Sam Laidlow Explained

Sam Laidlow
Birth Date:23 December 1998
Birth Place:Oakley, Bedfordshire, England
Country:France
Sport:Triathlon
Team:AS Monaco Triathlon[1]
Coach:Richard Laidlow

Sam Laidlow (born December 23, 1998) is a French professional triathlete.

Sam won the 2023 Ironman World Championship on 10 September 2023 in Nice, France. He became the first Ironman World Champion from France and the youngest man ever to win the title.

He placed second in the (second) 2022 Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii, breaking the bike course record.[2] He showed promise finishing 8th at his first Ironman World Championships at the age of 23[3] (the youngest athlete in the professional field). Other results include a 2nd Place Finish at Ironman UK, and a win at the Spanish Irondistance race in the Girona Province (140.6INN)[4]

Career

In 2001, his parents decided to move from the UK to the South of France in order to set up a triathlon training business – Sancture Sportifs.[5] At the age of 13 he decided to leave his home in Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda for the National Altitude Training Centre in Font Romeu. 3 years later Sam was selected to train alongside the French team in Montpellier. At the age of 17 he went back home to his family in Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda and started to being coached by his father Richard Laidlow.[6]

He won the Bearman Xtreme Iron distance race in 2017[7] and the Lakesman in 2019, setting the fastest iron-distance time ever recorded in the United Kingdom.[8] [9] At the Cannes International Triathlon in 2018, he was leading Javier Gómez for most of the race when his rear derailleur broke. He ran 20 km with his bike and completed the race regardless.[10] [11] [12] In 2019, he finished 7th at Ironman Barcelona in a time of 8:05h.[13]

With his strengths being the first two disciplines of triathlon (swimming and cycling), Sam is often known for being at the front of the races assuming a more aggressive racing style. Sam also represented Team Europe at the 2nd edition of The Collins Cup in Samorin.[14]

Laidlow announced the launch of an investigation by the International Testing Agency on the 20th of October 2023. The investigation follows doping concerns raised to the ITA by private sources.

Personal life

Laidlow is of French and British descent and resides in Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda where his family home is.

Race history

DateCompetitionDistancePlacedata-sort-type="number" Rank
22 May 2016L'Aiguillon sur Mer ETU Triathlon Junior European CupSprintL'Aiguillon-sur-Mer, FRA1st [15]
19 May 2018Triathlon de CarcassonneOlympicCarcassonne, FRA1st [16]
1 September 2018GRAND PRIX D1 QuiberonSprintQuiberon, FRA28th [17]
23 September 2018Triathlon Audencia La BauleOlympicLa Baule, FRA3rd [18]
14 October 2018National Team Championship Sprint Distance Coupe de FranceSprintMontceau les Mines, FRA1st
21 April 2019Cannes International Triathlon2 km / 107 km / 16 kmCannes, FRA4th [19]
16 June 2019The LakesmanironmanKeswick, UK1st,[20] 8:21h, fastest time ever recorded in the UK for a long-distance triathlon
6 October 2019Ironman BarcelonaIronmanBarcelona, ESP7th,[21] 8:05:40h
22 April 2020Z Pro Tri Series Race 2 (online bike race)24.7 kmZwift, online1st [22]
9 August 2020Triathlon de la Montagne NoireHalf ironmanMontagne Noire, FRA1st[23]
29 August 2020Challenge DavosHalf ironmanDavos, CHRace stopped due to weather, in the leading group.[24]
24 April 2021Challenge Gran CanariaHalf ironmanMogán, ESPDNF, bike accident in the lead[25]
30 May 2021Tradeinn International Triathlon 140.6INN, Spanish Long Distance ChampionshipironmanGirona and Costa Brava, ESP1st [26]
6 June 2021Championnat de France de triathlon Half ironmanCagnes sur Mer, FRA2nd [27]
7 May 2022Ironman World Championships 2021‡IronmanSt. George, Utah8th
8 Oct 2022Ironman World Championships IronmanKona, Hawaii2nd [28]
10 Sept 2023Ironman World Championships IronmanNice, France1st
Key: DNF = Did not finish

