The Final Opportunity

On Saturday, August 15, the iconic IRONMAN Kalmar returns. This year, the race is about far more than the victory itself. Equally important is the battle for the final qualifying slots to the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona this October.

Our female athlete, Katrine Græsbøll, has already secured her place on the start line in Kona. She will also race in Kalmar, chasing the title while continuing her preparations for the World Championship.

For FUSION, the mission at IRONMAN Kalmar is clear: secure the final three Kona slots in the men’s field to complete our World Championship lineup. As we write this, our Kona team consists of six male athletes and one female athlete. Hopefully, after the traditional showdown in Kalmar, we will add two more names to that roster.

Home favourite Robert Kallin, together with the three Danes Daniel Bækkegård, Mathias Lyngsø and Thor Bendix, make up our men's team in Kalmar. Throughout the season, each of them has spent time with us in our wind tunnel, where we have worked relentlessly to deliver the race-changing aerodynamic advantage that translates into crucial speed on the bike.

This year, bike speed and efficiency matter more than ever. With the introduction of the 20-metre drafting rule, there is nowhere to hide. Every athlete must produce their maximum physical performance while having the best aerodynamic setup possible. The combination of power and aerodynamics has never been more decisive. Robert Kallin is a fan of the new rule. 

“I think the 20-meter rule makes the race fairer and puts more emphasis on being offensive and riding your own race on the bike. Even if other riders are able to follow your pace, they have to put in more effort to do so than they did under the 12-meter rule. I think this will make the bike leg more dynamic and reward the athletes who are willing to push the pace and race aggressively.”

All four of our male athletes have endured difficult starts to the season, with injuries and setbacks keeping them away from racing for extended periods. Now, they face the ultimate battle for the final qualifying places to Kona.

Daniel Bækkegård opened his season in the first weekend of August at the 70.3 Krakow. Setting the fastest bike-split followed by a 1:10 half marathon, he took the second place and gained a lot of confidence ahead of the Ironman in Kalmar:

“Ironman Kalmar will be the first full-distance race of my season. Traditionally, it has mainly attracted athletes chasing a qualifying slot for the Ironman World Championship in Kona, as it is the final opportunity to secure one. This year, however, the start list is significantly stronger than in previous years. With valuable points on the line in the Ironman Pro Series, the race has taken on a whole new level of competition.

I'm excited to race my first full Ironman of the year against such a strong field and push my limits once again. After my Ironman 70.3 Kraków debut, I'm feeling confident and highly motivated. I'll give everything I have and fight for the best result possible.”

With each of them showing promising form throughout the summer, now only one thing matters: letting their performances do the talking.

One thing they all have in common is the extensive work completed in our wind tunnel. By meticulously refining every aspect of their position and equipment setup, we have optimised the interaction between rider and bike. With the new 20-meter drafting rule in place, the gains from that work become even more valuable, as athletes will spend more time riding on their own, where aerodynamic efficiency makes the greatest difference.

We are incredibly excited to follow the fight for the final Kona slots. In the work with our athletes towards qualifying for the world championship this year, we have, in parallel, done hour and hours of specific development towards the World Championship - with our squad almost complete we can hardly wait to show it all to the world at the Championship, when it all begins with the swim on the 10th of october.

Performance is the result of preparation. That's why we have every confidence that our four male athletes and Katrine Græsbøll will deliver outstanding performances in Kalmar on 15th of August.

By the Numbers - Our Wind Tunnel Work Ahead of IRONMAN Kalmar in 2026

Daniel Bækkegård
5 days of testing in the Tempo! Wind Tunnel
97 configurations tested

Robert Kallin
2 days of testing in the Tempo! Wind Tunnel
42 configurations tested

Mathias Lyngsø
1 day of testing in the Tempo! Wind Tunnel
23 configurations tested

Thor Bendix
1 day of testing in the Tempo! Wind Tunnel
23 configurations tested

Katrine Græsbøll
3 days of testing in the Tempo! Wind Tunnel
55 configurations tested