Chelsea Sodaro set to continue tour Down Under with first full distance race of the year

American triathlon star Chelsea Sodaro will look to keep the ball rolling on her great start to the season next month as she lines up for the iconic IRONMAN New Zealand.

The PTO World #11, who picked up her first win since 2022 earlier this month at IRONMAN 70.3 Tasmania, has been based Down Under since the start of the season.

After second place at the Tauranga Half and a win in Tasmania, Sodaro will be chasing a third consecutive podium as she races for the first time over the full distance in 2024.

“It will be a great start to my full distance season”

Speaking ahead of the race, Sodaro, who is also contracted to race the T100 Triathlon World Tour this season, said that she is excited to keep the momentum going after a great camp in New Zealand with coach Dr Dan Plews.

“I’m really excited, I came to New Zealand for a big camp with my coach Dan Plews, he’s been trying to get me over here for three or four years now and I think it will be a great start to my full distance season.

“I’m really looking to enjoy this early part of the year and get some good experience with different tactics and racing dynamics, so it will be an opportunity to practice all of that and get in a really great competitive field.”

Racing the sport’s second longest running IRONMAN, Sodaro said that the community around the event set for March 2 really inspired her to get on the start list.

“I think what inspires me so much about IRONMAN racing is the community and when you have a race that’s been around that long, it’s the people that rally behind the event that really make it so special, and I’m looking forward to being part of that.”

“I love to compete against the best”

After a rollercoaster season last year, it’s great to see Sodaro racing so often, with the 34-year-old herself saying that it takes racing and competition to bring the best out of herself.

“I love to compete against the best and I think that racing great athletes brings out the best in me, I go to every race with the goal to come out on top and it means more when you race really good athletes.

“I really pride myself on my preparation, I’m super detailed oriented and I like to know the specificities of the course so I can prepare very specifically, and this training camp and the race will of course give me some insight into what the 70.3 Worlds might look like.”

The IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship, which takes place in December and is to be held in Taupo, will give Sodaro the chance to race just her second ever middle distance world championship after finishing fourth back in 209.