Chelsea Sodaro, Holly Lawrence and Alanis Siffert headline the provisional women’s field for IRONMAN Florida, while Sam Long and Magnus Ditlev feature among a heavyweight men’s entry.
The race – on Saturday November 7 – offers an early opportunity to secure qualification for the 2027 IRONMAN World Championship, with three slots available per pro gender.
And with Florida, IRONMAN Cozumel on November 22 and IRONMAN Western Australia on December 6 the only remaining qualifying opportunities in the 2026 calendar year, several big names could finish their seasons by booking next year’s Kona places.
The provisional lists contain 18 women and 62 men, although inclusion does not guarantee an athlete will start. Long has already revealed he is weighing up Florida against Cozumel.
Lawrence ready to race after injury setback
The leading women have arrived at this point through very different seasons, with Sodaro, Lawrence and Siffert all absent from this year’s Kona start line.
For Lawrence, Florida represents an opportunity to test herself over the full distance after a mid-season stress reaction disrupted her plans.
“Ran long enough to feel confident to actually say out loud that I’m racing IRONMAN Florida in just under 2 weeks time,” she wrote on Instagram.
“A couple people close to me questioned why I’d want to race a late season race after the stress reaction mid-season, and honestly the answer is I worked too hard since then not to.
“Sure I’d like a few more weeks to feel more ready but eager to see what I can do over the distance with where I’m at and build for next year!”
Lawrence, who was sixth on her Kona debut in 2025, is one of five British women provisionally entered, alongside Lydia Dant, Dee Allen, Brooke Gillies and Megan McDonald.
Another opportunity for Sodaro and Siffert
For 2022 IRONMAN World Champion Sodaro, the Florida entry follows the bitter disappointment of being ruled out of Kona on the eve of the race.
“This morning I tested positive for influenza A and I won’t be starting the Ironman World Championships tomorrow. I’m devastated to say the least,” she wrote at the time.
“Up until 24 hours ago, this is the first time I’ve been healthy at the start of world champs since 2022 and I was beyond excited to see what I could do.
“Sport can be incredibly cruel but I also know that the sun will come up tomorrow and there are more start and finish lines ahead for me.”
Her appearance on Florida’s provisional list raises the possibility of another opportunity before the year is out.
Siffert, meanwhile, elected not to pursue qualification for this year’s Kona race. The Challenge Roth winner and IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship bronze medallist had been due to race Challenge Shanghai, only for a typhoon warning to force its cancellation.
“That’s also part of being an athlete. We prepare, we plan, we give our best, but not everything is in our control,” she said afterwards.
“What we can control is how we respond, adapt, and move forward.”
After returning to her training base earlier than expected, she added: “Another start line is already waiting in just two weeks!”
None of the women on Florida’s provisional list has yet secured a Kona 2027 place.
Long weighs Florida against Cozumel
The men’s list is headed by Long, with Ditlev, Cam Wurf, Matt Hanson, Ben Kanute and Rudy von Berg also provisionally entered.
Ditlev’s inclusion is particularly intriguing after he led until late in the marathon at Kona, while Long has explained why another race is on his agenda following his sixth-place finish in Hawaii.
“It’s nearly time to rack the bike up for another race soon,” Long wrote on Instagram.
“I want to (hopefully!) get my Kona qualification done early to open my options next year.
“I have Florida as an option in two weeks or Cozumel in 4. Which would you do if you were me?”
His post illustrates why the provisional lists should be treated as an early indication of the fields, with athletes potentially considering more than one route to qualification.
Skye Moench encouraged Long to choose Florida, citing the prospect of milder conditions, easier travel and getting the job done earlier.
Wurf’s recommendation was rather more succinct: “Both🤷♂️”
Wurf already has his Kona place
Also trademark Wurf is the fact that his own name appears on the Florida list despite the Australian already having secured his Kona 2027 qualification at IRONMAN Maryland.
He is the only man in the provisional field who has already ticked that box.
The other men currently qualified are defending world champion Vincent Luis, IRONMAN Wales qualifiers Henrik Goesch and Michiel Stockman, and fellow Maryland qualifier Federico Scarabino.
