Low-key Stornes’ strategy pays dividends to land Ironman world title

When Casper Stornes led the Norwegians to an unprecedented one-two-three at the World Series race in Bermuda in 2018, it looked as if three triathletes from Bergen were set to become household names in the sport.

In the years that followed, we’ve seen the bold predictions and world-title-winning efforts of Stornes’ podium companions Kristian Blummenfelt and Gustav Iden, but Stornes has been low-key by comparison.

Results haven’t been bad. He’s won three Ironman 70.3 races, finished second in the Tokyo Olympic test event and later 11th when the delayed Games were finally held.

But with Blummenfelt and Iden helping themselves to Ironman and Ironman 70.3 world titles, the 28-year-old had flown a little under the radar – until now.

Victory on the Promenade des Anglais to land the 2025 Ironman World Championship, capped off by a 2:29:25 marathon, will, as Stornes himself said, put a “target on his back” for next year in Kona.

But if he needs anyone to deflect attention, a resurgent Iden and Blummenfelt, who finished second and third in Nice, should prove useful foils.

“I’m quite a laid-back guy who doesn’t like so much attention,” Stornes said, having recovered just enough from his mighty effort on the French Riviera to be interviewed.

“When we’re out running on the promenade we always hear ‘Gustav’ or ‘Kristian’, and, of course, I’m thinking: ‘I’ve done some good races too!’

“But I don’t mind. I’m just happy to be surrounded by those two amazing athletes, to just enjoy life training with them and doing what I love.”

Stornes’ switch at the start of the year to be part of an uncoached group with Iden and Blummenfelt meant a departure from the coaching of Mikal Iden, Gustav’s brother, but with it came more autonomy.

“There was nothing wrong with Mikal’s coaching,” Stornes added. “I just felt that for my motivation for the next few years I wanted to take more responsibility for my training.

“A lot of people have helped along the way and I really appreciate the support. But I think it’s important to be a bit selfish sometimes because it’s an individual sport.”

Stornes also explained the ethos that has driven the trio to a third podium sweep following Bermuda and 70.3 Bahrain later in 2018.

“We are a group who tend to build each other up rather than push each other down,” he added. “If Gustav or Kristian gets better, I get better. We have that philosophy.”

On a day of fine margins in Nice, it was Stornes’ precise pacing on the marathon that might just have given him the edge.

When his training partners picked up the pace to 2:25 marathon speed at the start of the second of four laps, he held back, sticking to his plan to target five minutes slower – a strategy that ultimately paid dividends as he caught and then ran away from the pair.

With a cheque for $125,000 and a leap to second in the Pro Series rankings, sandwiched between Blummenfelt and Iden, his profile as well as bank balance has received an instant boost.

Stornes will lean on the experience of his training partners when he heads to Hawaii to defend his crown next year.

“Maybe we’ll go there for a camp or somewhere else hot and humid,” he added. “I said to sponsors and family before this race that it was not a career-ending race and I would have another opportunity next year, but it’s going to be hard.

“Everything has progressed. Gustav has the course record [in Hawaii] on the run and I would like to beat that one. But it’s fine margins that give you an advantage on race day and today I had a good day. Next year it could be one of them, and I could be on the podium. Or off it.”