Kalmar Triathlon is a triathlon race, the only in Sweden on the Ironman distance. It is also Swedish championship (concerns the Swedish participants).
The distance is the same as for the Ironman races: 3860 m open water swimming, 180 km bicycle and 42,2 km running (marathon). Start, transition and finish is located in inner city Kalmar, Sweden. The race takes place in the end of July every year. The race record is 8:26:24 by Clas Björling from Sweden, year 2009. Women's race record is 9:09:17 by Eva Nyström from Sweden, year 2009.
The swimming has two laps and takes place in the Kalmar Strait, Baltic sea. The cycling goes in northern direction to a turning point in the deep Småland forest and back the same way, three times. The running goes northwards partly along the shore, also to a turning point and back three times. This means that the participants meet each other and feel the presence of the other competitors to a higher degree. Kalmar Triathlon has flat bicycle and running courses.
The number of participants was 542 in year 2009, of them 494 finishers. Only Stockholm Marathon has more marathon runners in a race in Sweden. Kalmar Triathlon is not called an Ironman race, since that is a brand name limited to a small number of races.
In August 2012, will however, the Ironman Kalmar be organised. [1] The bicycle and running course will be changed.