With great sadness I learned today that the amazingly gifted photographer and super kind person Michael Rauschendorfer passed away on July 18th, 2019 after battling cancer. He was only 51 years old.

In late June he had posted on Facebook that he was diagnosed with skin cancer 7 years ago and that it initially looked good back then. But apparently 4 months ago the cancer had returned and metastases were detected in several organs. Rauschendorfer however seemed optimistic about a recovery and appeared more so concerned about missing the 2019 Ironman European Championships in Frankfurt.

However earlier tonight in Europe on social media his death was announced by several media friends and everybody seemed to be stunned and saddened by this very unexpected news.

Rauschendorfer was well liked by athletes and media folks alike, and respected for his sharp eye and superb photography skills. He was one of the finest triathlon photographers and he also shot other sports with the same passion and skill. He also always seemed to have a smile on his face.

To me he was a good friend and advisor. I personally came to race and event photography late in life and Michael Rauschendorfer always had few tips for me, and many friendly words. When we sat together in the Natural Energy Lab in Kona to await the lead runners we were able to talk about lots of different topics and laugh often.

He will be missed terribly. R.I.P. Michael Rauschendorfer

The image of Michael Rauschendorfer is courtesy of Thierry Sourbier and in my view perfectly shows his personality