Record-breaking number of pros racing Ironman 70.3 Oceanside

Every year, Ironman 70.3 Oceanside delivers some of the most exciting early season racing. This year is no different with a stacked field of most of the sport’s top middle-distance pros ready to face off.

Returning champion Canadian Lionel Sanders faces tough competition with the three Norwegian amigos, Ironman World Champions Kristan Blummenfelt and Gustav Iden, as well as Casper Strones, who is debuting at the distance.

American Taylor Knibb is not returning to defend her title. She had planned to race instead at the PTO T100 Triathlon World Tour in Singapore this weekend, but recently announced she has forgoing that race for “personal reasons.”

Canada has two extremely strong contenders in Tamara Jewett and Paula Findlay. Both have taken wins at Oceanside in the past. Findlay won in 2021 and Jewett in 2023.

This weekend’s event is the second 70.3 distance race in the Ironman Pro Series this season. With 110 registered pro athletes, it’s broken last year’s record number of 101 competitors, making it the largest pro field in a 70.3. California is calling.

The course bring the chill and the heat

The course is a one-loop swim in Oceanside Harbor, with notorious cold water. The temperature is usually around 15 degrees Celsius, and likely a wetsuit mandatory swim.

The bike course is a scenic ride along the coastline, eventually leading athletes inland. The course is generally rolling but also offers some steep climbs that could add some excitement and shake up the front pack.

The run course hugs the flat coastline but also challenges athletes with sharp ramps as they transition from the beach to the main road. Shifting from a cold morning start to the run, temperatures have been known to intensify by the final leg, adding another element to the racing dynamic.

Expect a showdown of champions in the men’s race

As always, Oceanside has attracted a stacked men’s field, with a mix of long-course veterans and short-course specialists vying for the win.

Three-time winner, Sanders, can be expected to lay down the kind of grit he’s known for in an epic battle from wire to wire. Always strong on the bike, and coming off a spectacular run last year, it remains to be seen if it will be enough, given his swim deficit, to triumph over the likes of the Norwegians and other tough competitors

Other pros sure to apply the pressure will be American Rudy von Berg who finishing third at the 2024 Ironman World Championship in Kona. He’s also won multiple Ironman and 70.3 races over the years and is strong in all three disciplines, usually putting him at the front of the race from the start.

Another American, Ben Kanute, took the win at Oceanside in 2019 and 2022. He will be lining up knowing what it takes to win this race. After a tough season in 2024, he re-emerges with a new coaching and training approach.

It’s wide open for the women without Knibb

With Knibb out, it could shape up to be a fierce showdown between the two Canadians, Findlay and Jewett. Both women have had impressive wins at the 70.3 distance. Besides both taking wins at Oceanside previously, Findlay is usually a standout on the bike and finished fourth last year. Jewett had a challenging season in 2024, but is back in fine form though. It could prove a nail-biter as both women dominate on the run.

American Jackie Hering could give the Canadians a run for their money. Hering had a stellar season last year, finishing second in the Ironman Pro Series and a top 10 finish at the Ironman World Championship in Nice.

With a record-breaking pro field, returning champions, and new contenders, it is set to be an exciting one to watch.