Another Triathlon Podcast

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This week on Another Triathlon Podcast, Jenna-Caer (@jennacaer), Josh (@joshmvernon) and Fede (@fedemultisport) are back to break down an absolutely wild IRONMAN World Championship in Kona.
Jenna-Caer is fresh off the Big Island with the on-the-ground perspective, pro interviews and race-week aftermath, while Josh and Fede dig into everything they saw from the broadcast.
From brutal humidity and rough water to drafting penalties, mechanicals, massive comebacks, heartbreaking DNFs and two completely unpredictable races, this was Kona at its best.
Vincent Luis capped his career by winning the IRONMAN World Championship in his first and final Kona. Gustav Iden came charging through after a three-minute penalty, while Matthew Marquardt completed a surprise podium.
On the women’s side, Taylor Knibb survived another brutal Kona marathon to finally take her first IRONMAN World Championship, while Laura Philipp and Julie Derron ran their way onto the podium after enormous deficits.
And then there was Solveig Løvseth, who looked set to win before collapsing within sight of the finish.
Highlights
• Fede’s Chicago Marathon recap
• Jenna-Caer’s full Kona race-week experience
• Thank God I’m Not Racing and the Kona after-party scene
• Rain, humidity and why the conditions were so deceptive
• A choppy swim and seasickness across the field
• The men’s swim group failing to create the expected break
• Magnus Ditlev taking control of the bike
• Drafting penalties for Gustav Iden and Matthew Marquardt
• Magnus losing part of his front-end setup
• Sam Laidlow’s race ending because of iliac artery issues
• Patrick Lange’s emotional final Kona and volunteering after his DNF
• Vincent Luis winning Kona and immediately retiring
• Gustav Iden nearly running down the win
• Matthew Marquardt’s breakthrough podium
• Sam Long cutting the sleeves off his race suit mid-marathon
• Huge IRONMAN Pro Series shakeups
• Lucy Charles-Barclay leading the women’s swim
• Taylor Knibb catching Lucy early on the bike
• Solveig Løvseth charging into the lead
• The shocking final kilometres as Solveig collapsed
• Taylor Knibb changing her mindset and taking the win
• Laura Philipp overcoming an eight-minute swim deficit
• Julie Derron running back onto the podium
• Kat Matthews helping Paula Findlay through a brutal Kona debut
• Record numbers of DNFs
• IRONMAN’s new quad-box broadcast and upgraded production
• The Banquet of Champions and Kona after-party
• Early thoughts on the 2027 World Championship
Men’s Top 10
Vincent Luis
Gustav Iden
Matthew Marquardt
Gregory Barnaby
Pierre Le Corre
Sam Long
Jonas Schomburg
Kristian Blummenfelt
Youri Keulen
Menno Koolhaas
Women’s Top 10
Taylor Knibb
Laura Philipp
Julie Derron
Kat Matthews
Imogen Simmonds
Lisa Perterer
Hannah Berry
Solveig Løvseth
Sophie Pierre
Grace Thek
IRONMAN Pro Series
Kona completely blew apart the season standings.
On the men’s side, Gustav Iden came away with the $200,000 overall series title after entering race week believing he had almost no chance.
Jonas Schomburg jumped into second, while Kristian Blummenfelt fell to third.
On the women’s side, Laura Philipp retained the overall title, Solveig Løvseth held onto second thanks to finishing Kona, and the rest of the top 10 saw major movement.
Ending the Pro Series in Kona felt like exactly the right move, with championship racing, season-long standings and huge prize money all decided together.
Broadcast Breakdown
IRONMAN also took a major step forward with its World Championship broadcast.
The new quad-box coverage allowed fans to follow multiple sections of both races at the same time, while the main feed did a much better job moving between the men’s and women’s battles.
Huggo’s on the Rocks.
And when that closed, the party moved across the street for karaoke and more race-week stories.
It remains one of the best parts of Kona.
You can race on the same course as the best athletes in the world, watch them receive their World Championship trophies, and then end up at the same bar celebrating the week together.
Quickfire Q&A
Performance of the weekend?
