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Lionel Sanders takes on Ironman 70.3 European Championship this weekend

Canada’s current fastest male triathlete across the half distance, Lionel Sanders, is taking his racing overseas for the first time this season. The 27-year-old is set to race the Ironman 70.3 European Championship in Wiesbaden, Germany on Sunday against a field of strong, European talent.

Among the large field of 71 male pros lining up are Germany’s Boris Stein and Andreas Dreitz as well as Switzerland’s Ruedi Wild and Belgium’s Bart Aernouts. Dreitz has spent some of his season this year racing in North America, and he and Sanders have had some close races recently (Ironman 70.3 Texas and Ironman 70.3 California) which have resulted in identical 1-2 finishes for the Canadian and German stars, respectively. Dreitz no doubt feels some unfinished business and will have his eye on the title on home soil on Sunday.

Sanders has been having the season of his career so far, with almost all wins across the the half distance except for one second place at Ironman 70.3 Racine last month, which was shortened and rescheduled due to weather issues. He plans to continue his overseas racing at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Mooloolaba, Australia next month and Challenge Aruba in the fall.