The most notable absences for the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Taupō 2024
- A World Cup with less than half of the qualified teams
- Did the late calendar date influence the absences?
El World championship HOMBRE DE HIERRO 70.3 2024 This will be disputed weekend in Taupō, New Zealand, marking an unconventional season finale for its advanced dates in the calendar.
What many expected for this test was a great sporting level, but we will have a somewhat different race, since Nearly half of professional triathletes classified will not be on the starting line.
There are several reasons for this. The test is contested in a somewhat unusual month for the Pro calendar, after a 2024 full of events such as the IRONMAN World Championship the series T100 Triathlon World Tour or IRONMAN Pro Series, many professionals have chosen to bring forward their vacations or already focus on preparing for 2025.
However, there will be a good level of competition, as there will be the current champions as well as many title contenders.
Below we review the most significant absences, the reasons behind them and how they could affect the test.
Notable absences
The absence of certain illustrious names is striking. Among them, Daniela Ryf, a legend with five IRONMAN 70.3 world titles under his belt, Ryf announced his retirement from triathlon this year.
Lucy Charles-Barclay, the 2021 champion, will also be absent from Taupō. After injury problems over the past year, her priority is to recover and be in top form for next season.
There will also be no representation of the Norwegian champions. Gustav Iden, winner in 2021, and Kristian Blummenfelt, champion in 2022. After a very intense year, his body and mind are asking for a break.
In the case of Emma Pallant Browne, who managed to get on the podium in other editions (silver in 2017 and bronze in 2022), will not be there this year either. Health difficulties and gastrointestinal problems have been a constant this year and he has decided to take a break.
Laura Philipp, IRONMAN world champion in Nice in 2024, will also be absent. After a year full of success, she preferred to end her season in Dubai.
Other notable names will also not be in Taupō. For example, Frederic Funk y Jan Stratmann, second and third in the 2023 edition, will not be present. Sam long, runner-up in 2021, he has preferred to focus on his wedding, after a season that started in January and did not stop until the T100 Dubai in November.
Marten Van Riel, the 100 T2024 World Tour champion, will also not be competing. His season was very eventful, with participation in short and medium distance events, and the recent long distance debut in Cozumel.
Lionel Sanders, one of the public's favorites, also falls off the list. After hesitating whether to participate or not, a car accident bike in the final stretch of the season he was put out of action.
What does this mean for the race?
The absence of so many stars leaves the doors open to new figures, surprises on the podiums and more excitement for the spectator, who always looks for the unpredictable factor in
Looking ahead to the coming years, both the organization and the professionals are likely to seek a balance.
A World Championship held earlier, on a date more in line with the natural culmination of the competitive year, could encourage more triathletes to participate.
It will also be interesting to see whether the introduction of new formats and the T100 series will lead to triathletes having other priorities than competing in the world championships.
