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Philipp Prevails at Historic IRONMAN World Championships

Women's IRONMAN World Championship, how aero is a clean shave? And fight inflammation with these ten foods!

Author

Matthew Sharpe
September 24, 2024

TOGETHER WITH PURPLE PATCH FITNESS

Good morning everyone,

It was an incredible weekend in Nice and my respect goes out to every single competitor who took on that beast of a course!

  • And, if you raced this weekend we’d love to hear about your experience.

In today’s edition:

  • 🏆 Philipp prevails in historic IRONMAN World Championship.

  • 🪒 Is a clean shave really that aerodynamic? (Yes)

  • 🍓 And ten foods to help you fight inflammation!

Thanks for being here.

-Matt Sharpe, newsletter editor

Headshot of Matt Sharpe

Have a triathlete in your life who can't stop swimming, biking, or running? Fire this off to them. Forwarded from a friend? Sign-up for free.

ONE BIG THING

Philipp Claims Historic IRONMAN World Championship Title in Nice

What is it: The inaugural edition of the Women’s IRONMAN World Championships in Nice took place this weekend. And after two shocking exits from pre-race favorites, it was Germany’s Laura Philipp who made the most of the opportunity, and took the win on the Promenade des Anglais.

Swim setup: With Saturday’s shocking news that defending champ Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR) had to pull out due to a muscle strain, it was clear that the swim, and the race, would have a much different dynamic than previous editions.

  • Not long after the gun went off a distinct group of 12 athletes including Kat Matthews (GBR), Chelsea Sodaro (USA), and Marjolaine Pierré (FRA) formed at the front of the swim.

  • There was little separation through the swim, and when the leaders hit the beach at the swim exit there wasn’t a massive gap to heavy favorites behind.

Former champion Anne Haug (GER) and Philipp were only 3 minutes back of the Sodaro group. Plenty of time to return to the front of the race…

The drama begins: After an excellent swim that looked to set Haug for another championship run, it was swiftly ended. Shortly after exiting T1 Haug suffered a devastating flat tire. She was unable to fix it, and had to withdraw from the race.

Watch: Heavy favorite Anne Haug pulls out of IRONMAN World Championships.

  • Meanwhile, up the road, Pierré had stormed to the early lead and was looking to put on an incredible show in front of the home crowd.

Philipp flys: Early on the bike it was clear Philipp was having one of those special days. By the time she hit the top of the leg-crushing Col de L’Ecre she had caught Matthews and was locked into the leader, Pierré. At that point, there was still over 100km left to ride!

A leading duo emerges: As the flatter middle section of the course continued, Philipp and Matthews would take turns fighting for the front. Pierré was still in the vicinity, making it a trio. Meanwhile, 2022 Champion, Sodaro, was still in contention only a few minutes in arrears alongside Lotte Wilms (NED), and Marta Sanchez (ESP).

As the bike progressed, Pierré would lose touch with Matthews and Philipp. The leading duo navigated the tricky descents beautifully and finished the bike side-by-side. The stage was set for an incredible battle on the run.

Watch: Laura Philipp and Kat Matthews enter T2 neck and neck! 

  • Further back, Sodaro saw her chances of a win slip further away. She would finish the bike ten minutes adrift of the leaders.

A run for glory: As Philipp and Matthews flew out of T2 it wasn’t clear who would win the day. Both athletes had race-winning pedigree and a hunger to take their first IRONMAN World Championship.

  • For the first lap, there was no daylight between the athletes and they took turns pushing the pace on the front.

But, just after the 10km mark, Philipp began to pull away from Matthews and it was only the remainder of the marathon that separated her and the ultimate victory.

Philipp prevails: Deep into the marathon, Philipp was able to enjoy the final stretch along the promenade knowing she was about to achieve her ultimate goal. And as she crossed the finish line she embraced the tape, becoming the newest women’s IRONMAN World Champion.

  • Eight minutes later, Matthews would cross the line in second. And almost 20 minutes later, Sodaro would make a return to the World Championship podium finishing in third.

Tempo’s take: With Charles-Barclay and Haug out of the picture, it provided an incredible opportunity for an athlete to take the win. And who knows, with the day Philipp had on course it may not have mattered who was even out there.

  • Being able to run a 2:44 marathon like she did after such a demanding and taxing bike ride just shows how dialed in she was on race day. It was an exceptional performance and worthy of a World Champion crown.

