Search
shop

IRONMAN 70.3 Geelong Results: Osborne and Salthouse win as Bishop claims Taupo spot

Ellie Salthouse and Sam Osborne were popular winners at IRONMAN 70.3 Geelong in Victoria.
Staff Reporter
Last updated -
Get the ultimate guide to destination racing

Sam Osborne of New Zealand and home star Ellie Salthouse took the wins at IRONMAN 70.3 Geelong this weekend, as both came out on top ahead of strong fields in Victoria.

In the men’s race, Osborne just managed to hold off Britain’s Tom Bishop, who secured his slot at the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in his first race of the season.

In a battle between two top Aussie pros, Salthouse just beat compatriot Grace Thek, with the pair pulling clear of the rest of the field in a close battle on the run.

Advertisement

Osborne clinches first middle distance win

An off-road athlete by trade, Osborne was at the front of the race throughout in Geelong, with the Kiwi leading out of the water just ahead of Bishop, home favourite Steve McKenna and Finn Henrik Goesch in a front group of seven.

Out on to the bike, McKenna and Bishop traded the lead over the early stages, with defending champion Mike Phillips making his way back up to the front pack by the 27km mark.

Remarkably, despite the firepower of Bishop and Phillips, who are notoriously strong riders, the front pack of eight remained intact into T2, with the race coming down to a run battle for the win.

First out of the gates was McKenna, before Bishop made his move that was only matched by Osborne and the pair pulled clear at the 7km mark.

As the gap to the rest of the field continued to grow, Bishop and Osborne were locked side-by-side, and it wasn’t until the final 5km that the Kiwi managed to open up a slender lead.

Sam Osborne takes the win at IRONMAN 70.3 Geelong.
[Photo Credit – Korupt Vision]

Winning by just over ten seconds in the end, Osborne took the tape, with Bishop securing a slot to the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Taupo alongside him in second and Goesch coming home in third.

Salthouse powers to victory on the run

Exiting the water with more than a minute deficit, Thek and Salthouse were left playing catchup in the women’s race all day, as Dutch pro Lotte Wilms entered T1 with a healthy gap out of the swim.

On to the bike, Wilms settled into a fast early pace but was caught by Hanne De Vet of Belgium at the 27km mark, with the pair then trading turns in a bid to hold off the fast moving Salthouse who was gaining behind.

Maintaining a gap of close to a minute back to the Australian, De Vet and Wilms rode together until just over halfway, before the Dutch pro again pulled clear and came into T2 alone.

One minute down on to the run, De Vet also entered T2 solo, but had Salthouse and Thek, plus Hannah Berry, within a minute of her as the battle for the podium commenced.

Over the initial stages of the run, it quickly became clear Salthouse was the fastest runner on course, with the Australian closing in on De Vet, then Wilms, before entering the lead after 7km.

Behind her, Thek was making similar progress, and the race for the win looked set to be between the pair as Thek moved into second with 10km to go.

In the end, Salthouse’s aggressive first 10km paid off, with the Australian maintaining a comfortable cushion over her counterpart for the rest of the run as she came home for the win.

Ellie Salthouse wins the 2024 IRONMAN 70.3 Geelong title in Victoria, Australia.
[Photo Credit – Korupt Vision]

In second, Thek picked up a solid podium, whilst Wilms managed to finish in third after spending so much of the day at the front of the race.

IRONMAN 70.3 Geelong – Sunday March 24 2024
1.9km / 90km / 21.1km

Pro Men

  • 1. Sam Osborne (NZL) – 3:41:26
  • 2. Tom Bishop (GBR) – 3:41:38
  • 3. Henrik Goesch (FIN) – 3:42:36
  • 4. Mitchell Kibby (AUS) – 3:42:53
  • 5. Steve McKenna (AUS) – 3:43:19

Pro Women

  • 1. Ellie Salthouse (AUS) – 4:07:18
  • 2. Grace Thek (AUS) – 4:08:16
  • 3. Lotte Wilms (NED) – 4:10:22
  • 4. Radka Kahlefeldt (AUS) – 4:11:31
  • 5. Hannah Berry (NZL) – 4:11:44
Tomos Land
Written by
Tomos Land
Tomos Land is a triathlon & running journalist whose expertise lies in the professional world of short course & long distance triathlon, though he also boasts an extensive knowledge of ultra-running.
Discover more
TRI247 podcast p/b Challenge Family episode 2
Go behind the scenes at Challenge Roth with the latest episode of the TRI247 podcast
Cadomotus Chronos triathlon cycling shoes
The triathlon cycling shoe that promises a 10-watt saving: Cadomotus Chronos Aero triathlon cycling shoes review
Challenge Family Roth
Five things you need to know about the Challenge Roth bike course
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!)
TRI-FIT VANGUARD tri suit review
The entry-level tri suit with a serious amount of performance for the price point – TRI-FIT VANGUARD review
latest News
Georgia Taylor Brown wins supertri Toulouse 2024
British Olympic legend Georgia Taylor-Brown to make triathlon return
Gwen Jorgensen reflective World Triathlon Cup Vina del Mer 2023
‘Unbreakable’ Gwen Jorgensen ‘bruised’ after bike crash but vows to bounce back
IRONMAN CEO Scott DeRue Women For Tri 2024
IRONMAN announce new age-group qualification system for Kona and 70.3 Worlds
IRONMAN World Championship 2019 / Kona 2019
IRONMAN’s new age-group system for Kona – all the big questions answered
Frederic Funk finish line Challenge Samarkand 2023 photo credit Challenge Family
Challenge Roth 2025: German star goes into the unknown in iconic triathlon showdown
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...