👋 Welcome back
Morning endurance fans…
Another HUGE weekend of endurance sport is in the books… but while the headlines were being grabbed from Yokohama to the Giro d’Italia, a much bigger question is now starting to dominate the triathlon world:
Who still needs what to get to Kona?
With qualification windows tightening and start lists getting deeper by the week, the race to the IRONMAN World Championship is beginning to look just as dramatic as the racing itself. Some stars have already punched their ticket to the Big Island. Others are running out of opportunities fast.
Some big names are in danger of missing out.
Here’s what else we have lined up for you today…
LATEST: The endurance news headlines
REPORTS: IRONMAN, UTMB and Zegama-Aizkorri
CYCLING: The Giro d’Italia is starting to heat up
KONA: Who needs what to qualify for the Big Island
TIPS: What you should be packing in your swim bag
🏃🏼 Quick splits
Kristian Blummenfelt has won three of the four races he has started this season. [IRONMAN]
🇳🇴 FOCUSED: Kristian Blummenfelt explains why he is guarding against complacency despite some stunning early-season form. Read HERE.
🇯🇵 SURPRISE: Sweden’s Tilda Månsson caused a huge shock as she announced herself with a stunning WTCS Yokohama win. Read HERE.
🏅 NO SURPRISE: Matt Hauser celebrated his return to WTCS action with a brilliant and dominant win in Yokohama on Saturday. Read HERE.
🎤 SINGER: Pop star Olly Murs has completed a charity 400km ‘endurance triathlon’, raising funds for Soccer Aid for UNICEF. Read HERE.
🙌 LEGEND: Olympic hero Alistair Brownlee will be donning his trisuit and running shoes once again to race against amateur athletes. Read HERE.
🏁 Race reports
A repeat win for Marjolaine Pierré in Aix-en-Provence. [IRONMAN]
🇫🇷 IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence
Marjolaine Pierré (FRA) defended her title in brilliant style, and Michele Bortolamedi (ITA) claimed the biggest win of his career after a thrilling battle in the men’s race at IRONMAN 70.3 Aix-en-Provence.
This was the fifth stop in the 2026 IRONMAN Pro Series – and the first in Europe – but the two races could hardly have been more contrasting.
Pierré took control on the bike and never looked like relinquishing it, crossing the line nearly four minutes ahead of Imogen Simmonds (SUI), with 2024 IRONMAN World Champion Laura Philipp (GER) third on her seasonal reappearance before she heads to IRONMAN Hamburg.
But the men’s race ebbed and flowed throughout before Bortolamedi finally shook off former 70.3 world champion Rico Bogen (GER) in the closing stages, with Lasse Priester (GER) flying through the field for third place.
🇺🇸 IRONMAN 70.3 Chattanooga
Women’s race: Grace Alexander made it two wins in the space of a week as she defended her title at IRONMAN 70.3 Chattanooga on Sunday.
The American overhauled Danielle Lewis early on the run and then held off a charging Vittoria Lopes for an exciting win at 70.3 Gulf Coast the week before, but the victory in Chattanooga was more emphatic.
In Chattanooga, she led by over a minute after the swim, extended that on the bike and then rounded it off on the run to stay ahead of Canada’s Paula Findlay and American Jackie Hering.
Men’s race: There was no repeat in the men’s race for Sam Long (USA), though. ‘Yo Yo Yo’ was the defending champion and came into it on the back of last week’s win at 70.3 Gulf Coast.
He was 2:37 in arrears and 22nd after the swim, and though he made his customary charge through the field on the bike to third, he was still 3:39 behind Jeremy MacLean, a Brit-American who only turned 21 the Monday before and was about to make his name in incredible style.
MacLean remained in charge on the run until a late wobble saw Ari Klau (USA) close right up, but he held on for the win, 10 seconds ahead of Klau as Matt Hanson (USA) overhauled Long for the final podium spot.
🥾 Zegama-Aizkorri
The 25th edition of Zegama-Aizkorri lived up to all expectations as Morocco’s Elhousine Elazzaoui defended his men’s title in thrilling style and Sweden’s Tove Alexandersson smashed the women’s course record.
But there was no fairytale return for ultrarunning GOAT Kilian Jornet as the 11-time winner faded out of contention in the second half of the race, though he was hailed throughout on what was home turf, as you can see in the Instagram post above.
