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Stacked 70.3 Worlds Start Lists Preview the Future of Middle Distance Racing

70.3 Worlds start lists, fueling well for indoor training, and aerodynamic inspiration

Author

Matthew Sharpe
November 29, 2024

TOGETHER WITH BLUESEVENTY

Good morning everyone,

It was yesterday, but we wanted to wish our U.S. readers a happy Thanksgiving! We hope you had a great day with family and friends.

  • I didn’t shy away from the turkey here at Tempo HQ. Which is probably why it’s time to get out for a bike ride!

But before I go I just wanted to express my gratitude to yourself and all the incredible Tempo readers. It’s been an exceptional year for us and it wouldn’t be possible without your support!

In today’s edition:

  • 👀 Stacked 70.3 start lists signal the future of middle-distance racing.

  • 💦 It’s indoor training season. Are you ready to fuel for it?

  • 🚴 And aerodynamic inspiration for a fast 2025!

Thanks for being here.

-Matt Sharpe, newsletter editor

Headshot of Matt Sharpe

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TOGETHER WITH BLUESEVENTY

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The incredible deals at Blueseventy’s Black Friday sale are almost gone!

Only days left to save 25% on everything at Blueseventy.com plus even deeper savings on select items 👇

Shop everything at the Blueseventy Black Friday sale before it ends December 3rd!

ONE BIG THING

Stacked 70.3 Worlds Start Lists Preview the Future of Middle Distance Racing

What is it: This week IRONMAN released the men’s and women’s start lists for the 70.3 World Championships in Taupo, New Zealand.

  • An incredibly deep and diverse roster of athletes will battle for World Championship glory in the final major triathlon of 2024.

Women’s Race

Fresh off her big win at the Dubai T100 Grand Final, and an undefeated T100 season, the odds-on favorite for the race win has to be Taylor Knibb (USA). But she’ll have stiff competition from fellow middle distance stalwarts including:

  • Ashleigh Gentle (AUS) - 2nd overall in the 2024 T100 series.

  • Julie Derron (SUI) - 3rd overall in the 2024 T100 series.

  • Paula Findlay (CAN) - 2nd at 2022 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships.

  • Caroline Pohle (GER) - 2024 70.3 European Champion.

  • Immogen Simmonds (SUI) - 2nd at London T100.

And there will be plenty of competition from full-distance stars like:

  • Kat Matthews (GBR) - 2nd at IMWC, 4th overall 2024 T100 series.

  • Jackie Hering (USA) - 2024 IRONMAN European Champion.

  • Maja Stage Nielsen (DEN) - Sitting 3rd overall in IRONMAN Pro Series.

And after a massive build up to Paris, short course stars will be looking to upset the long course world order:

  • Solveig Lovseth (NOR) - 2024 Olympian

  • Lena Meißner (GER) - 28th in World Triathlon World ranking

  • Valerie Barthelemy (BEL) - 2020 Olympian

  • Cecilia Perez (MEX) - 2020 Olympian

Men’s Race

The returning champion from 2023, Rico Bogen (GER), has shown incredible form with his recent 2nd place at Dubai T100 and he’ll be joined by plenty of other middle-distance talent:

  • Kyle Smith (NZ) - 2nd overall in the 2024 T100 series.

  • Youri Keulin (NED) - Singapore T100 winner.

  • Marc Dubrick (USA) - 2nd Challenge Beijing

Full-distance hitters will also be in attendance and hoping to have a great day in Taupo. Especially with crucial IRONMAN Pro Series points on the line:

  • Matt Hanson (USA) - Sitting 2nd overall in IMPRS rankings.

  • Matthew Marquardt (USA) - 4th overall in IMPRS rankings

  • Gregory Barnaby (ITA) - 5th overall in IMPRS rankings.

And a tsunami of short course athletes will no doubt make a major impact on the race:

  • Jelle Geens (BEL) - 2024 Olympian and T100 Lake Las Vegas Champion.

