Ironman 70.3 World Championships: World’s Best to Meet in Utah

More than 3,000 of the world’s top athletes are registered to compete in St. George, Utah this Saturday, among them will be over 100 of the world’s top professional triathletes who will battle for a piece of the $350,000 USD total professional prize purse and the title of IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion.

Australia’s Carrie Lester, Ellie Salthouse and Grace Thek will vie for the title in the professional women’s race. It’ll be Ellie Salthouse the 70.3 specialist out to impress but she’ll need to bring her a-game to put the pressure on reigning IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion Daniela Ryf (CHE) who seeks to become first ever to win six IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship titles.

In the men’s professional race Aussies Sam Appleton, Tim Reed (2016 IM70.3WC Champion), Max Neumann, Joe Gambles and Tim Rea will go up against tough competition including defending IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion Gustav Iden (NOR), multi-time IRONMAN 70.3 Champion Lionel Sanders (CAN), and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Gold Medallist Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR).

Ellie Salthouse is having a stellar 2021 season with a string of wins and strong performances in Australia and abroad, most recently making an appearance in Šamorín, Slovakia for the inaugural Collins Cup where she raced as part of Team Internationals – winning her head-to-head against rival and top-ranked Holly Lawrence (GBR) and placing ninth overall.

Sam Appleton will be one to watch – the Aussie finished as the fifth fastest man overall in the Collins Cup and nabbed a Silver at IM 70.3 Boulder (7 Aug). It’ll also be a debut 70.3 World Championship for up-and-comer Max Neumann who has topped podiums in Australia at IRONMAN Cairns and Challenge Shepparton this year.

The 2021 Intermountain Healthcare IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship presented by Utah Sports Commission will kick off with a 1.2-mile (1.9km) ROKA Swim Course, which takes place in Sand Hollow Reservoir located in Sand Hollow State Park in Hurricane, Utah. Next, a challenging 56-mile (91.3km) Ventum Bike Course will lead athletes through stunning desert landscapes with 3,442 feet (1,049 meters) of elevation gain and an unforgettable climb into Snow Canyon State Park and surrounding Washington County. The 13.1-mile (21.2km) HOKA ONE Run Course will take athletes on two loops through the stunning Red Hills Parkway and wind through historic downtown St. George where the finish line is located.