Ironman World Championship Hawaii Bracht is second best German, Reichel fights to the finish, Raphael drops out

The ninth place of Timo Bracht is the best placement for the POWER HORSE triathlon team at this year's Ironman World Championship in Hawaii. His team-mate Horst Reichel gained a lot of valuable experience and struggled on the marathon course. Jan Raphael had to quit the race because of hip problems.

Timo Bracht : "I have done everything and so I’m happy with ninth place"

After a brilliant start  Bracht was just 30 seconds behind the first athletes. A fantastic starting position for the 38 -year-old, who was in the first chase group for a long time and reached number nine at the end: "It was a very emotional week . There were very good days on which I felt great and days where it wasn’t so well. Then I managed to get everything out of me during the race. The result reflects not completely my good feeling. I've invested a lot from beginning to end, over a period of 8:25 hours, and was constantly strong. Maybe that’s why a lttle bit power was missing in the end to still make up some places. Ninth place and the second best German - so I can live with this very well."

Horst Reichel: "That was one hard thing"
There is an unwritten rule which says that as an athlete have to make peace with the Big island to defeat it. Horst Reichel has tried everything to make this peace and to have a good race. But the Ironman Hawaii has its own laws and so Reichel had to walk during the marathon to make sure, that he will cross the finish line: "Unfortunately I missed the lead group on the first kilometer and could not show my good swimming. The bike was good and the top 15 were still possible after the transition. On the run it was insanely hot. From kilometer 18 I had to take walk breaks. I'm happy to see the finish on such a tough day. Because of the heat I could not retrieve my performance, an absolute limit experience. But I'll be back!"

Jan Raphael: "It seems like Kona and I will not becoming friends anymore"
Unfortunately Ironman European Championship runner-up Jan Raphael dropped out of competition. Problems with his hip caused him to go out at km 12 on the run: "It's always disappointing not to reach the finish. If I had been able to finish the race, I would have done it anyway. Earlier this week, the discomfort of the hip came up, but I thought this will be okay with the good work of our physiotherapist Dirk Lederer. It certainly seems so, that Kona and I will not becoming friends. The disappointment is huge, but I 'm happy with my season!"