The iconic mountain marathon packs a staggering 2,736m of elevation into its 42.195km as it crosses the Aizkorri-Aratz Natural Park and the mythical Basque ridgeline.
🐨 HOKA Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB
The blockbuster clash in the UTA50 race at the 2026 HOKA Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB saw reigning OCC champ Miao Yao of China get the better of UTMB winner Ruth Croft of New Zealand.
New Zealand’s Daniel Jones defended his UTA50 title in the men’s race. Antonina Iushina and Aleksei Tolstenko took the UTAMiler titles over 100 miles, with both runners breaking the course best times set last year by more than an hour.
The final two titles, the men’s UTA100 and women’s UTA100, were won by Blue Mountains-based Michael Dunstan and Poland’s Katarzyna Dombrowska.
🇨🇳 IRONMAN 70.3 Shanghai
China’s Rongheng Chen and Switzerland’s Alanis Siffert have claimed the men’s and women’s professional titles at Sunday’s IRONMAN 70.3 Shanghai Chongming in China.
It was the fourth time that the event had been held on Chongming Island in Shanghai, a world-renowned ecological island.
🚴♂️ News from the saddle
Giro d’Italia: Jonas Vingegaard won the Giro d'Italia's second mountaintop finish on Sunday, attacking Felix Gall one kilometre from the line to take his second stage win of this year's Giro d'Italia.
Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM) attacked what remained of the GC favourite's group just over 2km from the line, taking Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) with him, but the Austrian was unable to resist the Dane's move under the flamme rouge.
Vingegaard's teammate, Davide Piganzoli, put in a remarkable ride to finish third, while the maglia rosa Afonso Eulálio (Bahrain Victorious) was fifth and retains the overall lead, though with a reduced advantage of 2.24.
Gralloch: Dutch rider Geerike Schreurs made history by winning The Gralloch UCI gravel race in Scotland for the second time on Sunday. Another former WorldTour pro, Lukas Pöstlberger, won the men’s event.
The race is on to qualify for this year’s world championships in Kona. [IRONMAN]
🔍 The BIG issue: Racing to qualify for Kona
It is the race where everyone wants to be, and yet, with only 23 slots available per gender and just seven qualifying races remaining, there are certain to be some big names missing out on a trip to Kona this coming autumn.
A glance through the unusually strong start lists for IRONMAN Lanzarote proves just how important these remaining few weeks are going to be for professional long-distance triathletes around the world.
This non-Pro Series event has three former World Champions and the current 70.3 title holder lining up as they seek to validate their exemption spots on the small Spanish island so they can then join the showdown on Hawaii’s Big Island.
Two of the former champions are Patrick Lange (GER) and Sam Laidlow (FRA), who both took to their own social media accounts last week to highlight why they were headed to Lanzarote – the goal is simple, and that goal is validation for Kona.
Lange, of course, would have had his place all sewn up by now were it not for his DNF at IRONMAN Texas – athletes with a five-year exemption following their title successes need to enter and complete a qualifying race to claim their slots.
But a bad back saw him limp away from the Lone Star State with his participation this October very much up in the air.
“Heading back to Lanzarote! 🌋” he wrote. “I’ve been on countless camps on this windy island over the years, but I’ve never actually raced there.
“It’s going to be a tough day out there, but that’s exactly what makes this race so legendary. I’m excited to be back. The main goal is to secure my Kona qualification, which is anything but guaranteed. I’ll give it everything I’ve got. 💪”
Another in their boat is former full-distance and current 70.3 champ, Lucy Charles-Barclay, who has missed the start of the season after undergoing tendon surgery and now needs to finish in Lanzarote to secure a return to the scene of what must have been one of her hardest hours in triathlon.
Seemingly set for a famous win last year, the British athlete was eventually beaten by the heat and humidity of Hawaii and could only look on as Norway’s Solveig Løvseth bounded past to win her first-ever title.
She and her compatriot Casper Stornes, who won the men’s race last year, do not need to be validated and will return as champions looking to defend their crowns.
There is no denying that time is running out for those without exemptions. They will now need to grab one of those remaining 23 places by performing well at one of the upcoming qualifying events.
The table below shows where and how many slots are available over the coming months.