‡The 2021 World Championship was held in St. George, Utah on May 7, 2022. The delay and change from the original Kona, Hawaii venue were due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Triathlon. AS Monaco. Pro Team. 2021-05-06. AS Monaco Triathlon. fr-FR.
  2. Web site: 9 Oct 2022 . France's Sam Laidlow smashes bike course record . October 8, 2022 . pdccug.com.
  3. Web site: 7 May 2022 . Résultats Championnat du Monde IRONMAN St. George 2022 . September 9, 2022 . triatlon noticias.
  4. Web site: Jacob . Peter . 2021-05-31 . Emma Bilham und Sam Laidlow gewinnen schwere Langdistanz an der Costa Brava . 2022-09-09 . tri-mag.de . de-DE.
  5. Web site: Richard Laidlow - An Interview With Sancture des Sportifs Triathlon Coach. 2021-05-06. www.intelligent-triathlon-training.com.
  6. Web site: Richard Laidlow - An Interview With Sancture des Sportifs Triathlon Coach. 2021-05-06. www.intelligent-triathlon-training.com.
  7. Web site: Triathlon . Ligue LR . 2017-09-25 . Résultats BEARMAN 2017 . 2021-05-06 . Ligue Régionale de Triathlon Occitanie . fr-FR.
  8. Web site: 2019-06-18 . The Weekend Roundup: 15-16 June 2019 Elite News . 2021-05-06 . Tri247.com . en-GB.
  9. Web site: 238 Sam Laidlow wins Lakesman in 8.21 on debut! . 2021-05-07 . Oxygen Addict Triathlon Podcast . en-GB.
  10. Web site: 2018-05-03 . This Pro Ran 4 Miles Uphill Sans Shoes with His Bike to Finish . 2021-05-06 . Triathlete.
  11. Web site: Rodríguez . Diego . 2018-04-30 . Sam Laidlow, de liderar Cannes Triathlon... ¡a hacer 20kms con la bici a cuestas! . 2021-05-07 . Planeta Triatlón . es.
  12. Web site: El triatleta que corrió 20 km con la bici al . 2021-05-07 . Triatlón . es.
  13. Web site: Ohlsen . Jakob . Ironman Barcelona 2019 Results Men . 2021-05-06 . www.endurance-data.com . en.
  14. Web site: Lacke . Susan . 2022-08-19 . These Are the Collins Cup Matches We're Most Excited to Watch . 2022-09-09 . Triathlete . en.
  15. Web site: Triathlon. World. Results: Junior Men 2016 L'Aiguillon sur Mer ETU Triathlon Junior European Cup. 2021-05-07. World Triathlon. en.
  16. Web site: Résultats du Triathlon de Carcassonne 2018.
  17. Web site: Détails de la course / épreuve sportive chronométrée par Breizh Chrono. 2021-05-08. Breizh Chrono, chronométrage de courses et d'épreuves sportives. fr.
  18. Web site: Triathlon Audencia La Baule (Dim). 2021-05-08. www.racetecresults.com.
  19. Web site: 2021-05-01. Detail. 2021-05-07. www.tri2b.com. de.
  20. Web site: Lakesman Triathlon brings £2.3m into local economy. 2021-05-07. News and Star. en.
  21. Web site: 2021-05-01. Detail. 2021-05-07. www.tri2b.com. de.
  22. Web site: 2020-04-22. Sanders beats the Brownlees, but ends up fifth. 2021-05-07. Triathlon Magazine Canada. en-CA.
  23. Web site: Le Monégasque Sam Laidlow survole l'épreuve du triathlon de la Montagne noire à Fontiers-Cabardès. ladepeche.fr.
  24. Web site: 2020-08-29. Challenge Davos suspendido a mitad de prueba por tormentas triatlonchannel.com. 2021-05-06. triatlonchannel.com Triatlon, Triathlon, noticias triatlon, videos triatlon, fotos triatlon, swim, bike, run.
  25. Web site: Trimax_magazine_205. 2021-05-06. www.trimax-mag.com. en.
  26. Web site: Sam Laidlow, Emma Bilham win PTO-supported Tradeinn International Triathlon. June 2021.
  27. Web site: La Gazette de Monaco. 2021-06-29. lagazettedemonaco.com.
  28. Web site: IMWC results. 2022-10-09. ironman.com.