Kristian Blummenfelt starts epic three-race challenge with ninth at Paris Test Event

Reigning Olympic and Ironman 70.3 champion  Kristian Blummenfelt finished ninth in Paris today at the Olympic Games Test Event.

The Olympic-distance race marked the first of three big events that the Norwegian will be hoping to tick off in just over a week.

Several hours after finishing in Paris, the 2021 Ironman world champion flew to Singapore to take part in the PTO Asian Open on Sunday before flying back via Paris on Monday to compete in the Ironman 70.3 World Champs on Sunday 27 August.

220: Ninth in Paris, Kristian. How you feeling?

“I would have preferred to get a podium,” Blummenfelt joked post-race. “I tried to go with Alex [Yee] and see if I could get away and get a podium that way, but I just didn’t have the leg speed, or race pace.

“It was more trying to get a decent position in the end, but it’s pretty cool to finally have been here and had a look at the course, and see how the group and the field is sort of acting on the course and behaving. But a lot of good takeaways from the race.”

220: What’s the Olympic qualification process for Norway?

“We need podiums in an Olympic-distance. Then if there are more athletes then we have numbers of slots, then it’s the colour on your medal. Then it’s based on the Olympic ranking.

“So if I medal in Pontevedra then that’s secured. But I’m basically secured anyway because of the poor ranking of the rest of the team.”

220: And it’s straight from here to the airport?

“I’m leaving this evening. Singapore, 10:40pm, arriving 5:30pm tomorrow. And then, sorting out the transition stuff, going to bed and racing again. I’m back again to Paris on Monday, off to Lahti on Tuesday.

“After that I will have to be much more strict in terms of prioritising the Olympic distance and the training for that. I think it’s been good to do a bit of the Tour this year, but for the next 11 months that will be harder in terms of prioritising.”

220: Your race in Hamburg was particularly impressive. You must have taken a lot of confidence from that event.

“Yeah, I think Hamburg was maybe my best race so far this year in terms of my performance [he finished fourth overall]. I [thought I] should be better on Olympic distance, but I guess I’m a little bit impacted by the last three weeks of traveling and racing.

“So it’s been going in the right direction in terms of the comeback and the short distance, but again I have to be harder with prioritising.

“Then it’s back to Super League [Kristian is racing the last three] and getting the leg speed in and then a big training block.”

220: How do you expect to go in Singapore?

“I hope to be able to fight for the win. We will see, I have to be a bit careful with the humidity and the heat. As long as I get a good night’s sleep on the plane and then just going high on caffeine and sort of trying to compensate for that. It will probably be tougher coming back again to Europe.”

220: And you’ll be reunited with Gustav [Iden] in Singapore.

“Yeah, yeah. He’s obviously disappointed to not be here. He got kicked off for a guy who finished 50 or something, I think, today [Vetle Bergsvik Thorn finished 35th and Casper Stornes 42nd]. So yeah, it’s not too convincing that the other guy is in better shape, but I think Gustav should have deserved a spot here today.”

Top image credit: Wagner Araujo/World Triathlon