There was a lot of chatter pre-race about how a Women’s only race in Nice would look. And yes, there wasn’t as many competitors as a typical World Championship event. But from the images and reports on the ground it sounds like the event was a major success. The fact is, the athletes love Nice. It is an easy place for most to travel to, and compared to Kona it is relatively affordable.

  • Going forward IRONMAN has some tough decisions to make. With Kona, they are hamstrung on size and growth. But with Nice (and other stellar locations) there is an opportunity for a larger footprint, more revenue, and potentially new/exciting opportunities. What would (or could) a two-day World Championship weekend look like in a place like Nice?

There are still two more editions left in the Kona/Nice split. But after that, all bets are off - especially that an IRONMAN World Championship has to involve the big island.

TOGETHER WITH PURPLE PATCH FITNESS

Optimize your Off-Season for your Best Year Ever!

Did you know that a well-executed off-season is the #1 tool to turbocharge your performance next year?

It’s true – and now you can join IRONMAN Master Coach and Purple Patch Founder Matt Dixon for a FREE webinar on optimizing your off-season on Thursday, September 26 @ 9 am Pacific/noon Eastern.

Yes, you need a break at the end of your season – but make it a strategic, smart break. You can recharge and rejuvenate while working on key elements of technique, skills, fitness, and resilience that you couldn’t at any other time of year. This unique approach will set you up to see best-ever results in your training and have a breakthrough performance in 2025.

What You’ll Learn:

  • Why the off-season is your #1 performance driver – and how to structure yours!

  • How to scale volume and intensity to recharge.

  • Key areas to focus; technique, skills, specific cardiovascular fitness, and strength that lay the groundwork for an epic 2025.

  • How to improve your power, body composition, resilience, and injury resistance with strength training.

  • Exactly what to do – and what not to do – when there’s no race on the calendar.

We’ve flipped the script on the traditional approach to the off-season, and the results speak for themselves. Athletes who follow this proven method come out of the off-season not just rested and recharged, but stronger, more resilient, and routinely hitting PRs and breakthrough performances. A great off-season balances rest, targeted training, and fun, so you can rejuvenate and enjoy activities you love while setting yourself up for success in 2025.

  • This is a can’t-miss session for anyone serious about transforming their performance next year. Even if you can’t join live, all registrants will get access to the on-demand replay – AND a free coaching consultation to help you dial in your off-season strategy.

Sign up now to secure your spot and craft a game-changing off-season: register HERE today.

FAVORITES

🚲 World Championship bikes: Sometimes it’s about the bike! The World Championship bike count always provides great insight into where the different brands stack up against each other. And this year’s edition in Nice had plenty of clear winners, plus, a few surprise upstarts. [Triathlon Magazine]

🪒 Clean speed: Thinking your hairy legs and/or beard don’t make a difference with aerodynamics on race day? Well, the folks at GTN just burst that bubble. Check out the crazy watt savings that a clean shave provides. [GTN]

🍓 Inflammation-fighting foods: Some inflammation is necessary, and is a natural response to quality training. But when it is chronic it can lead to an increased risk of cancer, arthritis, and diabetes. To help fight chronic inflammation, eat these ten foods. [New York Times]

😵 Unhinged Herron: Not exactly triathlon-related, but drama in the endurance sports world is always intriguing! And when a famous ultrarunner is caught editing her competition’s Wikipedia pages to remove accolades, while “fluffing” her own, that is certainly worth an investigation! [Canadian Running]

REEL TIME

After winning the IRONMAN World Championship it is customary for the champion to speak - and Laura Philipp nailed it!

QUICK NEWS

Chef success: Michelin star chef Paul Ainsworth said training for a triathlon “changed my life,” and was like therapy for him. And raising £50,000 for charity will have anyone feeling great! [Yahoo]

Lionman postponed: A raging King Tide has caused the postponement of the Lionman Triathlon in Belize. A new date has yet to be set. [Breaking Belize]

Findlay flys: Top professional triathlete Paula Findlay (CAN) finished in an impressive 18th at the UCI Time Trial World Championships. Is a second Olympic berth in Los Angeles in the cards for the previous Olympian? [Triathlon Magazine]

RACE WEEKEND

IRONMAN 70.3 Italy

Sam Dickinson (GBR) showed his Olympic form as he took a dominant win in Italy.

Challenge San Remo

Daniela Kleiser (GER) and Panagiotis Bitados (GRE) took the wins in San Remo.

IRONMAN 70.3 Cozumel

Marc Dubrick (USA) won his first 70.3, and Lisa Perterer (AUT) took a strong win in the brutal Cozumel conditions.

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