World’s best iron athletes to compete in Geelong

NEARLY 60 professional triathletes will line up in Geelong on Sunday (March 23) in the Ironman 70.3 event.

The event will offer athletes a total prize purse of $50,000 USD and three qualifying slots per gender in the 2025 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Marbella, Spain.

The race will start with a 1.9km swim in Corio Bay, be followed by two-lap 90km bike rides, and rounded out with a scenic two-lap 21.1km run course along the Geelong waterfront.

2024 men’s champion Sam Osborne (New Zealand) returns to defend his title against a stacked lineup of Olympians and world champions in the men’s field.

The Kiwi’s win in Geelong last year went under the radar, however Osborne showed he was a force to be reckoned with by going on to secure podium finishes in the Phillipines, Maine and Sunshine Coast.

His biggest competition is likely to come from 2024 IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion Jelle Geens (Belgium) and two-time Olympian Matt Hauser (Australia).

World champions Grace Thek (Australia) and Hannah Berry (New Zealand) will go head-to-head in the women’s field.

Therk is lining up in her eighth IRONMAN 70.3 Geelong triathlon, seven of which she has landed on the podium.

Regan Hollioake (Australia) also enters the event in strong form having won the ANZCO Foods IRONMAN New Zealand a fortnight ago.

More than 1,400 registered age-group participants will take part in the race alongside the professionals.

Top performers will also secure age-group qualifying slots in the World Championship event in Spain in November.

For more information on the 2025 IRONMAN 70.3 Geelong triathlon, head to ironman.com/races/im703-geelong