IM Lanzarote – MPRO 3 WPRO 3
IM Brasil – MPRO 3 WPRO 3
IM Hamburg – WPRO 3
IM Cairns – MPRO 2 WPRO 2
IM Austria – MPRO 2
IM Frankfurt – MPRO 6
IM Thun – WPRO 2
IM Lake Placid – MPRO 4 WPRO 4
IM Kalmar – MPRO 3 WPRO 3
Some big names who have yet to secure their places include Laura Philipp, with the German needing to validate when she competes at Hamburg, and the likes of Canada’s Lionel Sanders – who is still battling his way back from injury – and Jelle Geens (BEL), who recorded a DNF in his first-ever full-distance race in Texas.
Sanders is likely to give it a shot in Lake Placid on July 19, while Geens has confirmed he will also be there as they chase down the four available Kona spots.
Whether they make it, of course, remains to be seen… but one thing is for sure: these next few months through to the final qualifier at IM Kalmar on August 15 promise to be a thrilling sideshow to the main event.
Solveig Løvseth won the women’s world championship last year. [IRONMAN]
Kona qualification explained
Only professional athletes are eligible for the ‘Pro Qualifying Slots’, which are made available at specific ‘Qualifying Races’ throughout the season.
The winner of the previous year’s race is automatically invited back with an exemption for the following season and does not require the completion of a ‘Validation Race’.
A five-year exemption rule means previous winners of no more than five years prior will be invited back to compete in the world championships, provided they complete a ‘Validation Race’.
A ‘Validation Race’ is achieved when an athlete enters and officially completes an IRONMAN ‘Qualifying Race’.
In accordance with IRONMAN’s GLOBAL Pregnancy Policy, ‘Pro Qualifying Slots’ awarded during the 2026 qualifying year may, upon approved verification, be deferred to 2027.
Athletes who are eligible to compete due to an exemption will not be given any further ‘Pro Qualifying Slots’, and instead, these will roll on to the next eligible athlete.
Due to extraordinary circumstances, IRONMAN may, in its sole discretion, elect to offer special invitations to participate in the 2026 Championship Race.
Of the five previous men's champions, three Norwegians – Kristian Blummenfelt, Gustav Iden, and Casper Stornes – have either validated or will return as the champion. However, both Sam Laidlow (FRA) and Patrick Lange (GER) need to validate by completing a qualifying race.
Of the five previous women’s champions, last year’s winner, Solveig Løvseth, is automatically invited back, but Chelsea Sodaro, Lucy Charles-Barclay and Laura Philipp – who have struggled with injuries this year – still need to validate.
In terms of places remaining for athletes without an exemption, both the men’s and women’s fields have 23 slots open across seven remaining qualifying races.
👩💻 Trending in triathlon
Sweden’s Tilda Månsson stunned the triathlon world with her incredible debut win at the WTCS race in Yokohama at the weekend… and then took the plaudits of her fellow professionals as some of the sport’s biggest names congratulated her.
The special kinship that exists within the triathlon community was once again in evidence as a host of leading competitors from across the sport’s wide spectrum took time out to show their appreciation of what was a very special moment.
Her race to the line, beating the experienced Briton Beth Potter in a thrilling sprint, was the highlight of a packed weekend of endurance sport and could yet herald the arrival of a new star competitor on the women’s circuit.
A series of Instagram posts issued by World Triathlon in the aftermath of her win showed a beaming Månsson crossing the finish line – with the list of athletes who then ‘liked’ them reading like a who’s who of triathlon.
Kristian Blummenfelt, Patrick Lange, Casper Stornes, Kat Matthews, Taylor Spivey, Jelle Geens, Solveig Løvseth, Lucy Charles-Barclay, Kate Waugh, Steph Clutterbuck, Gustav Iden, Grace Thek, and the great Dame Flora Duffy were just some of those to have sent their best wishes to a young athlete who clearly has a great future ahead of her.
A special moment of recognition from her peers, for a talented young athlete… 👏👏👏
⏱️ Coaches corner: Swimming gear you need
We might race in open water, but for most triathletes, a huge amount of our swim training will be ticked off in the pool. And whether you love or loathe the world of chlorine, lane ropes and the slight carnage that can come with public swim sessions, getting the most out of your training can play a significant role in helping you to get faster at open water swimming, so you can improve your triathlon time come race day.
With that in mind, let’s dive into the pool swimming essentials you’ll want to have in your kit bag to support your swim training.
