The fastest ever, on a still canal and a hard road
On 5 July 2026, in Roth, Sam Laidlow rode and ran his way to 7:21:04 — the fastest time recorded over the full iron distance. The Frenchman led from the water to the tape, and by the finish he had bettered the world best that Kristian Blummenfelt set in Cozumel in 2021. He did it against a field many rated the strongest ever assembled over the distance.
The plan showed itself early.
It was only the second time the race had been deemed non-wetsuit, and five men, including Laidlow, Menno Koolhaas and three Germans — Bogen, Jonas Schomburg and Finn Grosse-Freese — drove the pace at the front, rotating the lead.
The intent was to put as much time as possible into rivals such as the in-form Blummenfelt, plus Magnus Ditlev and three-time Ironman world champion Patrick Lange.
Rico Bogen led the group out of the water in 46:56, with Blummenfelt the first of the chasers, three minutes back.
The bike settled it.
Schomburg lost the leaders with roughly 50 km to ride as Bogen and Laidlow put the hammer down, and by the end of the bike Schomburg had lost seven minutes to the pair, who split under 3:55, while Ditlev and Blummenfelt were a shade under 13 minutes behind.
Both leaders split an incredible 3:54, with Bogen's 3:54:45 just 13 seconds faster to set a new bike course record.
Holding the line on the run
A third of the way through the marathon, Laidlow made his move, pulling away from Bogen, and by halfway he had extended the advantage to two minutes.
The closing kilometres tested him.
Laidlow was still clear but evidently suffering, forced to walk aid stations, while the real threat came from Blummenfelt, on the charge and closing with every step.
Yet despite the Norwegian posting the fastest run split, 2:29:33, and being the only man under 2:30 for the marathon, Laidlow toughed it out.
His own 2:36:53 was enough.
Bogen, after his record ride, held on for the final podium place.
The result marks a step, not a beginning. Laidlow is a former Ironman world champion, and he came to Roth as the defending winner, having led home Schomburg here a year earlier. This time the margin was history itself.
His winning time cut two minutes off Ditlev's 2024 course record of 7:23:24.
Afterwards, the emotion was plain.
"I'm on top of the world right now," Laidlow said. "You dream of winning the biggest races and breaking records and to be able to do that today was so very special."
The clock now carries his name. For Sam Laidlow, that is enough.
