WATCH AGAIN: IRONMAN 70.3 St George how to follow and preview

This is a preview of the race – click on the links to find out how Sam Long and Jeanni Metzler claimed emotional and welcome wins.

Racing will return to St George on Saturday May 6 as last year’s venue for the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships hosts the North America regional championships at IRONMAN 70.3 St George.

The city in Utah, which has quickly become well known in the triathlon community after hosting two World Championship events last year, will offer an alternative for middle-distance athletes who are not racing the PTO Tour European Open in Ibiza on the same day.

Below are the start times for the men and women’s events, along with a preview of both elite fields and information on how to follow the action live on race day.

Start time and how to watch live

The race takes place on Saturday May 6 and starts in the Sand Hollow Reservoir.

The Pro race will start at 0650 local time. That corresponds to 1350 in the UK, 1450 CET and 0850 Eastern Time.

The race will be broadcast live, with the event one of 12 IRONMAN 70.3 events to be broadcast in 2023 on Outside Watch. You will be able to watch for free via web, mobile or connected TV app.

As always, the ever reliable IRONMAN Tracker is the perfect data addition to support your viewing. If you haven’t got it on your phone already, where have you been?!

Pro Men

In the men’s race, Canadian Lionel Sanders will return to happy hunting grounds after finishing second in the 2021 IRONMAN World Championships last time he raced in St George.

The PTO World Ranked #5 has also had success over the middle distance in Utah, winning in a thrilling battle against Sam Long here at the 2021 edition, as well as reigning victorious in 2016 and 2018.

Long, who just missed out on the win in that epic dash to the line with Sanders two years ago, returns to St George after the contentious penalty which put him out of the running at last year’s IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships.

The 27-year-old, who hasn’t had the best of starts to the year will lead a strong contingent of Americans that includes Matt Hanson, Trevor Foley and Justin Metzler.

Sanders, on the other hand, will race alongside countrymen Brent McMahon and Jackson Laundry, the 2022 IRONMAN 70.3 Oceanside winner, with the battle between the Americans and Canadians in the men’s race setting this up as a truly exciting regional battle.

Pro Women

In the women’s race, it looks likely to be a battle between the Americans, as the strength of field will likely take a hit from the absence of Jocelyn McCauley and Sif Bendix Madsen, who will instead race in Ibiza.

PTO World Ranked #14 Skye Moench will open up her season in St George, as she looks to improve on her fourth place finish here from the 2019 edition of this race.

Jackie Herring and Sarah True are two class athletes who will push Moench for the win, as True will again look to get the better of Moench on North American soil after beating her in a great battle at IRONMAN Arizona late last season.

Rach McBride is also opening up the season in St George, with fellow Canadian Melanie McQuaid toeing the start line just 11 days before her 50th birthday!

Prize Money: What’s on the line?

The prize purse on offer this weekend is $100,000 – with each of the winners collecting a $15,000 share of that total.

In addition to money, there will be a total of six qualifying slots (three MPRO / three FPRO) for the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Finland in late August 2023.

The total funds will be paid ten-deep, as follows:

1. $15,000
2. $9,000
3. $7,000
4. $5,000
5. $4,000
6. $3,000
7. $2,500
8. $2,000
9. $1,500
10. $1,000