Herrsching Triathlete Felix Schiller Eyes Personal Best at Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Marbella
Felix schiller, a triathlete from Herrsching am Ammersee, is preparing to compete in the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Marbella, Spain this Sunday. The 24-year-old qualified for the event after winning his age group at a competition in jesolo, where he completed the course in under four hours, finishing just under two minutes shy of the four-hour mark.
Schiller is no stranger to demanding endurance events. In 2024, he completed the full Ironman distance in Hawaii, finishing with a time of 9:12 hours – 10th in his age group and 128th out of 2228 amateur athletes. Now,he’s focusing on the half-distance Ironman 70.3. He aims to finish in under 4:30 hours.
Though, Schiller acknowledges the challenging course in Marbella will make achieving that time arduous. The bike route features a significant 1,700-meter elevation gain, adding approximately half an hour to his expected bike split. He also anticipates slower athletes starting in earlier waves will create congestion on the course, increasing the risk of accidents, notably on the descents. With around 3,500 men competing, navigating the bike course safely is a priority.
Due to the unpredictable conditions and high level of competition, Schiller isn’t focusing on a specific placement. His primary goals are to remain healthy, avoid injury, and achieve a personal best in the half marathon portion of the race, targeting a time around 1:18 hours.
Schiller will have strong support in Marbella. His parents, brother, and friends Niko Malleczek and Constantin Moser have travelled to Spain to cheer him on.Malleczek, an Austrian triathlete, originally inspired schiller to take up the sport, and both he and Moser (also Austrian) will be competing in the 25-29 age group alongside Schiller.
Schiller jokingly expressed a desire to encounter a specific competitor during the swim leg, starting nine minutes after his wave, but acknowledged the intensity of the race wouldn’t allow for conversation. The trio will be focused on performance, with limited time to enjoy the local atmosphere before departing for home on Tuesday, balancing the demands of the championship with university and work commitments.
