TRIATHLON IN EUROPE: THE IRONMAN EXAMPLE
Development & Perspectives (Excerpt II)
Lausanne
November 2007
Dr. Thomas Langenberg
Management Consultant

Table of Content
• The demography of IRONMAN events: The case of IRONMAN Switzerland
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The field of IRONMAN athletes displays characteristics that are particularly interesting for
stakeholders of the triathlon industry
Participants of IRONMAN Switzerland (2000-2007): Age Group Distribution (Men)
2000 20 24 135 239 173 130 63 31 8 2
11
2001 22 34 151 291 243 127 72 31142
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PRO
TM18
2002 27 29 116 217 237 129 58 1695
1 TM25
TM30
TM35
2003 25 36 134 282 266 181 86 39 17
33 TM40
Year
TM45
TM50
2004 1835 106 281 301 181 101 36142
8
TM55
TM60
TM65
2005 3038 139 310 376 255 124 53 271
10
TM70
2006 2240 156 288 377 333 192 69 27 6
14
2007 20
38 149 321 423 347 198 90 40 4
112
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Partition (in%)
Tendency
Assumptions
• All participants (both finishers and non-finishers) were taken into the sample
Conclusion
“Young”
• Relative to younger athletes (<M35), more seasoned athletes represent the bigger
Time
partition in the field of IRONMAN atheletes
• 66% of the pack are seasoned athletes, hence they belong to M35 or higher
“Old”
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source: datasport.com
Partition (in%)

Among female athletes there are two groups that are particularly evident in the field of
IRONMAN athletes: before-family & after-family
Participants of IRONMAN Switzerland (2000-2007): Age Group Distribution (Women)
2000 9 5 21 15 16 8 5 210
before-family after-family
2001 10 3 17 32 13 13 11 1 30
PRO
TW18
2002 11 3 12 20 16 6 5 10 TW25
TW30
TW35
2003 13 4 24 29 29 12 2 3 11
0 TW40
Year
TW45
TW50
2004 11 4 20 33 26 18 5 71
0
TW55
TW60
TW65
2005 11 6 31 42 29 21 11 310
1
TW70
2006 12 11 39 39 31 23 7 5 12
2007 10 3 29 50 34 34 15 9 21
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Partition (in%)
Tendency
Assumption
• All participants (both finishers and non-finishers) were taken into the sample
“Young”
Conclusions
Time
• In comparison to men, the move towards more seasoned athletes is less strong
among female athletes
“Old”
• Two partitions in the athletes field are particularly growing: the before-family group
(W30) and the after-family group (>W40)
Partition (in%)
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source: datasport.com

Contact information
• Dr. Thomas Langenberg, Management Consultant
– web: http://thomaslangenberg.com
– eMail: mailbox@thomaslangenberg.com
• Swim.Bike.Run.Eat.Sleeprs’ Info Weblog
– http://swim.bike.run.eat.sleeprs.info
– http://sbres.info
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