Geens, Blummenfelt, and Wilde Set for Showdown at Ironman 70.3 Geelong

Following a memorable season opener of the 2026 Ironman Pro Series in New Zealand this past weekend, the start list for the second Pro Series event in Geelong has just been announced and promises a show fans won’t want to miss.

More than 60 professional athletes are set to line up in Corio Bay on Sunday, March 22nd, racing for a prize purse of $50,000 USD and up to 2,500 series points. The race is shaping up to be a major showdown, particularly on the men’s side, where three of the sport’s biggest names will face off head-to-head.

Men’s Race: A Clash of the Sport’s Biggest Names

The men’s race is set to deliver one of the fastest and most competitive middle-distance battles of the season.

Reigning two-time Ironman 70.3 world champion Jelle Geens will face Kristian Blummenfelt, the 2020 Olympic champion, 2021 Ironman world champion, 2022 Ironman 70.3 world champion, and reigning Pro Series champion. The matchup is reminiscent of their stride-for-stride run duel at the 70.3 World Championship in Marbella, which culminated in a nail-biting sprint finish.

Adding even more firepower is Hayden Wilde, the seemingly unbeatable T100 star who also claimed silver medals at both the 2024 Ironman 70.3 World Championship and the Paris Olympics.

Several other strong athletes could also disrupt the favourites on the right day. These include Pierre Le Corre, who arrives in Geelong following an impressive second-place finish at Ironman New Zealand, and Kyle Smith, who led much of the race in Taupo before fading late to 11th.

Women’s Race: Matthews Looks to Extend Early Dominance

The women’s race is headlined by Kat Matthews, who is pursuing an impressive early-season double after dominating Ironman New Zealand, where she took the win and broke the course record by more than 11 minutes.

Matthews has spoken about intentionally front-loading Pro Series points early in the season to give herself greater flexibility later in the year. While she has acknowledged that a turnaround of just two weeks could test the legs, she remains the clear favourite heading into Geelong. A strong result would give her an early lead in the series standings and reinforce the formidable form she displayed in New Zealand.

Other strong contenders include Canadian Tamara Jewett, who set a remarkable run course record in New Zealand to finish fourth and secure the final Kona qualifying slot. Grace Thek will also be one to watch, making her ninth consecutive appearance at Ironman 70.3 Geelong, a course where she has never finished off the podium.

How to Watch

The race will be broadcast live and free internationally on Ironman YouTube, ironman.com/proseries, and DAZN.