No touching Knibb at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship

American Taylor Knibb (pictured above on her way to last year’s championship) dashed any hopes of a close race at today’s Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Lahti, Finland, finishing with the leaders out of the water then riding away from the rest of the women and following that up with the day’s fastest run to easily defend her title.

Buckingham leads the way in the water

2012 Olympian Lucy Buckingham led a group of five women out of the water, finishing the swim in 24:43, two seconds up on Pamella Oliveira and Knibb, with German Caroline Pohle and Switzerland’s Imogen Simmonds rounding out the group. Aussie Ellie Salthouse led the chase group at 1:22 that included most of the other race favourites including Kat Matthews, Holly Lawrence, Daniela Ryf, Paula Findlay. Emma Pallant-Browne, Tamara Jewett. The one pre-race favourite who found herself well back at the end of the swim was Laura Philipp – she hit T2 2:44 behind.

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Knibb and Simmonds pull clear

Through the first 14 km of the bike Knibb quickly showed her dominance, with only Simmonds, who was third at these championships in 2019, able to stay close to the American Olympian. Less than two weeks after nailing her spot on the US team for the Paris Gams next year, Knibb kept the pressure up and through 40 km had finally opened some space on Simmonds, with Matthews now leading the chase group that included Findlay, Ryf, Pallante-Browne and Salthouse. Philipp was now leading the second chase group that was just over four minutes behind.

All alone into T2

By the time the bike was done, Knibb’s lead was over two minutes on Simmonds, and over five minutes on the group of four led by Matthews that included Pallant-Browne, Ryf and Findlay. Philipp had managed to overcome her poor swim to hit T2 in seventh, but was 6:47 behind the American leader.

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Once out on the run there was no touching Knibb as she cruised to the win, finishing in 3:53:02 after a 1:18:05 run split. Matthews was able to run her way to second, holding off a charge from countrywoman Pallant-Browne at the halfway point of the half-marathon, then pushing her way past Simmonds to take second (3:57:05) thanks to the day’s second-fastest run split – 1:16:38. Simmonds hung on for third in 3:57:56. Pallant-Browne took fourth (3:58:35), Findlay fifth (4:00:32) with Philipp managing to move up a spot to sixth (4:02:27).

Ryf never seemed to be in a position to contend for the win today, eventually crossing the line in ninth (4:03:57). Canadian Tamara Jewett would finish 11th (4:07:55), reportedly having to serve a penalty at the end of the bike, posting the day’s fastest run split of 1:15:57.

“I was just grateful to get to the start and finish today,” Knibb said after the race. “I have been really nervous about today.”

As easy as Knibb made it look, after the race she was quick to say how hard the day had been.

“I took the run out a bit too fast,” she said. “The Olympic qualification was the big focus.”