserving champion as any.
And we still can’t believe he ran a sub-2:30 marathon after all of that!
It was a historic podium sweep for Norway. But not the first as all three were on the podium - in the same order - at the 2018 World Triathlon Championship Series race in Bermuda.
Stornes is 28, Iden is 29, and Blummefelt is 31. We’ve seen two podium sweeps between the three, and at their ages, how can we not expect more?
What are your thoughts on the Men's IM WC? |
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FAVORITES
👟 Shoegate saga: After the fallout from “Shoegate,” Hayden Wilde (NZ) has offered to disqualify himself from the French Riviera T100. World Triathlon says it won’t do it.
🏃 Six running mistakes: Triathletes (and runners) can sometimes make a few mistakes. And that’s OK! But if you want to avoid some of the most common running (and training) pitfalls, check out this article. Number three is critical! [New York Times]
😎 Back to pool: Summer’s over, and it’s back to pool. Which means it’s the perfect time to pick up a pair of your favorite Blueseventy goggles - and don’t worry, you’ll still enjoy 20% off with TEMPO20 at checkout!*
💣 Recovery sabotage: Training well is critical to performing your best. But just as important? Recovering well. And experts say this one simple thing is sabotaging your recovery the most! [Huffpost]
🏊 Swimming power: Do you feel like you’re missing some power in your stroke? It could be from a lack of hip integration! And drills like one-armed freestyle can train your hips to help you generate more propulsion with every stroke - find out more in this video! [Freestyle Tri Swim Club]
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REEL TIME
Wouldn’t you want a four-legged friend greeting you across the finish line! '
TEMPO TALKS PODCAST
How did our IRONMAN World Championship picks pan out? And could what happened at the Vuelta happen in Triathlon?
All this and more in the latest episode of the Tempo Talks Podcast!
Together with The TriDoc, we bring you the biggest stories in Triathlon,
Training tips to make you faster,
And breakdowns of the latest in sports science and performance!
QUICK NEWS
Omanman: Buried in the IRONMAN World Championship weekend news, the country of Oman has partnered with the endurance juggernaut, becoming the title sponsor of the 2026 IRONMAN Pro Series, and announcing the country will host the 2029 70.3 World Championships. [IRONMAN]
Kona kost: And speaking of IRONMAN World Championships, we’ve seen reports that the cost to compete at Kona next year has jumped from $1500 to nearly $1900 USD.
Supertri expands: Supertri has expanded its global footprint with purchases of the Blenheim Palace Triathlon and the New Jersey State Triathlon! [Supertri]
Jordan competition: Ayla, Jordan will host this upcoming weekend’s Asian U23 triathlon championships. [Jordan News]
RACE WEEKEND
IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast
Jake Birtwhistle (AUS) and Ellie Salthouse (AUS) took the home wins on the Sunny coast!
World Triathlon Championship Series - Karlovy Vary
Henry Graf (GER) took his first-ever WTCS win, while Beth Potter (GBR) took her first win of the year!
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