Lucy Charles-Barclay will face a stellar field when she defends her IRONMAN World Championship title in Nice later this month.
The 30-year-old British superstar finally claimed the biggest prize in long-course triathlon in Kona last October after finishing second on four occasions on the ‘Big Island’.
Now the race switches to French Riviera for the 2024 running, and LCB will face 50 rivals in what promises to be a fantastic renewal.
The opposition is headed by German great Anne Haug, 2019 champion in Kona and fresh off setting the fastest ever time for the Ironman distance – a blistering 8:02:38 at Challenge Roth in June.
Another previous champion will also line up on the Cote d’Azur in the shape of 2022 victor, America’s Chelsea Sodaro. Meanwhile Britain’s Kat Matthews will aim to go one better than she did when chasing Daniela Ryf home in the 2021 edition in St George.
Germany’s Laura Philipp, third behind LCB and Haug last year, will also be on the start line on September 22.
Start list and bib numbers
The field for Nice looks like this:
| Bib Number | First Name | Last Name | Country |
| 1 | Lucy | Charles-Barclay | GBR |
| 2 | Anne | Haug | DEU |
| 3 | Laura | Philipp | DEU |
| 4 | Chelsea | Sodaro | USA |
| 6 | Kat | Matthews | GBR |
| 7 | Jackie | Hering | USA |
| 8 | Danielle | Lewis | USA |
| 9 | Alice | Alberts | USA |
| 10 | Fenella | Langridge | GBR |
| 11 | Hannah | Berry | NZL |
| 12 | Gurutze | Frades Larralde | ESP |
| 14 | Regan | Hollioake | AUS |
| 15 | Marjolaine | Pierré | FRA |
| 16 | Marlene Helen | De Boer | NLD |
| 17 | Marta | Sanchez | ESP |
| 18 | Maja | Stage Nielsen | DNK |
| 19 | Kylie | Simpson | AUS |
| 20 | Daniela | Bleymehl | DEU |
| 21 | Erin | Schenkels | CAN |
| 22 | Lotte | Wilms | NLD |
| 23 | Els | Visser | NLD |
| 24 | Giorgia | Priarone | ITA |
| 25 | Lauren | Brandon | USA |
| 26 | Penny | Slater | AUS |
| 27 | Julie | Iemmolo | FRA |
| 28 | Katharina | Wolff | DEU |
| 29 | Elisabetta | Curridori | ITA |
| 30 | Rebecca | Clarke | NZL |
| 31 | Simone | Mitchell | GBR |
| 32 | Ai | Ueda | JPN |
| 33 | Ruth | Astle | GBR |
| 34 | Rachel | Zilinskas | USA |
| 35 | Laura | Jansen | DEU |
| 36 | Katrine | Græsbøll Christensen | DNK |
| 37 | Diana | Castillo Franco | COL |
| 38 | Fiona | Moriarty | IRL |
| 39 | Nina | Derron | CHE |
| 40 | Nikki | Bartlett | GBR |
| 41 | Barbora | Besperat | CZE |
| 42 | Merle | Brunnee | DEU |
| 43 | Jeanne | Collonge | FRA |
| 44 | Diede | Diederiks | NLD |
| 45 | India | Lee | GBR |
| 46 | Anne | Reischmann | DEU |
| 47 | Bruna | Stolf | BRA |
| 49 | Rosie | Wild | GBR |
| 50 | Laura | Zimmermann | DEU |
| 51 | Julia | Skala | DEU |
| 52 | Susie | Cheetham | GBR |
IRONMAN World Championship Course
The race will be centred around the “Promenade des Anglais”, Nice’s most famous walkway – and an iconic location which has seen some of triathlon’s elite race to victory, including eight-time IRONMAN World Champion Paula Newby-Fraser who also had four victories at the Triathlon International de Nice.
Beginning with the Mediterranean Sea swim, athletes will enter the water from the Promenade des Anglais and follow a double rectangular out and back course in the water, before embarking on one of the most iconic bike courses in all of the triathlon world. Technical and challenging but rewarding in its beauty, athletes will take in the rooftop villages of Vence, Gourdon and Tourettes-sur-Loup on the ascent, before they cruise down the “Route de Thorenc” and through the “Clues de Gréolières” on the descent, famous for its stunning feature film backdrop scenery.
The flat four-lap run course will take runners up and down the glitzy Promenade des Anglais, giving them the opportunity to soak up the Mediterranean Sea and infamous Chaises Bleues (blue chairs) on one side, and the luxury hotels and casinos on the other, while gaining encouragement by the crowds gathered at multiple spectator friendly points.
