On Sunday June 8th, during Ironman Hamburg, which also served as the European Championship for professional women, hundreds of age group athletes competing in the 180km bike leg encountered metal fragments scattered across a section of the course in the Kirchwerder district of Hamburg’s Bergedorf area. According to a Hamburg Police press release, unknown individuals spread metal shavings on several roads in the Kirchwerder district at some point before the race.

The course had been inspected and approved by Ironman officials prior to race start in accordance with standard procedures. At approximately 9:30am, the situation was discovered during the race itself, meaning whoever did this placed the debris after the pre-race inspection had already cleared the course.

Police initially reported around 50 participants affected, while media estimates put the figure closer to 150. Athletes on the ground put the real number significantly higher. Some reports suggest the total number of punctures may have reached 400. At least one athlete, a 29-year-old man, crashed in the affected section and suffered a fracture requiring hospital treatment.

The professional field was completely unaffected, the debris was placed on a section used only by age groupers.

Local media reports there is growing resentment among residents toward the Ironman event. Several houses had signs posted reading “You are robbing us of our freedom,” with locals reportedly upset about lengthy road closures on race day. Between Friday June 5th at 4pm and Saturday June 6th at 10:45pm, no-parking signs and announcement posters installed along the entire route had also been removed. Police reinstalled the signs after learning about the incident. German triathlon media on the ground reported that locals had only received notice of the full road closure by flyer five weeks before the race, with no dialogue offered by the organizer or the city.

Investigators are appealing for witnesses who may have observed suspicious activity along the course on the evening before or overnight prior to the race.

Ironman CEO Scott DeRue and Hamburg State Secretary for Sport Christoph Holstein both told reporters they are taking the matter very seriously and that police are actively investigating. Ironman’s regional director for Germany and Luxembourg, Daniel Gottschall, said at the awards ceremony: “This was an attack by a small group and has nothing to do with the people who welcome us here every year.” He added that Ironman is working on support for affected athletes including the prospect of entry to another Ironman event this year.