Leipzig Triathlon Debut in Leipzig: Willy Hirsch and Caroline Pohle Win the Ironman 70.3, Leipzig Siblings Take Second Place Part 2 August 23, 2026, starting at 8 a.m. Leipzig City Area and Surrounding Region Photographer: EHL Media, Erik Holm Langhof Pictured: Wilhelm Willy Hirsch, first place (left), and Rico Bogen, second place. On Sunday morning, the first-ever Ironman 70.3 in Leipzig kicked off at Lake Cospuden. Katja Büchel, head of the sports department, gave the starting signal for the male professionals at 8 a.m., followed five minutes later by the professional women and, a few minutes after that, by hundreds of amateur athletes. A total of around 2,500 triathletes took part in the event. Ahead of them lay a 1.9-kilometer swim, a 90-kilometer bike ride through the Leipzig Neuseenland, and a concluding half-marathon—a total of about 113 kilometers. In the end, Wilhelm Willy Hirsch prevailed in the men’s race and won the Leipzig debut. Leipzig-based triathlete Rico Bogen took second place, while France’s Pierre Dupuy came in third. Caroline Pohle won the women’s race. Bogen’s sister, Bianca Bogen, also took second place. Brooke Gillies from Great Britain claimed the third spot on the women’s podium. Leipzig, Saxony, Germany