UIPM 2018 Masters World Championships: Action in Halle (GER) proves pentathlon is ‘sport for life’

The UIPM 2018 Masters World Championships has demonstrated the growing importance of enabling the UIPM Sports community to stay involved in competition throughout their life.

A record number of 26 nations sent more than 130 athletes to the championships in Halle (GER), with representation from Europe, North and South America and Africa in five male and female age categories from 30+ to 70+.

There was even one octogenerian on the entry list – Erwin Stalder from Switzerland – who declared his retirement from pentathlon at the end of the championships at the age of 80.

Twenty of the 26 competing nations enjoyed medal success, with Ukraine proving strongest on the men’s side and Germany in the women’s events.

Peter Engerisser, Chair of the UIPM Masters Committee, said: “It was an amazing competition, both in terms of the quality of competition and the quality of competitors.

“We had over 130 competitors and 26 nation and everybody was feeling fine across the four days, which were very competitive on one side and very challenging and fun on the other side.

“Masters is extremely important to the future image of our sporting movement, including sports such as Biathle, Triathle and Laser-Run. We need to get a broad variety of the population involved in all of our sports, not only a small elite.”

UIPM President Dr Klaus Schormann added: “Halle is a historic place for German pentathlon – during East German times it was the main centre for training and competitions until 1968.

“Now the UIPM 2018 Masters World Championships has taken place here, in great facilities, with high performances at different age groups, excellent horses and with an atmosphere of friendship.

“For me it was very impressive to see and underlined how important it is that we support the Masters movement more and more.

“It was also good to see that we had athletes from America, South America and Africa, and I hope in future we will have athletes from Asia too.

“This World Championships underlines that Modern Pentathlon is a sport for life: you can start when you are seven years old and you can finish in your old age, like 80-year-old Erwin Stadler from Switzerland who told us here in Halle that this would be his last competition.

“I thank everybody who is involved in the Masters movement and wish all of them continued success in the years to come.”