Vincent Luis winning his first Kona and immediately retiring.
Biggest comeback?
Laura Philipp swimming more than eight minutes down and still finishing second.
Wildest finish?
Solveig Løvseth collapsing inside the final kilometre while leading the World Championship.
Best run?
Gustav Iden flying through the men’s field despite a three-minute penalty.
Biggest surprise podium?
Matthew Marquardt finishing third in the world.
Best sportsmanship moment?
Patrick Lange volunteering after his DNF and Kat Matthews stopping to encourage Paula Findlay.
Most Kona thing imaginable?
World champions, age groupers and everyone in between ending up at the same after-party telling war stories.
Follow the show
📸 @anothertriathlonpodcast
Host, Jenna-Caer Seefried, @jennacaer
Josh, @joshmvernon
Fede, @fedemultisport
Presented by @maunaapparel
Support the show
Stay connected with us! Follow us on social media - @anothertriathlonpodcast with hosts Jenna-Caer, Fede and Josh to keep up with the latest. And if you have any burning questions for the coaches, feel free to shoot them over to Jennacaer@maunaendurance.com
 
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This week on Another Triathlon Podcast, Jenna-Caer (@jennacaer), Josh (@joshmvernon), Fede (@fedemultisport) and special guest Jenny Fletcher (@jenfletchtri) are diving straight into Kona race week from the Big Island.
Jenny joins the show with years of Kona experience, while Jenna-Caer checks in from the heart of Ali’i Drive with the latest race-week atmosphere, pro sightings, sponsor activations, Ho’ala Swim results, Team Mauna events and plenty of on-the-ground gossip.
Josh and Fede bring the outside perspective from home while counting down to one of the deepest Ironman World Championship fields we’ve seen.
The crew breaks down both the women’s and men’s races, where the swim could split, how the bike dynamics could unfold, who might benefit from the conditions, who could be dangerous on the marathon, and who they’re picking for the podium.
Highlights
• Kona race-week energy with men and women back together
• Jenny Fletcher joins the show
• Why Kona feels completely different with the full field on the island
• Brand activations taking over Ali’i Drive
• Ho’ala Swim results and the shortened course
• Jamie Riddle leading the men’s Ho’ala Swim
• Georgia Taylor-Brown leading the women
• The rumoured pro swim group chat and race-day tactics
• Kristian Blummenfelt’s massive final training sessions
• Gustav Iden bringing back the lucky hat
• Sam Long arriving for his first Kona as a professional
• The Norwegians keeping things loose during race week
• Ironman’s expanded broadcast coverage and quad-box setup
• Team Mauna activations and community events on the island
• Women’s Ironman World Championship preview
• Men’s Ironman World Championship preview
• Lucy Charles-Barclay going all-in on Kona
• Taylor Knibb’s incredible form heading into race day
• Paula Findlay as a potential Kona dark horse
• Kat Matthews, Solveig Løvseth, Laura Philipp and Julie Derron in the mix
• Kristian Blummenfelt and Gustav Iden chasing the Kona title
• Sam Laidlow’s bike strategy
• Magnus Ditlev flying under the radar
• Patrick Lange’s final Kona
• Jamie Riddle and Matthew Marquardt as dark horses
• Full podium predictions from the crew
Kona Race Week
Kona is back to feeling like Kona.
With the men and women racing together again, the island is packed with athletes, families, media, brands and fans. Ali’i Drive is full of pop-ups and sponsor activations, and it feels like every few steps you run into someone from the sport.
Jenny shares how different the energy feels compared with the split World Championship years and why the combined race brings back the family reunion atmosphere that has always made Kona special.
The Ho’ala Swim
The traditional Ho’ala Swim was shortened because of jellyfish concerns, although thankfully there were no major reports of stings.
On the men’s side, Jamie Riddle led the way, followed by Jonas Schomburg, Martin Van Riel and Vincent Luis.
The result also added more fuel to the rumours about a front-swim group planning to work together on race day with surges and shared turns in an attempt to break the field apart.
Georgia Taylor-Brown led the women’s swim, with Hannah Berry among those close behind.
