The Ironman Triathlon is one of the most famous competition in the sport field. Contestants must complete three stages in less than 17 hours: swim 3.86 km outside, cycle 180.2 km and run a marathon (42.195 km). Jouanny has done it twice during the last two years.
However, during one of the obstacles, the tyre of its wheelchair has been damaged. To remedy this situation, he calls for the support of the French company Athletics 3D, which designs and manufactures personalised sports equipment using 3D printing technology, set out to create handles that would take advantage of Jouanny’s strength. By helping him move his hands forward, they would give him more power to drive the wheelchair.
“We measured Jouanny’s power in watts while working on an optimized handle to assess whether our solution makes any difference and whether it produces the desired effect. Thanks to measurements and adjustments during the designing process, we managed to increase his power efficiency and improve his equipment,” said Clement Jacquelin, CEO of Athletics 3D.
The triathelete worked twice on the handles by using the M200 3D Printer from Zortrax. After being shown how to use the device, Jouanny was able to create prototypes at home. He printed new handles for his wheelchair and then tested them on long rides. Based on his comments, 3D Athletics adapted the 3D File so that he can best meet the needs of the athlete.
Using extremely durable Z-ULTRAT filament in the final printed model created handles strong enough to be used in real training sessions – all from a 3D desktop printer.
“I struggle to grip things with my hands, so I could not fully use my capabilities. The handles adjusted to my disability enable me to pedal more effectively. I liked that I could use the 3D printer at my flat while working on the project. It made me feel like a member of the team creating the handles,” said Jouanny.
He will use the new handles during the Paralympic World Cup in Emmen (the Netherlands) in September 2019. Jouanny will compete in the electric bike race. Based on his results, the team working on his equipment will optimise it for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
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