On the women’s side, Taylor Knibb has an automatic place as world champion, while Nikki Bartlett and Diede Diederiks qualified at Wales, and Tara Rooney and Mena Suter earned their slots at Maryland.
For those still seeking qualification, Florida offers the chance to head into the winter with one major objective for 2027 already achieved.
IRONMAN Florida provisional women’s start list
| Bib | Athlete | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| F3 | Chelsea Sodaro | USA |
| F4 | Holly Lawrence | GBR |
| F5 | Alanis Siffert | SUI |
| F6 | Laura Jansen | GER |
| F7 | Annamarie Strehlow | USA |
| F8 | Linda Brännlund | SWE |
| F9 | Lydia Dant | GBR |
| F10 | Angela Naeth | CAN |
| F11 | Dee Allen | GBR |
| F12 | Meghan Grant | USA |
| F13 | Joanna Ryter | SUI |
| F14 | Sarah Karpinski | USA |
| F15 | Kristina Grieger | GER |
| F16 | Brooke Gillies | GBR |
| F18 | Megan McDonald | GBR |
| F19 | Brittany Higgins | USA |
| F20 | Nicole Valentine | USA |
| F21 | Julie Iemmolo | FRA |
IRONMAN Florida provisional men’s start list
| Bib | Athlete | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| M1 | Sam Long | USA |
| M2 | Cam Wurf | AUS |
| M3 | Matt Hanson | USA |
| M4 | Ben Kanute | USA |
| M5 | Magnus Ditlev | DEN |
| M6 | Rudy von Berg | USA |
| M8 | Finn Große-Freese | GER |
| M9 | Milan Brons | NED |
| M10 | Gabriel Sandör | SWE |
| M11 | Simon Viain | FRA |
| M12 | Denis Chevrot | FRA |
| M13 | Luke Tasker | CAN |
| M14 | Andre Lopes | BRA |
| M15 | Zack Cooper | GBR |
| M16 | Chris Beckmans | AUS |
| M17 | Colin Szuch | USA |
| M18 | Emil Holm | DEN |
| M19 | Justin Metzler | USA |
| M20 | Elliot Bach | USA |
| M21 | Mitchell Ott | USA |
| M22 | Quentin De Vos | BEL |
| M23 | Christophe De Keyser | BEL |
| M24 | Julian Becker | GER |
| M25 | Ruben Zepuntke | GER |
| M26 | Robby Webster | USA |
| M27 | Martin Ulloa | CHI |
| M28 | Andrew Horsfall-Turner | GBR |
| M29 | Lukas Stahl | GER |
| M30 | Sven Wies | GER |
| M31 | Yang Pan | USA |
| M32 | Lucas Voets | NED |
| M33 | Kyle Martinelli | USA |
| M34 | Jamie Hayes | USA |
| M35 | Anders Toft Nielsen | DEN |
| M36 | Tomasz Szala | POL |
| M37 | João Ferreira | POR |
| M38 | Max Kohll | USA |
| M39 | Filip Szymonik | POL |
| M40 | Matt Jackson | USA |
| M41 | Paulin Philippe | FRA |
| M42 | Levente Lukacs | HUN |
| M43 | Ben Akin | GBR |
| M44 | Adam Munch | DEN |
| M45 | David Pinsonneault | USA |
| M46 | Connor Readman | USA |
| M48 | Mitchell Kirby | CAN |
| M49 | Jakub Stádník | CZE |
| M50 | Alec Shields | USA |
| M51 | Cole Kynoch | USA |
| M52 | Kyle Gabbard | USA |
| M53 | Thomas Nielsen | DEN |
| M54 | Nicolas Gilbert | CAN |
| M55 | Ross Baldwin | USA |
| M56 | Leon Pauger | AUT |
| M57 | Jannik Stoll | GER |
| M58 | Andrea Cloarec | FRA |
| M59 | Josh Eaton | USA |
| M60 | Aaron Kolk | USA |
| M61 | Michael Chronert | USA |
| M62 | Noah Shlesinger | USA |
| M63 | Jonathan Fecik | USA |
| M64 | Eduardo Siroto | BRA |
