Frankfurt Offers Last 6 Kona Qualifying Slots

IRONMAN World Championship Slot Lottery Pits Pro Against Amateur

Frankfurt Offers Last 6 Kona Qualifying Slots

Professional triathlete Sam Long announced he'd forego Kona this year to focus on the PTO tour. But now the IRONMAN World Championship is back on the agenda with Kona qualifying slots up for grabs at the Mainova IRONMAN European Championship Frankfurt next weekend.

Frankfurt Plays Host to Men's IRONMAN European Championship

Frankfurt, Germany, will play host to the men's IRONMAN European Championship on Sunday, August 28, 2022. The race will offer the final six qualifying slots for the 2022 IRONMAN World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. The European Championship is one of 13 races worldwide that offer qualifying slots for Kona.

A total of 50 qualifying slots will be awarded at the men's and women's IRONMAN European Championships in Frankfurt. Of those slots, 25 will be awarded to the top 25 women, and 25 will be awarded to the top 25 men. The remaining six slots are given to athletes who win the lottery for pro slots.

Top Pros Expected to Compete

A number of top professional triathletes are expected to compete in Frankfurt, including Long, defending champion Kristian Blummenfelt, and 2019 champion Jan Frodeno. Long has been in excellent form this year, winning the PTO Canadian Open and the Collins Cup. Blummenfelt is the reigning Olympic and IRONMAN World Champion, and Frodeno is a three-time IRONMAN World Champion.

Other top pros expected to compete include: • Bart Aernouts • Max Neumann • David McNamee • Andi Böcherer • Florian Angert

Qualifying for Kona

Athletes who finish in the top 50 at the IRONMAN European Championship will automatically qualify for the 2022 IRONMAN World Championship. In addition, six pro slots will be awarded through a lottery. The lottery is open to all professional triathletes who have not already qualified for Kona. The six winners will be announced on September 1, 2022.

The IRONMAN World Championship

The IRONMAN World Championship is the most prestigious triathlon in the world. The race is held on the island of Hawaii every October, and it attracts the best triathletes from around the globe. The championship race consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run.