Women’s Race Preview
Lucy Charles-Barclay is expected to do what she does best and lead the swim.
The big question is what happens behind her.
Taylor Knibb arrives after an incredible stretch of racing and is expected to start clawing back time almost immediately on the bike. Solveig Løvseth, Kat Matthews and Laura Philipp should also be major factors, while Paula Findlay could be particularly dangerous on a Kona course that rewards raw power and aerodynamics.
Julie Derron adds another huge unknown because of what she can potentially do on the run.
The women’s marathon could become a full chase-down battle, with Kat, Solveig, Laura, Julie and potentially others hunting down whoever enters T2 at the front.
Women’s Podium Picks
Josh:
Taylor Knibb
Julie Derron
Lucy Charles-Barclay
Fede:
Laura Philipp
Lucy Charles-Barclay
Taylor Knibb
Jenny:
Lucy Charles-Barclay
Taylor Knibb
Paula Findlay
Jenna-Caer:
Taylor Knibb
Lucy Charles-Barclay
Kat Matthews
Women’s Dark Horses
Fede: Marta Sanchez
Jenny: Paula Findlay
Josh: Hannah Berry
Men’s Race Preview
The men’s field is ridiculously deep.
Jamie Riddle, Jonas Schomburg, Martin Van Riel, Sam Laidlow, Vincent Luis and others could try to establish a genuine front swim break.
From there, the bike becomes the big question.
Sam Laidlow says he does not plan to chase his own bike course record, but with Kristian Blummenfelt’s run speed, Gustav Iden’s form, Magnus Ditlev’s bike strength and a huge group of powerful riders behind him, there may not be much room for conservatism.
The crew expects a large front group to stay together for much of the bike unless someone decides to force the issue.
On the run, Kristian and Gustav are obvious threats, while Patrick Lange remains impossible to count out in his final Kona. Matt Hanson and Jason West bring huge running ability, while athletes like Jonas Schomburg, Vincent Luis, Martin Van Riel, Matthew Marquardt and Jamie Riddle could all shake up the race.
The Norwegians are openly talking about a marathon in the 2:33 range, potentially pushing the Kona run record into completely new territory.
Men’s Podium Picks
Fede:
Gustav Iden
Magnus Ditlev
Vincent Luis
Josh:
Jonas Schomburg
Kristian Blummenfelt
Gustav Iden
Jenny:
Gustav Iden
Kristian Blummenfelt
Sam Laidlow
Jenna-Caer:
Patrick Lange
Gustav Iden
Kristian Blummenfelt
Men’s Dark Horses
Jenna-Caer: Jamie Riddle
Jenny: Jamie Riddle
Josh: Matthew Marquardt
Fede: Vincent Luis
Kona Storylines
Casper Stornes is unfortunately out after his crash on the island, leaving the Norwegian squad without its defending champion.
Gustav Iden looks relaxed, confident and has even brought out one of his original lucky hats for race day.
Kristian Blummenfelt has completed another huge final training block, including his now-famous 3 x 10K session, and appears to be fully committed to finally getting his Kona win.
Patrick Lange is preparing for his final Kona appearance, setting up the possibility of one last huge performance from one of the greatest athletes the race has ever seen.
And with prize money, the Ironman Pro Series and the World Championship all converging on the same day, there are races within the race everywhere you look.
Follow the show
📸 @anothertriathlonpodcast
Host, Jenna-Caer Seefried, @jennacaer
Josh, @joshmvernon
Fede, @fedemultisport
Special guest, Jenny Fletcher, @jenfletchtri
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenfletchtri/
Presented by @maunaapparel
Support the show
Stay connected with us! Follow us on social media - @anothertriathlonpodcast with hosts Jenna-Caer, Fede and Josh to keep up with the latest. And if you have any burning questions for the coaches, feel free to shoot them over to Jennacaer@maunaendurance.com
 
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This week on Another Triathlon Podcast, Jenna-Caer (@jennacaer) and Josh (@joshmvernon) are back with plenty to unpack as Kona race week gets closer.
