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Start List Pro Men:

1 Schildknecht Ronnie MPRO SUI (Switzerland)
2 Pleše David MPRO SVN (Slovenia)
3 Van Berkel Jan MPRO SUI (Switzerland)
4 Schifferle Mike MPRO SUI (Switzerland)
5 Aigroz Mike MPRO SUI (Switzerland)
6 Bärtsch Mauro MPRO SUI (Switzerland)
7 Casadei Alberto MPRO ITA (Italy)
8 Wyss Rafael MPRO SUI (Switzerland)
9 Hürzeler Samuel MPRO SUI (Switzerland)
10 Bader Martin MPRO AUT (Austria)
11 Blanchart Miquel MPRO ESP (Spain)
12 Brown Dan MPRO AUS (Australia)
13 De Kanel Rod MPRO FRA (France)
14 Everett Kevin MPRO FRA (France)
15 Holvoet Rinus MPRO BEL (Belgium)
16 Kaiser Thomas MPRO GER (Germany)
17 Matula Martin MPRO CZE (Czech Republic)
18 Nagel Mathias MPRO GER (Germany)
19 Ramali Pascal MPRO GER (Germany)
20 Smith Matthew MPRO CZE (Czech Republic)
21 Verhaegen Hendrik-Jan MPRO BEL (Belgium)
22 Volejník Michal MPRO CZE (Czech Republic)
23 With Damien MPRO FRA (France)
24 Zasypkin Valentin MPRO RUS (Russian Federation)
25 Polan Lukáš MPRO CZE (Czech Republic)
26 Nemcik Marek MPRO SVK (Slovakia)
27 Nikitin Evgeniy MPRO RUS (Russian Federation)
28 Raelert Michael MPRO GER (Germany)
29 Wijnalda Dirk MPRO NLD (Netherlands)
30 Küng Manuel MPRO SUI (Switzerland)
31 Degasperi Alessandro MPRO ITA (Italy)
32 Fontana Matteo MPRO ITA (Italy)
33 Jilek David MPRO CZE (Czech Republic)
34 Oriet Gilian MPRO SUI (Switzerland)
35 Trautman Matt MPRO ZAF (South Africa)
36 Sutz Andy MPRO SUI (Switzerland)
38 Kharin Ivan MPRO RUS (Russian Federation)

A great weekend of racing takes place in Zurich. This Saturday we will have the Zurich Triathlon on the Sprint-distance and the olympic-distance, then there will be the Swiss Company Relay including a IRONMAN Laureus Relay team with former Swiss world class artistic gymnast Ariella Kaeslin, Swiss figure skater Sarah Meier and IRONMAN 70.3 world champion and IRONMAN European champion Daniela Ryf. The 19th edition of the IRONMAN Switzerland will be held on Sunday, the pro race will start at 6.40 a.m.

Top 10 Men 5i50 Zurich:

1 Heemeryck, Pieter BEL 1 1 00:20:14 00:54:11 00:33:15 01:49:29
2 Wild, Ruedi SUI 1 2 00:20:12 00:54:04 00:34:27 01:50:48
3 Gambles, Joe AUS 2 3 00:20:16 00:53:51 00:35:05 01:51:29
4 Otto, Christian GER 2 4 00:19:33 00:56:43 00:35:25 01:53:38
5 Breuer, David GER 3 5 00:20:11 00:56:08 00:35:41 01:53:56
6 Bäckström, Fredrik SWE 3 6 00:22:28 00:55:43 00:34:35 01:54:45
7 Verzbicas, Lukas USA 4 7 00:20:09 00:57:50 00:38:55 01:58:56
8 Herzig, David SUI 1 8 00:21:16 00:58:09 00:37:29 01:59:11
9 Wallimann, Patrick SUI 1 9 00:24:09 00:57:46 00:36:32 02:00:39
10 Wittensöldner, Christian SUI 2 10 00:23:28 00:58:27 00:36:37 02:00:41

IRON-RONNIE is back at home

After a one-year-break Ronnie Schildknecht is back in his living room on Sunday. The seven-time winner of the IRONMAN Switzerland is ready to win again in Zurich. He ranked third at the IRONMAN North American Championship Texas in May and has prepared well for his home race. “IRON-RONNIE” knows every corner here, the 35-year old lives next to the race course in Samstagern and wants to make it again.
Last year’s runner-up David Plese from Slovenia is in shape as well as 2012’s silver medalist Jan van Berkel (SUI). Especially the Swiss group is willing to show a superb race in Zurich, the line-up is great for the most traditional triathlon event in Switzerland. Manuel Kueng celebrated his first win in the IRONMAN 70.3 series in Luxembourg a few weeks ago, it was the first time for him to bring home a race after several great performances. Kueng is always at the front in the water and a strong biker – and he seems to be on the way now even on the run. Mike Aigroz, multiple IRONMAN Top 10 finisher Mike Schifferle and IRONMAN Lanzarote's third placed Mauro Baertsch are more Swiss names to watch out for.
On the Non-Swiss-Side we have two strong Italians racing, IRONMAN Lanzarote champion Alessandro Degasperi and Alberto Casadei. On the list is as well the Spaniard Miquel Blanchart. He is a strong runner, being runner-up at the 2014 IRONMAN Barcelona. Much more than a dark horse will be Germany’s Michael Raelert. The two-time IRONMAN 70.3 world champion took several IRONMAN 70.3 victories in the past month, now he heads back onto the IRONMAN distance after a break of two years. He ranked second at the IRONMAN Regensburg 2012 in his first IRONMAN, had a tough race at the IRONMAN world championship 2012 in Kailua-Kona and ranked 7th at the IRONMAN European championship Frankfurt in 2013. The 34-year old wants to show a strong long-distance comeback in Zurich - and he is willing to win.

Mary Beth Ellis looks like a dominant factor for the women’s race. The U.S. American is one of the fastest athletes ever with eight IRONMAN victories under her belt. She celebrated her 38th birthday a week before race day and should be in a good shape after winning gold at the ITU Long world championship in Sweden at the end of June. Regula Rohrbach is a fast Swiss on the list, she was fourth in Zurich in 2012 and won 2012 IRONMAN Wales. Mareen Hufe from Germany was two-time runner-up at the IRONMAN Western Australia, she ranked third at the IRONMAN Copenhagen last year.

The IRONMAN Switzerland pro race will start at 6.40 am for the men - two minutes later the gun goes off for the pro women. From 6.45 am on we have a rolling start for all age group athletes. Our pro coverage will start at 6.25 am

There has been a little thunderstorm last night, it's a fresh morning at the Landiwiese - and a beautiful atmosphere. Very calm morning - and a great race ahead.

The crowd is waiting for the start.

The weather looks beautiful - and the Lake Zurich is quite warm: 25.5 degrees Celsius. It's a non wetsuit swim.

Waiting for the girls...

New procedure for the age group field: We have a rolling start here today - every 5 seconds 10 athletes start into the water.

Kueng in first place, behind we have Jan van Berkel and Michael Raelert together at the front of a group of four.

Miquel Blanqart is in a good position as well early this morning - in fifth now.

Manuel Kueng has extended his lead a bit - ahead of a group including Michael Raelert, Mike Aigroz and Jan van Berkel

Seven-time IRONMAN Switzerland champion Ronnie Schildknecht is 2:47 behind after the first lap and in 10th place

Manuel Kueng seems to be a flying fish today - his lead is a minute over Michael Raelert.

Germany's Mareen Hufe is leading a small group in second place.

And he is flying out of the water: Manuel Kueng enters T1

Michael Raelert is on the way to T1