Trevor Foley Shines at Ironman New Zealand as Kat Matthews Dominates the Women’s Race

Against the stunning backdrop of Lake Taupo, the 2026 Ironman Pro Series kicked off at Ironman New Zealand with a $125,000 USD prize purse and up to 5,000 series points on the line. With the first major points of the season available, anticipation was high – and the race delivered.

Men’s Race: Foley’s Last-Minute Gamble Pays Off

The men’s race began with a clear favourite: reigning Ironman Pro Series champion and Olympic and Ironman world champion Kristian Blummenfelt. But the day quickly proved unpredictable.

Pierre Le Corre, a short course athlete who finished fourth at the Paris Olympics, led out of the water with a 48:11 swim. Kyle Smith was first through T1, exiting with Sam Osborne, Le Corre, and Robert Huisman, while Blummenfelt led the chase group roughly 1:40 behind.

New Zealand’s Kyle Smith thrilled the home crowd by reaching T2 first in 4:11:55. Frederick Funk was close behind, followed by a strong chase group that included Trevor Foley, defending champion Mike Phillips, Blummenfelt, and Le Corre. (Midway through the ride, Blummenfelt lost his right aero bar extension, but continued racing without it.)

For much of the marathon, it looked as though Smith might deliver a special win on home soil. Running strongly at the front of the race, he appeared in control early, but as the miles ticked by the effort began to show. Cramping forced him to slow, opening the door for Trevor Foley to surge past and take the lead.

But the race was far from settled. American veteran Matt Hanson surged late and closed the gap to just 33 seconds, threatening both the win and the course record.

Fans and commentators were on the edge of their seats, but Foley ultimately held on. Having decided at the last minute with his coach Sean Jefferson to make the trip to New Zealand, his goal was simply to secure a Kona qualification. Instead, he did far more than that, winning the race in 7:46:44 and running an impressive 2:35:52 marathon.

Le Corre ran his way into second place, while Hanson rounded out the podium in third. Hanson’s 2:34:49 marathon ultimately set the official new run course record – a remarkable performance for the 40-year-old, who recently spoke about the possibility of retirement and the motivation he draws from sharing the final stage of his career with his young two-year-old daughter.

Blummenfelt finished sixth after battling stomach difficulties on the run.

Women’s Race: Matthews Executes Perfectly

If the men’s race was unpredictable, the women’s race delivered the opposite – a masterclass in control from Kat Matthews.

Fenella Langridge set the tone early, delivering the fastest swim of the day in 50:51. A lead group of five formed out of T1 that included three New Zealand athletes – Hannah Berry, Rebecca Clarke, and Hannah Knighton – giving the home crowd plenty to cheer for.

Matthews entered transition 2:39 behind the leaders, while Canadian Tamara Jewett impressed with a strong swim that placed her 3:34 back.

On the bike, the race remained tightly contested. Hannah Berry led the field into T2 with a bike split of 4:40:38, but Matthews arrived just seconds behind alongside Lotte Wilms, setting the stage for the marathon.

Once on the run, Matthews quickly took control.

She moved into the lead early and steadily extended her advantage, running with the calm authority of an athlete executing a clear race plan. Mile after mile, the gap continued to grow as Matthews asserted herself at the front of the field. Her victory never looked in doubt, and she crossed the line in 8:28:55, setting a new course record by over 10 minutes.

Matthews’ win also fits into a broader early-season strategy. She will race Ironman 70.3 Geelong in just two weeks, intentionally front-loading Ironman Pro Series points to give herself greater flexibility later in the season.