Josh is finally home after a massive September that included Supertri Jersey, the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Nice, training through Europe and finishing it all with the Berlin Marathon. He breaks down going for sub-three, setting some big intermediate PRs, securing another Boston qualifying time, and what he learned heading into a dedicated marathon build.
Jenna-Caer is preparing to head to Kona while simultaneously training for a potential mystery competition later in October, meaning plenty of running, strength work and a whole lot of waiting.
Then it’s into the racing, with the WTCS Grand Final delivering two very different but equally dramatic championship races, Ironman 70.3 New York getting cancelled at the last minute, a huge performance at Augusta, a new women’s initiative from Ironman, and plenty of Kona news already coming out of the Big Island.
Highlights
• Josh’s Berlin Marathon recap
• Chasing sub-three after 70.3 Worlds
• A Boston qualifying buffer and another future Boston build
• Jan Frodeno racing his first standalone marathon
• Jenna-Caer preparing for Kona and a potential mystery competition
• Cassandre Beaugrand completing a perfect WTCS season
• Georgia Taylor-Brown continuing her resurgence
• Kate Waugh podiuming after getting the call only 10 days before the race
• Marta Kropko’s heartbreaking disqualification
• Matt Hauser and Vasco Vilaça’s photo finish
• Alex Yee running 28:46 and still finishing third
• Vasco taking his first world title
• Hayden Wilde finishing fifth after an insane month of racing
• Ironman 70.3 New York getting cancelled
• Pros scrambling to get to Augusta
• Lydia Russell’s huge 1:16 run
• Jackson Laundry taking the men’s win
• Ironman launching Woven to support and grow women’s participation
• Casper Stornes ruled out of Kona after a crash
• Gustav Iden’s short-lived Kona mohawk
• Lucy Charles-Barclay leaving Kona temporarily because of the storm threat
• Kona race-week gossip officially beginning
WTCS Grand Final: Women
Cassandre Beaugrand capped an incredible year with a perfect WTCS season.
Five starts. Five wins. Another world title.
The bike played a major role in Pontevedra, with crashes and the repeated climb breaking up the field. Georgia Taylor-Brown helped drive the front group clear, and by T2 the main chase was almost two minutes behind.
Then Cassandre did what she has done all season.
She exploded onto the run, dropped GTB, ran 32:35 and won by more than a minute. Georgia finished second, while Kate Waugh produced an incredible third-place performance after only finding out 10 days before the race that she had a spot on the start line.
Beth Potter recovered to fourth and finished second in the overall championship standings.
The heartbreak of the race belonged to Marta Kropko. She was having one of the best races of her career before being disqualified for mounting her bike several metres before the official mount line after apparently mistaking another line for the correct marker.
Final Championship Standings
Cassandre Beaugrand
Beth Potter
Georgia Taylor-Brown
Lisa Tertsch
Léonie Périault
WTCS Grand Final: Men
The men gave us one of the finishes of the season.
After some chaos during the Aussie exit when the swim ramp partially failed, Matt Hauser pushed the swim and helped establish the front of the race while Hayden Wilde and Alex Yee were left chasing.
Hauser, Vasco Vilaça and Ricardo Batista hit the run near the front, while Yee and Wilde started hunting them down.
Yee eventually reached the leaders after an incredible chase, but the effort caught up with him late. Vasco attacked, Hauser responded, and the two came flying down the blue carpet shoulder to shoulder.
There was contact, some movement across the finish chute and plenty of debate afterward, but Hauser narrowly took the race in a photo finish.
Vasco may have lost the race by the smallest of margins, but he secured his first world championship title.
Alex Yee finished third after running an incredible 28:46, while Hayden Wilde still managed fifth after four straight weeks of racing.
Final Championship Standings
Vasco Vilaça
Matt Hauser
Ricardo Batista
Dorian Coninx
Miguel Hidalgo
Ironman 70.3 New York Cancellation
Ironman 70.3 New York was cancelled on Friday before race day because of the approaching storm, leaving the professional men scrambling for another option.
Ironman opened up spots at 70.3 Augusta and offered travel support, but Augusta was roughly a 15-hour drive away, making it anything but a simple solution.
Twenty-eight professional men ultimately made the start.
