World Triathlon Waylaid By War

TOGETHER WITH Grüns

Good morning everyone,

February was a slow month at Tempo HQ. Our apologies.

We’ll be getting back into our rhythm here over the next few weeks, because even in the world of triathlon, there is no shortage of news…

-Matt Sharpe, newsletter editor

HEADLINES

World Triathlon Waylaid By War

What is it: World Triathlon has confirmed that the elite races for WTCS Abu Dhabi - originally scheduled on 28-29 March - have been postponed “to a later date.”

• The series is now scheduled to start on April 26th at WTCS Samarkand in Uzbekistan.

Age group a go: Although the elite races have been rescheduled, “all age-group community races, approved by World Triathlon, will proceed according to the previously announced schedule on Hudayriyat Island.”

Tempo’s Take: Abu Dhabi has long been one of the most reliable stops on the WTCS circuit, so while it’s not surprising that regional conflict is forcing a postponement, it’s still disappointing to see.

Then again, when drones are reportedly being intercepted just a few miles from the race venue, the decision becomes fairly straightforward.

What’s harder to understand is how the age group race is still set to be run 😟

Now, as the race calendar moves away from the Gulf for a few months, the sport’s major entities have time to assess a rapidly changing landscape. IRONMAN counts Oman as the title sponsor of its Pro Series. The T100 finishes its season in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. And now World Triathlon has a race to reschedule.

Once the conflict subsides - which we all hope happens as soon as possible - the sport-specific question remains: will the region’s massive investments in triathlon still move forward as planned?

• Because if geopolitical risk becomes part of the equation, triathlon’s rapid expansion into the Middle East may look very different in the years ahead.

Matthews Masterful, Foley Flourishes at IRONMAN New Zealand

What is it: This past weekend, the first race in the 2026 IRONMAN Pro Series took place at IRONMAN New Zealand. Heavy points and a strong start to the series were on offer, and two athletes made the most of their opportunity.

Women’s race: Kat Matthews (GBR), the 2x IRONMAN Pro Series champion, showed no signs of slowing down as she parlayed a strong second pack swim, solid leading bike, and a solo marathon into the Pro Series lead.

Local hero Hannah Berry (NZ) - finishing in second - showed that her strong 2025 was no fluke. Lotte Wilms (NED) rounded out the podium in 3rd.

• 🥇 Kat Matthews (GBR)

• 🥈 Hannah Berry (NZ)

• 🥉 Lotte Wilms (NED)

Full race results

Men’s race: Pre-race, all eyes were on Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR). But a hectic mechanical had last year’s Pro Series Champion on the backfoot all day.

Trevor Foley (USA) took the opportunity and won his first-ever IRONMAN with a dominant performance on the bike and run.

Olympian Pierre Le Corre (FRA), in his first-ever IRONMAN, finished second. While Matt Hanson (USA) took the final place on the podium.

• 🥇 Trevor Foley (USA)

• 🥈 Pierre Le Corre (FRA)

• 🥉 Matt Hanson (USA)

Full race results

Tempo’s take: If you’re going to watch a race for eight hours, it’s nice to have a little drama (sorry Blummenfelt). And although the fields weren’t the largest we’ll see all year, a mere four-minute spread between 1st and 3rd in the men’s race shows we can expect incredible action all the way to Kona.

But did the new 20m draft zone have an impact on the race? We believe so. Athletes like Trevor Foley and Matt Hanson are usually punished for their non-front pack swims. But in New Zealand, they were able to find the front of the race and land an early-season podium.

As the season progresses and the fields become ever-larger, we should see even more lead changes and drama on the bike!

• Only a few weeks till Oceanside…

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FAVORITES

🏊‍♂️ Pulling power: The pull phase of the swim stroke is critical for propulsion and ensuring you’re moving through the water quickly. This video covers key principles and, in the first minute, offers a great example of how to learn to pull effectively quickly! [GTN]

💪 Bands or bells?: Resistance bands or dumbbells - which should you use? Well, it depends! This article explains the strengths of each tool and when athletes might benefit from using both. [Lifehacker]

🏃‍♂️ Long run redone: Maybe your legs are tired from a big week of training. Maybe you have an early Sunday brunch reservation. Whatever the reason, is it ever a good excuse to split up your long run? Sort of! This article explains when you should split up your long run and when you can’t! [Marathon Handbook]

🚫 Oceanside over? With war in Iran, the U.S. military must allocate resources accordingly. But could that mean 70.3 Oceanside - which uses Marine Corps Base Camp Pendelton - be cancelled? This article details how it could happen and when the decision could be made. [Triathlete]

TEMPO TALKS PODCAST

Are Triathlon’s Middle East Investments at Risk?

And why Challenge Roth athlete announcements could mean a more entertaining race than Kona!

All this and more in the latest episode of the Tempo Talks podcast.

• Listen on Apple and Spotify

REEL TIME

The male and female winners of IM New Zealand racing and pushing each other during the marathon. It’s part of why we love this sport!

Link to Reel

QUICK NEWS

Sam’s strike: In March, 15-year-old Sam Ruthe (NZ) became the youngest-ever person to break four minutes in the mile. Now, he has his sights set on triathlon! [The Press]

Ireland inquest: Two athletes died minutes apart during the swim at IRONMAN 70.3 Cork in August 2023. Ivan Chittenden’s death was ruled accidental; Brendan Wall’s case remains ongoing. [RTE]

NCAA momentum: Barton College will launch an NCAA Division II women’s
triathlon program this fall, backed by the USA Triathlon Foundation and the Dave Alexander Grant. The move adds momentum to women’s triathlon’s push toward full NCAA championship status! [USA Triathlon]

T100 Wānanka? After the Professional Triathletes Organisation took a majority stake in Challenge Family, Challenge Wānaka is now set to join the new Triathlon World Tour in 2027 - could that mean a T100 race in Wānaka? [Wanaka App]

Blummenfelt booked: Kristian Blummenfelt will finally debut at Challenge Roth on July 5, adding the iconic race to a packed 2026 slate that includes a defense of the IRONMAN Pro Series title. He says he’s racing to win. But is this the real target? Or just a warmup for Kona? [TRI247]

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