IRONMAN Kalmar on 15 August saw the final three women’s places for the IRONMAN World Championship decided for Kona in October.
The slots were taken by German trio Jenny Jendryschik, Leonie Konczalla and Antonia Milowsky, who came fourth, fifth and seventh respectively as their compatriot Laura Philipp dominated the Swedish race to underline why she is one of the big favourites for a second world title.
RELATED CONTENT: Men’s Kona qualifiers in full
How qualifying played out
Slots are available via all IRONMAN pro races in the qualifying period – and some former world champions qualify automatically so long as they validate.
The rules state champions before 2024 were granted a five-year exemption and needed only to enter and complete a qualifying race to claim their slots – think Lucy Charles-Barclay from 2023 for example, though she won IRONMAN Lanzarote in May in any case.
But due to a subsequent rule change those who won in 2024 onwards are granted just a one-year exemption, so fine for reigning champ Solveig Løvseth but not so Laura Philipp (2024) who had to book her place at IRONMAN Hamburg (and is racing Kalmar anyway).
One former champion who left it late to validate was Chelsea Sodaro at Lake Placid recently and that race also featured an eyecatching full-distance debut from Paula Findlay who could be a threat to all in Kona.
Who missed out?
In terms of high profile athletes not there – with all due respect, there aren’t many.
Britain’s Holly Lawrence is the one that stands out – injury having left her on the sidelines for now and she’ll instead try and qualify for Kona 2027 via races like IRONMAN Florida or Western Australia at the backend of this campaign.
And one athlete who is not there by choice who you could have seen being a factor is Alanis Siffert, the sensational winner of Challenge Roth who will leave Kona for the future.
Jocelyn McCauley (pregnancy), who has been in the top 10 of this event before, is another to swerve it this year.
IRONMAN World Championship 2026 women’s qualifiers
| Athlete | Nationality | Qualification route* | Race qualified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alice Alberts | USA | QS | IRONMAN Arizona |
| Rebecca Anderbury | GBR | QS | IRONMAN Lanzarote |
| Hannah Berry | NZL | QS | IRONMAN New Zealand |
| Romina Biagioli | ARG | QS | IRONMAN Brazil |
| Daniela Bleymehl | GER | QS | IRONMAN South Africa |
| Lucy Charles-Barclay | GBR | FC5 | IRONMAN Lanzarote |
| Katrine Christensen | DEN | QS | IRONMAN South Africa |
| Kate Curran | GBR | QS | IRONMAN Western Australia |
| Elisabetta Curridori | ITA | QS | IRONMAN Arizona |
| Daisy Davies | GBR | QS | IRONMAN South Africa |
| Julie Derron | SUI | QS | IRONMAN Switzerland |
| Nina Derron | SUI | QS | IRONMAN Lanzarote |
| Danielle Fauteux | CAN | QS | IRONMAN Chattanooga |
| Paula Findlay | CAN | QS | IRONMAN Lake Placid |
| Arlette Gonzalez | MEX | QS | IRONMAN Cozumel |
| Henrike Güber | GER | QS | IRONMAN South Africa |
| Jackie Hering | USA | QS | IRONMAN Texas |
| Lara Hernandez-Tome | USA | QS | IRONMAN Lake Placid |
| Franziska Hofmann | GER | QS | IRONMAN Wales |
| Regan Hollioake | AUS | QS | IRONMAN New Zealand |
| Rhianne Hughes | GBR | QS | IRONMAN Lake Placid |
| Julie Iemmolo | FRA | QS | IRONMAN Brazil |
| Jenny Jendryschik | GER | QS | IRONMAN Kalmar |
| Tamara Jewett | CAN | QS | IRONMAN New Zealand |
| Kaidi Kivioja | EST | QS | IRONMAN Hamburg |
| Taylor Knibb | USA | QS | IRONMAN Texas |
| Leonie Konczalla | GER | QS | IRONMAN Kalmar |
| Marta Lagownik | POL | QS | IRONMAN Cozumel |
| Fenella Langridge | GBR | QS | IRONMAN Hamburg |
| India Lee | GBR | QS | IRONMAN Hamburg |
| Danielle Lewis | USA | QS | IRONMAN Cozumel |
| Solveig Løvseth | NOR | RC | IRONMAN WC Automatic Qualifier |
| Gabrielle Lumkes | USA | QS | IRONMAN Texas |
| Kat Matthews | GBR | QS | IRONMAN New Zealand |
| Charlotte McShane | AUS | QS | IRONMAN Western Australia |
| Antonia Milowsky | GER | QS | IRONMAN Kalmar |
| Pâmella Nascimento De Oliveira | BRA | QS | IRONMAN Brazil |
| Anna Pabinger | AUT | QS | IRONMAN Chattanooga |
| Nikita Paskiewiez | FRA | QS | IRONMAN Lanzarote |
| Lisa Perterer | AUT | QS | IRONMAN Hamburg |
| Laura Philipp | GER | QS | IRONMAN Hamburg |
| Anne-Sophie Pierre | FRA | QS | IRONMAN Western Australia |
| Marjolaine Pierré | FRA | QS | IRONMAN Hamburg |
| Marta Sanchez | ESP | QS | IRONMAN Texas |
| Imogen Simmonds | SUI | QS | IRONMAN Switzerland |
| Samantha Skold | USA | QS | IRONMAN Lake Placid |
| Penny Slater | AUS | QS | IRONMAN Cairns |
| Chelsea Sodaro | USA | FC5 | IRONMAN Lake Placid |
| Sara Svensk | SWE | QS | IRONMAN Cozumel |
| Grace Thek | AUS | QS | IRONMAN Texas |
| Jana Uderstadt | GER | QS | IRONMAN Texas |
| Skye Wallace | AUS | QS | IRONMAN Cairns |
| Rosie Wild | GBR | QS | IRONMAN Wales |
| Lotte Wilms | NED | QS | IRONMAN Western Australia |
| Rachel Zilinskas | USA | QS | IRONMAN Arizona |