Jackson Laundry took the win, Ari Klau finished second and Nicholas Chase rounded out the podium.
On the women’s side, Lydia Russell delivered one of the performances of the weekend. She took the win and ran 1:16:29, only a few minutes slower than Jackson Laundry’s run split in the men’s race.
Ironman Woven
Ironman also announced Woven, a new initiative aimed at increasing women’s participation and creating more community and support around the sport.
The program will include a Strava-based community, educational content, webinars and ambassadors, alongside activations at selected races in 2027.
Ironman has also been exploring ways to address some of the barriers women identified through previous surveys, including the difficulty of committing to races far enough in advance when events are selling out quickly.
Kona Countdown
And now the Kona news begins.
Defending champion Casper Stornes is officially out after crashing while riding in high winds on the Big Island. He suffered a broken collarbone and an L3 vertebra fracture, ending his title defence before race week even began.
Gustav Iden narrowly avoided the same incident, then created slightly less serious controversy by asking fans whether he should keep his freshly cut mohawk. Eighty-five percent voted to keep it.
He shaved it anyway.
Meanwhile, Lucy Charles-Barclay temporarily left Kona for Los Angeles as the storm approached Hawaii, allowing her to continue training without risking interruptions to her final World Championship build.
With the weather clearing, athletes arriving and race-week interviews beginning, the countdown to the Ironman World Championship is officially on.
Quickfire Q&A
Performance of the weekend?
Cassandre Beaugrand finishing a perfect WTCS season with another dominant win.
Best finish?
Matt Hauser and Vasco Vilaça going shoulder to shoulder in a photo finish.
Most brutal race moment?
Marta Kropko being disqualified during a career-best performance.
Biggest Augusta performance?
Lydia Russell running 1:16:29 after also producing the fastest women’s bike split.
Biggest Kona news?
Defending champion Casper Stornes is out after breaking his collarbone and suffering an L3 fracture.
Most important Kona controversy?
Gustav Iden ignoring democracy and shaving the mohawk.
Follow the show
📸 @anothertriathlonpodcast
Host, Jenna-Caer Seefried, @jennacaer
Josh, @joshmvernon
Fede, @fedemultisport
Presented by @maunaapparel
Support the show
Stay connected with us! Follow us on social media - @anothertriathlonpodcast with hosts Jenna-Caer, Fede and Josh to keep up with the latest. And if you have any burning questions for the coaches, feel free to shoot them over to Jennacaer@maunaendurance.com
 
https://www.instagram.com/anothertriathlonpodcast/

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This week on Another Triathlon Podcast, Jenna-Caer (@jennacaer), Josh (@joshmvernon) and Fede (@fedemultisport) are back breaking down a surprisingly busy weekend in triathlon.
Fede checks in from his Chicago Marathon build, Josh is recovering from 70.3 Worlds while travelling through Europe ahead of the Berlin Marathon, and Jenna-Caer is back from Nice with another unexpected challenge potentially on the horizon.
Then it’s into the racing.
Hayden Wilde backed up his 70.3 World Championship win with another victory at T100 French Riviera, despite a chaotic bike leg packed with Race Ranger red lights, questionable spacing and plenty of debate around drafting.
Ironman Maryland delivered a very different kind of drama after a serious age-group crash required a medical helicopter and forced part of the professional men’s race to stop. The resulting time adjustments changed the podium and sparked plenty of discussion about how Ironman handled an almost impossible situation.
The crew also catches up on Lionel Sanders racing sick in Cozumel, Rachel Olson’s huge professional win at Ironman 70.3 São Paulo, Taylor Knibb finishing 13th at the Time Trial World Championships, and the upcoming WTCS Grand Final in Pontevedra.
Finally, Kona fever officially begins with a look at which athletes’ stocks are rising and falling after 70.3 Worlds, plus a little pre-Kona gossip.
