Anja Ippach

Anja Ippach competed in her first triathlon when she was just 11 years old and she hasn’t looked back since. The 2012 European Champion at 70.3 has had success across the various distances with numerous victories on the IRONMAN, IRONMAN 70.3 and Challenge Family circuits.

Excellence came early for the German as she won both the German duathlon and triathlon titles at U18 level in 2001, before being forced to take a break from the sport due to glandular fever. On her return she was twice runner-up in the German triathlon at U23 level (2005 and 2006).

Anja became a professional triathlete in 2011, and in addition to that 70.3 triumph at the European Championships in 2012, she also competed in the full-distance race in Frankfurt the same year, finishing with a silver medal.

She once again podiumed in the 70.3 European Championships in 2015 with a silver medal and achieved a bronze medal at the 2015 70.3 World Championship.

On the 70.3 circuit, Anja has wins in Germany (2014, 2016), Austria (2015) and Sydney (2015) and was also victorious over the full distance in Switzerland (2013) and Wales (2015).

Ippach also has a highly successful performance at Kona on her CV, having finished an excellent fourth in the 2016 World Championship.

She loves all aspects of the triathlon, explaining: “I can perfectly free my mind while I am running, it's so simple and I can feel myself so intensively.

“There’s also nothing better than biking and discovering new countries, while swimming in calm water feels like being in another world, it's just beautiful!”

The most embarrassing moment of Anja’s career to date was when she turned up to a triathlon event without her bike. But when she does remember it she loves spending time in the mountains - “there's nothing more beautiful” she says.

The best advice she has been given was “don't rely too much on numbers - listen to your body and go by how you feel”. She also says: “the more you love what you do the faster you will be”.