Just as Kristian Blummenfelt did in the men’s race, the brilliant Taylor Knibb made light of racing – and winning – in Australia last weekend as she followed up with an all-the-way success at IRONMAN 70.3 Oceanside in California.
The American phenom, as she so often does, effectively put the contest to bed on the bike as she shattered her own course record for that discipline.
That gave her a near five-minute lead starting the run and plenty of breathing space which proved useful as reigning IRONMAN World Champion Solveig Løvseth (NOR) closed to within a couple of minutes late on as she produced a superb performance herself on what was her first race of the 2026 campaign.
And France’s Audrey Merle was a fine third as she showed herself as one to watch after stepping up to middle distance.
Swim – Lopes quickest once again
Vittoria Lopes (BRZ) moved to the front straight away in the single-lap swim in Oceanside Harbour but Knibb was positioned nicely in second on her feet.
Kirsten Kasper (USA) and Marta Sanchez (ESP) came next in a select four-woman front pack who were quickly putting time into the rest.
Løvseth was already 47 seconds back after the first 450 metres and the pattern continued, bar the fact that Lara Hernandez-Tome (USA) was able to work her way up to the front four.
So coming out of the water it was a group of five, with Lopes first in 23:23, which was just two seconds shy of Knibb’s swim course record at this event.
There was then a big gap to Grace Alexander (USA) in sixth at +1:20, while Løvseth had nearly three minutes to make up going into T1 and she was alongside Jackie Hering (USA) while defending champion Paula Findlay (CAN) was at +3:44.
Bike – Knibb unstoppable
Knibb also holds the bike course record at Oceanside and she wasted no time in putting the hammer down after emerging first going out of T1.
She was soon clear of her rivals – 12 miles in she was already over a minute and a half ahead of Sanchez – with Lopes, Kasper and Merle around three minutes back in third, fourth and fifth respectively.
But Løvseth was now starting to make her move and overtook Sanchez for second midway through – and not long after Sif Bendix Madsen had also eased passed the Spaniard to go into third.
Knibb though was in splendid isolation up front, with her advantage over the chasers hovering around five minutes.
Her bike time when she passed the timing mat going into T2 was 2:15:27, way ahead of her previous record of 2:18 flat which she had held jointly with Daniela Ryf.
Løvseth was 4:34 back at this point, 14 seconds in front of Bendix Madsen, with the rest more than seven minutes adrift.
Run – Løvseth closes the gap
Early on the run and Knibb looked super-comfortable as she maintained that lead over Løvseth but Bendix Madsen was dropping down the field as Merle moved into third.
At the midway point the gap between the front two was still over four minutes but it did start to come down after that – though Knibb never looked in danger.
And even though she dropped a couple of minutes in the last few kilometres, Knibb still destroyed the previous record time for this race with a 4:01:39.
Løvseth was 1:55 behind – though nearly three minutes quicker for the half marathon – while Merle rounded out the podium.
IRONMAN 70.3 Oceanside results 2026
Saturday 28 March, 2026 – Oceanside, California
Pro Women
| Position | Athlete | Nationality | Swim | Bike | Run | Overall Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taylor Knibb | USA | 23:29 | 2:15:27 | 1:17:28 | 4:01:39 |
| 2 | Solveig Løvseth | NOR | 26:13 | 2:17:12 | 1:14:49 | 4:03:34 |
| 3 | Audrey Merle | FRA | 24:43 | 2:21:03 | 1:19:21 | 4:10:33 |
| 4 | Grace Thek | AUS | 27:05 | 2:23:54 | 1:18:52 | 4:15:22 |
| 5 | Jackie Hering | USA | 26:16 | 2:24:56 | 1:18:54 | 4:15:42 |
| 6 | Marta Sánchez | ESP | 23:33 | 2:22:28 | 1:25:18 | 4:16:55 |
| 7 | Kirsten Kasper | USA | 23:30 | 2:27:56 | 1:21:13 | 4:17:46 |
| 8 | Amelie Kretz | CAN | 26:11 | 2:25:13 | 1:23:27 | 4:19:50 |
| 9 | Danielle Lewis | USA | 28:43 | 2:22:36 | 1:24:38 | 4:21:19 |
| 10 | Grace Alexander | USA | 24:43 | 2:24:00 | 1:26:49 | 4:21:30 |