Highlights
• Fede’s final Chicago Marathon build with his sister
• Josh recovering from Nice and preparing for Berlin
• Jenna-Caer teasing a possible unexpected October challenge
• Hayden Wilde backing up his 70.3 Worlds win at T100 French Riviera
• The drafting controversy and Race Ranger red lights
• Jelle Geens fighting back to second
• Kyle Smith podiuming after being hit by a bus the day before
• Rico Bogen’s unusual reversed littering penalty
• Ironman Maryland’s medical emergency and disrupted pro race
• Why Ironman removed a section of bike-course timing from the results
• Cameron Wurf ultimately taking the official win
• Lionel Sanders racing Ironman 70.3 Cozumel while sick
• Rachel Olson taking her first professional 70.3 victory in São Paulo
• Team Mauna’s continued growth and upcoming Cozumel camp
• Taylor Knibb finishing 13th at the Time Trial World Championships
• Could Taylor race triathlon and cycling at LA 2028?
• WTCS Pontevedra Grand Final preview
• Cassandre Beaugrand versus Beth Potter
• Vasco Vilaça versus Matt Hauser
• Hayden Wilde as the wild card in the men’s race
• Gwen Jorgensen continuing her Olympic comeback
• Who moved up and down the crew’s Kona rankings
• Early Kona rumours involving Kristian Blummenfelt and more
Follow the show
📸 @anothertriathlonpodcast
Host, Jenna-Caer Seefried, @jennacaer
Josh, @joshmvernon
Fede, @fedemultisport
Presented by @maunaapparel
Support the show
Stay connected with us! Follow us on social media - @anothertriathlonpodcast with hosts Jenna-Caer, Fede and Josh to keep up with the latest. And if you have any burning questions for the coaches, feel free to shoot them over to Jennacaer@maunaendurance.com
 
https://www.instagram.com/anothertriathlonpodcast/

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This week on Another Triathlon Podcast, Jenna-Caer (@jennacaer) and Josh (@joshmvernon) are back in Nice to break down an incredible weekend at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships.
After a full week on the ground covering the race, interviewing pros, attending press events and soaking up the championship atmosphere, they dive into the women’s and men’s races, the biggest stories from the course, the Ironman Pro Series shakeup, and Josh’s own age group race experience.
The women’s race belonged to Taylor Knibb, who delivered one of the best performances of her career. After a strong non-wetsuit swim, she took control on the bike, crushed the main climb, set a new Nice bike course record, and ran home for another 70.3 World Championship title.
Behind her, Julie Derron produced a record-breaking run to finish second, while Alana Siffert confirmed her breakthrough season with a huge podium performance.
On the men’s side, Hayden Wilde held off a flying Kristian Blummenfelt in one of the wildest 70.3 races we’ve seen. Gustav Iden lit up the descent, Jelle Geens fought through bike issues, and the field showed just how fast this distance has become.
Highlights
• Jenna-Caer and Josh recap the race from Nice
• Taylor Knibb’s dominant women’s win
• Taylor’s massive climb and bike course record
• Julie Derron’s 1:13 run and World Championship run record
• Alana Siffert’s breakthrough podium
• Solveig Løvseth racing to fourth after a difficult lead-in
• Laura Philipp, Kat Matthews and Paula Findlay looking ahead to Kona
• Ironman Pro Series movement after 70.3 Worlds
• Hayden Wilde’s men’s win
• Kristian Blummenfelt’s record-breaking 1:05 run
• Jelle Geens chasing history and finishing third
• Gustav Iden’s incredible bike descent
• Jamie Riddle’s sticky gel and aero pad issue
• Jelle’s bike handling issues on the descent
• Casper Stornes getting jabbed by Rico Bogen’s aero bars in transition
• The speed of the modern men’s 70.3 field
• Ironman’s improved race coverage and broadcast setup
• Josh’s age group race experience
• Team Mauna’s huge presence in Nice
• Kona storylines starting to build
Race Breakdown
Women’s Race
The women’s race started with a non-wetsuit ocean swim, where Sophie Evans led the field out of the water and Taylor Knibb stayed close to the front. A chase group with Julie Derron, Marjolaine Pierré, Paula Findlay and Kat Matthews stayed within striking distance, while Laura Philipp came out almost three minutes back before riding herself into the race.
