Sam Laidlow is a world-famous French triathlete who has competed in some of the most prestigious races in the world. He is a multiple Ironman Champion and has competed in a variety of different competitions and races. One of his latest achievements was at the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, in 2022, when he finished 2nd place in the heated ironman competition.
Sam Laidlow’s Triathlon Career
Sam Laidlow is especially a triathlete that we need to take notice of in the upcoming years. This is due to his amazing career so far where he has registered wins across different competitions and races. It includes sprint, Olympic, half-Iron, and long-distance. It is in the long distance where his heart and ambitions will be and his recent silver medal at Ironman Hawaii confirms this.
Sam Laidlow for real kicked off his career when he was 17 years old in 2016 and attended the EUT Junior European Cup race in L’Aiguillon sur Mer near La Rochelle. Back then and still it is one of his best performances in an individual sprint triathlon. In 2018 his success as a triathlete only continues. With a victory in the Triathlon de Carcassonne, the win represents the mark of his Olympic-distance career.
The year 2019 follows up with other astonishing breakthroughs. Sam not only wins The Lakesman in a time recorded 8:21 which is faster than anyone else competing in long-distance triathlon in the UK, but he also manages to finish top 10 in his ironman debut in Ironman Barcelona. And not to forget that he won his first half-ironman distance in 2020 at the Triathlon de la Montagne Noire.
2021, a new year and more great achievements for Sam Laidlow. At the start of the year, Sam finished second place at the International Triathlon in Girona. And during the year, he managed to take second place at Ironman UK.
Sam Laidlow claimed eighth place at the delayed 2021 Ironman World Championships in St. George, Utah, in 2022. He even made it as the youngest pro competitor in the race. Sam also made another great achievement that year. He did manage to finish second in the Ironman Hawaii behind Gustav Iden and by that, he was one of four that finished inside Frodeno’s course record.
| Date | Competition | Country | Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| The 8th of October, 2022 | Ironman World Championships | Kona, Hawaii (Ironman) | 2nd |
| The 6th of July, 2021 | Championnat de France de triathlon | Cagnes sur Mer, France (Half Ironman) | 2nd |
| The 30th of May, 2021 | Tradeinn International Triathlon 140.6INN, Spanish Long Distance Championship | Girona and Costa Brava, Spain (Ironman) | 1st |
| The 9th of August, 2020 | Triathlon de la Montagne Noire | Montagne Noire, France (Half Ironman) | 1st |
| The 22nd of April, 2020 | Z Pro Tri Series Race 2 (online bike race) | Zwift, online, internet (Online event) | 1st |
| The 16th of June, 2019 | The Lakesman | Keswick, UK (Ironman) | 1st |
| The 14th of October, 2018 | National Team Championship Sprint Distance Coupe de France | Montceau les Mines, France (Sprint) | 1st |
| The 23th of September, 2018 | Triathlon Audencia La Baule | La Baule, France (Olympic) | 3rd |
| The 19th of May, 2018 | Triathlon de Carcassonne | Carcassonne, France (Olympic) | 1st |
| The 22nd of May, 2016 | L’Aiguillon sur Mer ETU Triathlon Junior European Cup | L’Aiguillon-sur-Mer, France | 1st |
Sam Laidlow as a young athlete
Sam Laidlow is officially born in Bedfordshire, England, even though he is a French professional triathlete. Some of the explanation must be found in that Sam and his parents moved to France when he was just two years old, growing up in the Pyrenees where his father Richard set up a triathlon coaching business. His father’s triathlon coaching business was also the beginning of Sam’s triathlon career.
Sam was only four years old when he was competing in his first-ever triathlon. Laidlow’s future was all laid out. After some modest successes at spring and Olympic, the decision was made to move up the distance with his father guiding his progress. But the first time the world took notice of the young athlete was back in 2019. It was at The Lakesman competition when he won the race in the fastest time an ironman distance UK-based race has ever witnessed.
How old is Sam Laidlow?
Sam Laidlow was born on the 23rd of December, 1998 in Oakley, Bedfordshire, England, making him 23 years old in 2022. Even though he was born in England, he is attending triathlons and ironmans as a France professional triathlete.
How tall is Sam Laidlow?
Sam Laidlow is 6’4 feet (193 cm) and weighs around 150 pounds (68 kg).
Who is Sam Laidlow sponsored by?
Sam Laidlaw can not only brag about his great achievements during his career. He can also be proud of being sponsored by some of the world’s leading companies in their field. Some of these sponsors are:
- Nduranz: Sam first started to use Nduranz’s products when they were a startup and their products were still prototypes. But since the start of the partnership, Sam has been using their nutrition products in training and competitions. According to Sam, he believes that Nduranz has the most advanced sports nutrition products in the market.
- Valfidus: It is a family holding driven by an entrepreneurial spirit and innovation. According to Sam, Valfidus has played a key role in his competitions and is an integral part of his success.
- Sailfish: Sam and Sailfish have decided to join forces in order to produce the best wetsuits and swimming products possible for all pros and youngsters.
- Fusion Sportswear: Finding the right outfit for an approximately 8-hour ironman or triathlon can be tricky and difficult, especially when you have to find something perfect for competitions. According to Sam, Fusion Sportswear was the obvious choice because the style is pure, simple, and effective.
- HED Wheels: Another family business that Sam has chosen to partner with is HED Wheels. According to Sam, it is a company that produces the best and fastest wheels for bikes on the market.
- Schwalbe: It is a brand that is known for being a sustainable brand, renowned for combining performance and safety. According to Sam, it was an obvious choice to partner with Schwalbe and he could not see himself using another brand. He needs to have reliable tires and a bike when it travels up to 600 km per week!
- Compressport: As Sam said: “I grew up watching athletes win races with Compressport.” He then meant that it was a stunning opportunity and an honor to be part of their team. The development is at the heart of their strategy to make the best products and to improve athletes throughout different sports to achieve better results, according to Sam.