The World Triathlon Powerman Long Distance Duathlon World Championships are being held in Zofingen for the 17th time. This is the 36th edition of Powerman Zofingen. Several World Championship medallists from previous editions will be competing this year. The men’s race promises to be highly exciting. France’s Émile Blondel-Hermant will be looking to defend his World Championship title in the long-distance duathlon. He has proven his good form so far this season. Denmark’s Simon Jörn Hansen, France’s Matthieu Bourgeois and Germany’s Fabian Holbach are sure to have a say in the battle for World Championship gold. Hansen won World Championship gold in Zofingen in 2023 in record time. Bourgeois became long-distance world champion in 2022 and Holbach has already stood on the podium several times in Zofingen. The same goes for Jens-Michael Gossauer, who wants to win another medal for Switzerland. In the women’s competition, Germany’s Merle Brunnée is once again the big favourite to win. The German defending champion has her sights set on her fourth World Championship title in the long distance.
A winning time of under six hours seems to be becoming the new standard for men. Since the Powerman Zofingen introduced a new route in the last two years, reducing the elevation gain by around 200 metres, the last two winners, Émile Blondel-Hermant and Simon Jörn Hansen, have finished in under six hours. Faster winning times and spectacular duels – the new course concept is paying off and promises another exciting race for the world championship title in long-distance duathlon this year. With a 10-kilometre run, 150-kilometre bike ride and another 30-kilometre run, Powerman Zofingen remains the toughest and most beautiful duathlon in Switzerland.
Blondel-Hermant ready to defend his title
For defending champion Émile Blondel-Hermant, this season did not start as he would have liked. In mid-February, the Frenchman was diagnosed with a fracture of the sacrum, which had occurred at the end of December 2024: ‘This severely hampered my winter preparation. I couldn’t run for weeks and tried to compensate for this with cycling training, a little swimming and fitness training,’ says Émile Blondel-Hermant, explaining his difficult preparation. Despite these setbacks and the late start to the season, his coach found the ideal strategy to get the 31-year-old back into shape very quickly. At the end of April, Blondel-Hermant won the European Championship title in the sprint duathlon in Rumia-Pomorskie, Poland. The Frenchman said: ‘I was really very happy with this result, which I could never have imagined in the weeks before the race.’ Further successes followed for Émile Blondel-Hermant in June with fifth place at the Duathlon World Championships and the world title in the mixed relay in Pontevedra, Spain. He also won the Alpe d’Huez Duathlon in July. As these results show, the defending champion is in top form. Accordingly, the 31-year-old wants to win World Championship gold again in Zofingen. He sees Simon Jörn Hansen as his biggest rival. The Dane was actually a few minutes faster than the Frenchman when he triumphed at the World Championships two years ago. He also holds the course record.
Jörn Hansen and Bourgeois on the start list
After Simon Jörn Hansen decided not to compete in last year’s Powerman Zofingen, the Dane is registered for this year’s elite race. This means that this year’s race is likely to be a duel between the last two Powerman winners. Jörn Hansen successfully defended his World Championship title in the middle-distance duathlon in Alsdorf, Germany, in April. The 34-year-old family man will certainly be lining up at the start with high ambitions. Frenchman Matthieu Bourgeois must also be counted among the favourites. He also did not compete last year and had to abandon the race in 2023. Three years ago, however, Bourgeois stood at the top of the podium in Zofingen. Another duathlete who has already stood on the podium twice in Zofingen, German Fabian Holbach, is also on the start list. In 2022, Holbach won World Championship silver, and a year later World Championship bronze. Last year, the German made life difficult for himself by receiving two time penalties. One of these was during the transition to the bike because his bike helmet was already ready with the buckle closed, which is not allowed.
Swiss medal hopeful Gossauer
Swiss athlete Jens-Michael Gossauer first climbed onto the podium in Zofingen in 2019. His runner-up world championship title was followed by another silver in 2021 and bronze last year. So the only thing missing from the 32-year-old’s collection is the gold medal. ‘I won’t be thinking about that during the race,’ explains Gossauer. His season has gone well so far. In addition to the Swiss duathlon championship title, he won three other races: the Linthathlon, the Grenchenberglauf and the duathlon in Wallisellen. Jens-Michael Gossauer is doing his final preparations for the Powerman Zofingen in the mountains in order to achieve the best possible altitude effect. When asked about his extensive competition experience in Zofingen, Gossauer says: ‘I have learned from every participation and hope that all the pieces of the puzzle will fit together this year.’
Brunnée once again the number one contender for victory
At first glance, the situation in the women’s race appears less exciting than in the men’s. Three-time long-distance world champion Merle Brunnée is once again the clear favourite to win this year, especially since the German’s biggest challenger to date, Switzerland’s Melanie Maurer, competed in the Powerman Zofingen for the last time last year. There is no question that Brunnée wants to celebrate her fourth world championship title in Zofingen. The omens are very good. So far, the German, who works as a doctor, has had a strong season: ‘The season has been fantastic so far. Of course, the world championship title in the middle-distance duathlon at Powerman Alsdorf is right at the top of the season’s highlights, but I also had three great races in triathlon in Lanzarote, Abu Dhabi and Roth.’ At the Ironman on the Canary Island of Lanzarote, Brunnée achieved a strong third place with a time of 9 hours and 38 minutes. She came sixth at Challenge Roth in July. The 31-year-old German is establishing herself among the world’s top triathletes and will compete in Ironman Hawaii in October. One of the exciting questions surrounding this year’s event is who will challenge the German for victory in Zofingen. Ramona Rieder will be competing for the Swiss national team. The Zurich native finished ninth at this year’s Powerman Alsdorf and sixth last year in Zofingen. And in the short-distance race, Anna Zehnder will be defending her title. The Seeland native celebrated the world championship title in cross duathlon in Pontevedra in June and is in impressive form.
Text: Christof Gerber