Once on the bike, Taylor Knibb did exactly what Taylor Knibb does. She moved through the field, dropped Alana Siffert, and opened the race up on the main climb. Her climb was one of the biggest statements of the day, and she later shared that she averaged 303 watts for just over 30 minutes.
Taylor set a new Nice bike course record and came into T2 with enough of a gap to control the run. She later called it one of her best races, which says a lot from an athlete who does not hand out praise to herself easily.
Behind her, Julie Derron was flying. She ran a 1:13 half marathon, set a new women’s 70.3 World Championship run record, and moved through the field to finish second.
Alana Siffert rounded out the podium after another huge performance in what has become a true breakout year. She swam well, rode aggressively, and held strong on the run against world-class athletes chasing from behind.
Men’s Race
The men’s race was chaos from the beginning.
Seth Rider led out the swim, but 27 men came out of the water together, which made the early kilometres of the bike crowded, aggressive and full of red lights.
The climb and descent shaped the race. Hayden Wilde kept moving forward, Gustav Iden absolutely flew down the mountain, and Kristian Blummenfelt started to lose time before clawing it all back on the run.
Gustav set a new bike course record, but Hayden reached the front at the right time and came into T2 ready to fight. Lasse Nygaard-Priester ran with him early, but Hayden eventually broke away.
Then Kristian Blummenfelt started charging.
He ran a 1:05:12, closing the gap to around 30 seconds late in the race, but Hayden had just enough left to respond. Wilde took the win in 3:50:51, with Blummenfelt second and Jelle Geens third.
The race also had plenty of behind-the-scenes drama. Jamie Riddle dealt with gels spilling onto his aero pads, making the pads stick to his arms. Jelle Geens had bike issues on the descent that forced him to slow down and reportedly stop. Casper Stornes was jabbed hard in the ribs by Rico Bogen’s aero bars in transition.
It was fast, messy, aggressive, and exactly the kind of race that makes championship weekends so good.
Josh’s Race
Josh also shares his own race-day experience after starting in the final wave of the entire weekend.
He talks about handling a long wait after transition closed, watching the pro men start before his own race, staying calm before the swim, and having what felt like the best swim and bike of his life on a course that demanded patience, skill and smart pacing.
The Nice bike course was every bit as hard as expected, with steep early climbs, a long main climb, technical descending, heat, traffic considerations and plenty of carnage around him. Josh rode steady, kept the bigger picture in mind, and made it to the run ready to get the job done.
He finished in 5:57, calling it the best 5:57 he will ever have in a 70.3.
Team Mauna in Nice
Team Mauna had a massive presence at 70.3 Worlds, with athletes all over the course, team events during race week, and a strong result in the tri-club rankings.
The men’s team finished second and the women’s team finished third in the tri-club standings, showing how much the team has grown over the last few years.
Applications for Team Mauna are open until September 18, and everyone who applies is also entered into the $5,000 ultimate triathlon giveaway.
Quickfire Q&A
Biggest women’s performance?
Taylor Knibb putting together one of the best races of her career.
Best women’s run?
Julie Derron’s 1:13 and new 70.3 World Championship run record.
Biggest women’s breakthrough?
Alana Siffert proving she belongs on the world championship podium.
Biggest men’s storyline?
Hayden Wilde holding off Kristian Blummenfelt after a record-breaking run.
Wildest men’s race moment?
Jamie Riddle’s aero pads sticking to his arms because of spilled gels.
Biggest Kona teaser?
Kristian Blummenfelt’s run speed, Gustav Iden’s energy, Taylor Knibb’s dominance, and the Pro Series battles still to come.
Follow the show
📸 @anothertriathlonpodcast
Host, Jenna-Caer Seefried, @jennacaer
Josh, @joshmvernon
Fede, @fedemultisport
Presented by @maunaapparel
Support the show
Stay connected with us! Follow us on social media - @anothertriathlonpodcast with hosts Jenna-Caer, Fede and Josh to keep up with the latest. And if you have any burning questions for the coaches, feel free to shoot them over to Jennacaer@maunaendurance.com
 
https://www.instagram.com/anothertriathlonpodcast/