  • Hayden Wilde (NZ) - 2024 Olympic silver medalist.

  • Leo Bergere (FRA) - 2024 Olympic bronze medalist.

  • Justus Nieschlag (GER) - 2020 Olympian.

  • Casper Stornes (NOR) - 2020 Olympian.

Tempo’s take: This year’s 70.3 World Championships is easily the most competitive in history and will provide a massive sneak preview of what future middle-distance racing will look like as many athletes switch from chasing the Olympics to chasing long-course podiums!

  • And with over a million dollars on the line in the final IRONMAN Pro Series standings, you can guarantee the athletes will be battling to the final meters!

And we can’t wait to see how our Tempo subscribers fare on race day!

Will you be racing at 70.3 World Championships?

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FAVORITES

💦 Indoor fueling: Winter isn’t coming…it’s here! And we should be fueling our indoor cycling rides accordingly. Especially when it comes to fluid consumption. [Rouleur.cc]

🪑 Sinister sitting: Think your healthy lifestyle cancels out the effects of sitting for long periods of time? Turns out that’s not exactly true! A new study suggests prolonged sitting can still hurt healthy people. [Science Daily]

💰 Drills pay the bills: Running drills can help strengthen your muscles and joints, improve balance, and much more! So here are eight powerful running drills to help improve your speed and running form. [Marathon Handbook]

🚴 Aero inspiration: Are you looking to upgrade your bike in 2025? Take some aerospiration from this insightful breakdown of the top ten bikes from Kona. The bottle setups are insane! [TriRig]

👩‍💼 CEO knows: British Triathlon CEO Ruth Daniels has been heading the organization for less than a year, but she has big plans to help grow the sport in 2025 and beyond! [Triathlon 220]

💵 Big race money: As the athletes start to trickle into Taupo ahead of the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships so do the tourism dollars. And for the small town, the estimated 20 million dollar event-related spending will make a big impact! [NZ Herald]

Meet My Coach: Lance Watson of LifeSport Coaching

Join LifeSport’s virtual Open House to meet Lance Watson and discover how LifeSport can help you achieve your 2025 goals!

About Lance and LifeSport Coaching

LifeSport Coaching, led by renowned coach Lance Watson, is a premier endurance coaching organization supporting athletes at all levels, from beginners to elite competitors.

  • Known for its highly personalized approach, LifeSport offers one-on-one coaching, online club coaching, detailed training programs, and a strong community atmosphere. Lance and his team bring expertise from Olympic, IRONMAN, and world championship coaching to help athletes achieve their best.

With offerings like TRiCLUB membership for affordable group training, virtual workouts, and seasonal challenges, LifeSport provides both structure and encouragement. Their proven approach ensures athletes train effectively, stay motivated, and achieve their goals year-round.

Sign up to meet Lance and the LifeSport team, and let them help you crush your 2025 goals!

REEL TIME

Shoutout to the incredible race sherpas! You are the true heros of the big day!

RACE WEEKEND

IRONMAN 70.3 Western Australia - Asia-Pacific Championships

The penultimate race of the IRONMAN Pro Series sees big points on the line. Look for Hannah Berry (NZ), Grace Thek (AUS) and Valerie Barthelemy (BEL) to be battling for the win in the women’s race.

  • The men’s race has Gregory Barnaby (ITA) chasing series points. But he’ll face stiff competition from Marc Dubrick (USA) and Ben Hamilton (NZ).

IRONMAN 70.3 Bahrain

As Olympic medalist Vincent Luis (FRA) makes the switch to long course, he’ll be looking to set a record time at a notoriously fast course. But he’ll have strong competition from Henri Schoeman (RSA) and Max Stapley (GBR).

  • The women’s race features the long course debut for Georgia Taylor-Brown who should be on fro the win but will be pushed hard by Caroline Pohle (GER).

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