Tyler Mislawchuk stepped up to middle distance for the first time in Chile on Sunday, and he aced the test by claiming victory at IRONMAN 70.3 Pucon.

The 30-year-old Canadian star enjoyed a fine second half of his 2024 short-course season, claiming top-10 finishes at both the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the WTCS Grand Final in Torremolinos.

He started 2025 though over a new distance as he moved up to contest Sunday’s showdown in Chile. And he came through with a result which bodes well for the future by claiming top spot on the podium. He took the tape just under a minute-and-a-half ahead of US star Jason West.

Mislawchuk runs to Pucon glory

Tyler was seventh out of the water to start the day, the final member of a lead pack headed by home favourite Vicente Trewhela. Only six seconds spanned that group and it also included West as well as Canadian Matt Sharpe.

The bike leg was a battle of attrition as nine athletes arrived in T2 together, with Mislawchuk again the last of the group which was led by another Chilean in the shape of Diego Moya. But again Tyler was only a few seconds back and it was very much all to play for on the closing half-marathon run.

If you were betting on the outcome as the field headed out onto the run course, the short-course speed of Mislawchuk and the vaunted run ability of West would have made them favourites, and so it proved.

Mislawchuk held all the aces as he blitzed his way to the fastest split of the day, a terrific 1:10:54, to come home just under 90 seconds ahead of the chasing West. Brazil’s Manoel Messias Dos Santos Junior completed the podium, taking third well ahead of Moya and Sharpe.

Perez romps to victory for Mexico

Cecilia Perez claimed victory for Mexico in the women’s pro race by easily overcoming the opposition en route to a convincting win.

Perez was just first out of the water but really took control of the race during the bike leg – building a lead of four-and-a-half minutes by the time she arrived in T2.

The run was a mere formality barring any disasters, and Cecilia duly extended her advantage to almost nine minutes by the time she took the tape. Chilean pair Macarena Salazar and Francisca Garrido

IRONMAN 70.3 Pucon Results

Sunday January 12, 2025 – Pucon, Chile

Pro Men

• 1. Tyler Mislawchuk (CAN) – 3:47:40 (23:37 / 2:09:08 / 1:10:54)
• 2. Jason West (USA) – 3:49:08 (23:36 / 2:09:07 / 1:12:33)
• 3. Manoel Messias Dos Santos Junior (BRA) – 3:50:16 (25:17 / 2:07:21 / 1:13:36)
• 4. Diego Moya (CHI) – 3:53:09 (23:31 / 2:09:07 / 1:16:41)
• 5. Matt Sharpe (CAN) – 3:53:17 (23:32 / 2:09:08 / 1:16:22)

Pro Women

• 1. Cecilia Perez (MEX) – 4:27:09 (27:36 / 2:26:01 / 1:28:49)
• 2. Macarena Salazar (CHI) – 4:36:00 (27:36 / 2:36:05 / 1:27:36)
• 3. Francisca Garrido (CHI) – 4:36:47 (30:31 / 2:32:54 / 1:28:24)
• 4. Lea Riccoboni (FRA) – 4:39:56 (29:41 / 2:30:34 / 1:34:32)
• 5. Catalina Salazar Ezquerra (CHI) – 4:54:57 (27:39 / 2:42:48 / 1:39:34)