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What did we learn from the Ironman 70.3 Mont-Tremblant Pro Panel?

Another big field is on hand for the ninth race of the Ironman Pro Series

Photo by: Kevin Mackinnon

Tomorrow’s Ironman 70.3 Mont-Tremblant race, the ninth race in the Ironman Pro Series, has attracted yet another large pro field. Eight of those pros were on stage next to the finish line this afternoon, taking questions from both the moderators and the large crowd.

One notable absence was the man who will be wearing race #1 tomorrow, Lionel Sanders, but that didn’t seem to affect the enthusiasm and support for the pros who ended up on stage. Here are a few thoughts from today’s panel:

Tamara Jewett is back to defend her title

After a shaky start to the season that saw her drop out of T100 Miami and Ironman 70.3 Oceanside, the 2022 Ironman 70.3 Mont-Tremblant returns after a solid 10th-place finish at T100 San Francisco two weeks ago. Jewett couldn’t defend her title last year because the race was cancelled just 30 minutes before the start because of the smoke from nearby forest fires. The former Canadian national runner appears very relaxed and confident, and started the panel off with possibly the best line of the afternoon: “A little bit of rain is better than a lot of smoke.”

Paula Findlay – looking to the next thing

After a week that saw her chasing down her bike for three days before getting it just hours before her successful defence of her national time trial title, Paula Findlay is “excited to be here healthy, and with my bike.”

You can read more about Findlay’s foray into bike racing below, but despite her success on that front, the 2012 Olympian is back to her “regular” job as a pro triathlete. Findlay reaffirmed her desire to stick to races up to the half distance.

“The Ironman distance doesn’t interest me at this point,” she said. “Maybe I’ll do an Ironman some day – but I like to go hard for four hours, not eight.”

After proving triathletes can ride with the best – Paula Findlay’s big weekend of racing continues on Mont-Tremblant

Aggressive racing is the key to a win over … (you know who)

Canadian Jackson Laundry did his first pro race here in Mont-Tremblant in 2014 – the 5150 event. The 2019 Ironman 70.3 Mont-Tremblant champion was asked what it would take to beat five-time 70.3 Tremblant champion Sanders.

“You have to have a fantastic race to compete with Lionel Sanders,” Laundry said. “I have to race my race and not his race. I need to race aggressively in the swim and early in the bike, racing with confidence that I’ll be able to stay strong through the second half.”

We also learned that as he’s in the hunt for a top finish in the Ironman Pro Series, Landry will compete in his second Ironman next month – he’ll line up against Sanders in Lake Placid.

This course is well suited to me …

Is a statement that most of the athletes on the panel could easily utter, but after her impressive come from behind (over eight minutes behind) victory at Ironman 70.3 Boulder two weeks ago, Ellie Salthouse is feeling good about her chances here in Mont-Tremblant – a course she says is “really well suited” to her thanks to the rolling terrain.

10th time is the charm

Canadian Cody Beals, a two-time winner of the full-distance race here in Mont-Tremblant, returns to racing in Mont-Tremblant for the 10th time (between the full and half-distance races) after a “slow start” to his 2024 season due to sickness.

Beals actually answered the questions put to him today in both French and English, impressing the crowd and no-doubt adding to his popularity here in Mont-Tremblant.

How’s this for a second 70.3?

Despite being a two-time Ironman champion (last year’s Lake Placid and Maryland races), American Alice Alberts is competing in just the second 70.3 race of her career, having only started with multisport racing during the pandemic. Last year’s race in Mont-Tremblant was to be her first half-distance race, but that race was cancelled due to the smoke.

How’s this for a 70.3 debut?

American Matthew Marquardt balances life as a medical student with his pro triathlon career, which obviously hasn’t left much time for anything other than Ironman racing. The guy has never done a half-distance race, despite three podium finishes at Ironman races last year to go along with an 11th-place finish at the Ironman World Championship in Nice.

Speaking of Doctors …

A fan favourite here in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec’s very own Antoine Jolicouer Desroches has competed here in Mont-Tremblant on numerous occasions. Over the last few years he’s stretched his racing resume to include gravel bike races and a record-setting performance at the CanadaMan/ Woman Xtri event. In addition to all his athletic endeavours, Jolicouer Desroches is a PhD student and coach.

A strong swimmer, Desroches says he’s hoping a group can get clear in the water and work together during the early stages of the bike.

Jolicoeur Desroches shatters CanadaMan/Woman course record

The race will be broadcast live (starting at 6:30 am EST on Sunday) through the following links: