UIPM 2025 Laser Run World Championships: Monaco and Lebanon athletes impress in Laser Run Mixed Relay

After four days of drama and delight during across Biathle and Triathle, attentions turned to Laser Run on a Frenetic Friday in Mossel Bay (RSA). 

With the the UIPM Biathle-Triathle World Championships and the Laser Run World Championships being combined for the first time, the stunning host venue on South Africa’s Western Cape is being treated to a full week of multisport energy and excellence. 

And just as in both Biathle and Triathle formats, the host nation proved its prowess on the first day of Laser Run action — but didn’t have it all their own way. With a schedule dominated with Mixed Relay deciders, five gold medals came South Africa’s way. Fellow continental titan Egypt led the way with six golds while three other nations topped the podium with another four claiming medal positions. 

The Senior race provided perhaps the most novel podium a major UIPM championships has seen in some time as Monaco (Julia Dale & Geoffrey Delusier) raced to an impressive gold followed by South Africa (Tara Schwulst & Jan Meyer) with Lebanon (Marina Fenianos and Ahmad Shamas) savouring a brilliant bronze. The Middle East has been an area of significant development and growth for UIPM multisports in recent years with the Lebanese bronze testament to that. 

Earlier, the penultimate day of the week-long global gathering began with its youngest hopefuls. Mohamed Nassar (EGY) claimed the first gold of the morning with victory in the U9 Boys Final while soon after compatriot Kinda Sror (EGY) ensured the North African powerhouse was truly up and running. 

Further Egyptian victories followed in the U11, U13 and U15 Mixed Relay events and one began to wonder whether they might run the table. However, this week has already proved the strength in depth across the global community and Great Britain struck for a first Laser Run victory in the U17 race thanks to Megan Powell & William Reed (GBR). Greece won bronze in that race and went one better in the U19 even thanks to Olympia Painesi & Tilemachos Koronaios (GRE). That race saw the host nation win its first gold of the day thanks to Simone van der Merwe & Ewan Lourens (RSA). 

Four more South African triumphs followed in Junior, Masters 40+, Masters 50+ and Masters 60+ with Spain and France among the medals now too. Friday’s final say belonged to the venerable combination from Germany (Emily Lean See Freund & Dr. Kurt Tohermes) who claimed yet another piece of hardware to show for their memorable week with Master 70+ gold. 

Saturday’s final day of action is truly stacked with individual medals up for grabs in 22 finals.