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Léa Riccoboni (SKEMA 2018): A Rising Star at the Ironman World Championship in Nice
Léa Riccoboni, a 2018 SKEMA Business School graduate with an MSc in International Business, is poised to make waves in the triathlon world. After a promising career with major sports brands in Latin America, Léa has her sights set on becoming a professional triathlete. This September, she will compete in the Ironman World Championship in Nice, vying for victory in her category. A gruelling challenge that will test her limits on land and at sea. Here's an exclusive interview with this iron-willed woman.
Léa, as a SKEMA graduate, can you tell us about your academic journey?
Before joining SKEMA, I completed a preparatory course in economics. I was always a good student, and the academic path seemed the perfect way into a business school. Originally from Alpe d'Huez, I decided to attend the Lille campus – a region and city I had never known before. I loved the campus location, right in the heart of the city. The atmosphere was incredible, and student life was rich with activities and associations. Between my first and second years of the Master’s programme, I took a gap year. I completed my first six-month internship at Adidas, in Germany, at their global headquarters, working in Retail and Franchise Strategy. My second internship was also with Adidas but in Panama, at their LATAM headquarters, working in Sales Strategy. Normally, it's not possible to intern at the same company, but since the two headquarters had distinct legal entities, SKEMA allowed me the flexibility! The gap year SKEMA offers is truly a fantastic opportunity. I also studied on a partner campus in Curitiba, Brazil, during my first year, and at the Raleigh campus in the USA for my second year.
You mentioned internships with Adidas. What did you do after graduating from SKEMA?
I stayed in Panama and worked for JC Decaux in 2018 as a Sales Assistant Manager. Then, in 2019, I joined Glovo as a Key Account Manager until the Covid-19 crisis, which led to my redundancy. After that, I returned to Adidas in Chile before deciding to dedicate myself fully to my triathlon career. Today, I am my own business and my own product. I seek sponsors to support my career and am working on monetising my sporting project. For this, I can rely on both my SKEMA academic background and my professional career. Alongside my sports activities, I run a consulting business in Chile, where I am based.
You specialise in Long-Distance Triathlon. Can you explain what that entails, and what have been your greatest achievements?
Long-distance triathlon typically refers to Half and Full Ironman races. The Full Ironman, as in the upcoming World Championship in Nice, consists of a 3.8 km swim, a 180 km bike ride, and a marathon (42 km). I hope to complete it in around ten hours.
After the World Championship in Nice, I plan to become a professional triathlete and compete for prize money. In recent years, I have achieved excellent results in Ironman competitions around the world. In 2024, I came first among women at the Ironman 70.3 in San Juan and Lima, where I also ranked among the top professionals. Competing in the World Championship in Kona in 2023 was a major highlight, where I secured third place in my age category. I also claimed victories in Pucón, Chile, Mar del Plata in Argentina, and Panama, demonstrating consistency and determination in every race. To achieve this, I train between 20 and 25 hours per week, supported by a coach, nutritionist, and physiotherapist. I complete two to three training sessions per day, closely monitoring my statistics and analysing every area for improvement!
You’ve gained quite a following in South America, with around 12,000 Instagram followers. Why choose South America instead of Europe?
My professional career initially brought me to Latin America, but love is what kept me here. As for triathlon, France has about 70,000 licensed competitors, while Chile has only 3,000. With fewer competitors, I was able to stand out more quickly. However, endurance sports are booming across the continent! On Instagram, where I post in Spanish, I share my daily training routines and experiences, hoping to inspire more people to embrace this passion for sport. Currently, I am supported by Adidas Chile, Alpe d’Huez, my hometown ski resort, and other sports brands. I hope to attract more companies to join me in this sporting adventure while promoting the sport.
Key Figures about Léa Riccoboni
• Graduated from the Grande École Programme in 2018
• Completed the Buenos Aires Half Marathon in 1h19, with an average pace of 3 minutes 45 seconds per kilometre
• 12,000 Instagram followers
• A VO2 max of 69. A VO2 max of 69 ml/kg/min for a woman is exceptionally high and indicates outstanding cardiovascular fitness (for context, the VO2 max of women in good physical condition usually ranges between 40 and 50 ml/kg/min).
• 1st place, the position she's aiming for at the Ironman in Nice (and we wish her all the best!).
