Search
shop

‘This one means a lot’ – Salthouse signs off year in style

'I really wanted to finish my year and put down something I was proud of," says Aussie after Melbourne triumph
News Director
Last updated -
STRENGTH. ENDURANCE. PERFORMANCE.

Ellie Salthouse proved a point with her victory at the GWM IRONMAN 70.3 Melbourne on Sunday.

Beforehand she’d called it a “salvage” mission in her final race of the season after a frustrating year compared to multiple wins in 2021.

Two weeks earlier she’d come 13th at the 70.3 Worlds in St George and said of her return to racing in her native Australia: “I just want to have a race I’m proud of and have a performance that reflects the training I’ve done.”

And that was exactly what she produced in Melbourne, putting the hammer down right at the start of the run as she powered to victory from New Zealand’s Amelia Watkinson.

Advertisement

Perfect end to season

And the Brisbane-based athlete admitted afterwards: “I’ve had a really tough year this year, so to finish it off with a win, with my family here watching and supporting means a lot, it’s a nice way to finish the season.

“The support was incredible, my Dad and my partner and one of our best friends came down to support, I’ve got a lot of family that live down here in Victoria, having them all out on course giving me splits and encouragement meant a lot and helped me get to the finish line.”

Ellie Salthouse winning GWM IRONMAN 70.3 Melbourne - Photo Korupt Vision
[Photo credit: Korupt Vision for IRONMAN]

There was plenty of interest in the women’s race leading into the event with a host of top athletes lining up and race day did not disappoint with Salthouse, Watkinson and Lotte Wilms (NED) battling it out.

“I knew Lotte would get away on the swim so I tried to find her feet but she got away quickly from the start so I just tried to reduce the deficit to her and then I got on the bike and was riding solo for about three quarters of the ride and then Amelia caught me and then we caught Lotte and formed a little group for the last 25km,” said Salthouse.

I just backed the run legs from that point.

“I just wanted to get out fast, and found the lead pretty much straight out of T2 and backed my run and I’m lucky that my legs came through.

Change of fortune

“Results-wise this year has been tough, there’s been a lot of unfortunate events that have happened during my races this year, just unlucky things and some lacklustre performances,” she said.

“I really wanted to finish my year and put down something I was proud of and something that reflected the training and hard work that I’ve been putting in so this one means a lot and I’m proud of this one, it’s a really nice way to finish the season and a good platform for next year.”

Jonathan Turner
Written by
Jonathan Turner
Jonathan Turner is News Director for both TRI247 and RUN247, and is accustomed to big-name interviews, breaking news stories and providing unrivalled coverage for endurance sports.  
Discover more
Challenge The Championship Marjolaine Pieree
How to qualify for Challenge The Championship – and why it should be on your triathlon bucket list
Cadomotus aero triathlon cycling shoes
Can your triathlon cycling shoes make you faster? How shoe choice could speed up your triathlon finish times
French Riviera T100 bike course Esterel
Is this the ultimate middle distance triathlon bike course? We rode the French Riviera T100 bike course and it’s EPIC
Ironman gear guide – everything you need to get to the finish line of a full distance triathlon
Challenge St. Pölten 2024 - image credit Jose Luis Hourcade / Challenge Family
Expert swim coach on the three most common swim mistakes age group triathletes make (and how to fix them!)
latest News
The PTO's CEO Sam Renouf
PTO reveal ambitions of matching Roth and Kona as French Riviera T100 triathlon course details unveiled
Sam Long St George 2024 photo credit Getty Images for IRONMAN
‘No No No’ – Sam Long says he felt ROBBED by swim cancellation at ‘69.1 Chattanooga’
IRONMAN World Championship 2024 Nice Age Group Swim Start
IRONMAN to review World Championship slot allocation model after fears raised for Age Group women
Jonny Brownlee / Jonathan Brownlee - Super League Triathlon London 2023
Did the Brownlee brothers nearly join pro cycling’s Team Sky after 2012 Olympic heroics?
Kristian Hogenhaug interviewed after The Championship 2025
Danish triathlon star highlights blistering bike split as key to The Championship success.
triathlon on your terms
Never miss out with our triathlon alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.
The 247 Group

The home of endurance sports

Share to...