The obvious requirements:
🩱🩲 SWIMSUIT/TRUNKS: First up is a swimsuit or swim jammers – an obvious one if you don’t want to get carted off for public indecency! There’s nothing like new swimwear to motivate you to hit the pool.
So if you’re struggling to resist the temptation to hit snooze on your morning swim alarm, this is your ‘Daily Split made me do it’ sign to treat yourself to some new gear. Look for chlorine-resistant material to ensure your new suit will last the off-season.
🙋♀️ For women: Look for a muscleback or string-back option, which is great for ensuring you’re not restricted around the shoulders.
🙋♂️ For men: Opt for jammers (or trunks/briefs if you prefer) with a drawstring so you can get a secure fit around the waist. No one wants to lose their shorts halfway through a 50m sprint!
🤿 GOGGLES: We’ve all had the pain of spending most of a pool swim session fiddling with our goggles. Whether it’s leaking, fogging or digging in. Goggles that are on their last legs are a sure-fire way to get distracted from doing the quality pool work that you need to complete.
If you’re thinking about changing your goggle of choice, your pool sessions are a great time to experiment with different brands to find one that works for your face shape. Without having the annoyance of being in the middle of the lake with leaky goggles and no easy way to change them for a different pair.
🎒 Kit-bag space saver
If you haven’t got a microfibre towel yet, it’s one of those things you’ll soon wonder how you ever lived without. Particularly if you’re swimming on your way to/from work, getting rid of the bulky beach towel in favour of a lightweight, packable, fast-drying option will free up some serious space in your kit bag.
The Magic5 discovery bundle.
🌊 Accessories
Once you start regularly incorporating technique drills into your swim sets, there is a range of accessories which make it easier to focus on different parts of your swim stroke.
If you haven’t got any pool ‘toys’ yet – we’d recommend checking out the Discovery bundle from THEMAGIC5 – which includes finger paddles, a tow float, a kickboard, a snorkel, a swim cap and even a card game (of sorts) with a load of swim sessions you can pick and choose from.
Hand paddles: These are a great tool when used in moderation. They’re good for helping you to work on your hand entry, catch and pull phases. If your hand isn’t entering the water at quite the right angle, the paddles will really exaggerate this, so you’ll be more aware of it.
They also help you to develop a better ‘feel’ for the water and notice at what stage of your stroke you need to be applying force to get better propulsion. Using paddles also helps to build strength in your shoulders and lats.
Pull buoy: A small float that goes between your legs to keep them lifted and keep you afloat without having to kick. They’re a useful tool for working on the pull phase of your swim stroke. By taking away any propulsion from your legs, you’ve got to really focus on being strong, smooth and efficient with your arms.
Kickboard: Handy for doing kick drills. Getting one with handles like THEMAGIC5 bundle also means you can incorporate side-kicking and single-arm work.
Snorkel: This might be something you haven’t used since you were a kid. But it’s actually a useful tool to take away the complication of rotating to take a breath when you want to focus on things like the track of your arm during the catch and pull phases or your body position.
Swimming fins/flippers: Kicking is a triathlete’s least favourite swim activity. But working on your kick is more important than you might think, as it helps with maintaining a better body position in the water so you’re not relying on your wetsuit to keep your legs lifted – you never know when you might end up with a last-minute non-wetsuit swim announcement.
Alongside kick drills, fins are also a useful tool for helping you to maintain good propulsion when you’re doing stroke-focused drills, such as the single arm drill or sculling.
Look for fins like the Arena Powerfin Pro rather than a completely closed-heel option. This style of swimming fins gives you freedom of movement around the ankle joint and maintains a natural ‘flutter’ kick feel. If you’ve found that using fins gives you cramps, freeing up the ankle might help to alleviate the issue.
💪 Outside edge of endurance
Not content with winning IRONMAN New Zealand and the 70.3 in Geelong this season, Kat Matthews has now added a third victory to her name… the Outlaw Triathlon Relay, which she secured at the weekend as part of Team Bottrill.
Seeing the team home by running the final leg of the race, Kat said afterwards how she had thoroughly enjoyed taking part alongside 2,000 amateur competitors, but that her focus was now fixed on getting ready for Challenge Roth.
Well done, Kat… 👏👏👏
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Together, we go the distance. — @247_endurance 🏃♂️🚴♀️🏊♂️