Search
shop

British star Joe Skipper announces his comeback race will be in ‘the crisp packet triathlon’

Having taken time out to get firing on all cylinders again, popular British star is poised for his racing return in Tennessee.
News Director
Last updated -
STRENGTH. ENDURANCE. PERFORMANCE.

Joe Skipper is set to make his racing return at IRONMAN Chattanooga at the end of this month.

The British star has endured a frustrating run of results over the last 12 months, with his victory at IRONMAN Lake Placid in July 2023 the last time he was on a podium.

And it was his return to that race this season – when he was a DNF – which prompted him to take a break and rule himself out of chasing qualification to the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona, where he’s twice finished fifth.

Advertisement

Time out for Skipper

He had said after that display: “I’m absolutely gutted and just really down. I was looking forward to this race and my training had gone really well so I was very confident of putting together a great race.

“I will be taking some time off now, I’m going to get some blood tests done to see if there’s anything up with me as I’ve been so inconsistent in races and rarely feel like my normal self in races.

“I don’t know when I will race again as I’m going to just concentrate on feeling better and when I am confident I can race like myself I’ll be back on a start line.

Joe Skipper IRONMAN Lake Placid Results 2023
Joe Skipper wins IRONMAN Lake Placid 2023 (Patrick McDermott, Getty Images for IRONMAN).

“As you can probably gather this means no Kona but to be honest that’s probably a good thing as I can just take my time to get myself back firing on all cylinders and not force it.”

Perfectly suited to Skipper skillset

The good news for Joe and his many fans is that the comeback starts on Sunday September 29 at IRONMAN Chattanooga, in what he dubbed “the crisp packet triathlon”.

Explaining why in his latest YouTube video, which is embedded below, he said: “It’s basically a downstream swim and a packet of Doritos can do it in under an hour! So it suits perfectly to my skillset of being strong on the bike and strong on the run – but the swim is a weakness.”

Even the race’s website describes the opening of the event as taking “a plunge into the fast-flowing Tennessee River.”

Advertisement

Who else is racing in Chattanooga?

Sam Long is another man for whom swimming isn’t his strongest suit and he’s the highest-ranked athlete on the start list.

He too will be missing Kona this year, but in contrast to Skipper he’s racked up an impressive array of results with two wins and three others podiums, which have helped him to number three in the latest PTO standings.

He’s also going well in the T100 but is bypassing the latest race in Ibiza which takes place the same weekend as Chattanooga.

Also slated to race in Tennessee is Long’s fellow American Trevor Foley, who succeeded Skipper as IRONMAN Lake Placid champion and has a Kona berth as a result.

Chattanooga offers two slots for the 2025 IRONMAN World Championship – which will take place in Nice.

Jonathan Turner
Written by
Jonathan Turner
Jonathan Turner is News Director for both TRI247 and RUN247, and is accustomed to big-name interviews, breaking news stories and providing unrivalled coverage for endurance sports.  
Discover more
Dave Ellis / Luke Pollard - World Para Triathlon Championships Pontevedra 2023
Golden opportunity – British Triathlon launches search for LA2028 paratriathlon guides
IRONMAN Lanzarote 2024 - Anne Haug on run course
Best marathon shoes for Ironman – the ‘legal’ super shoes you CAN wear to level up your run split
Challenge Sanremo 2024 - Photo: Jose Luis Hourcade
How to fuel your triathlon training: Expert nutritionist tips to help you nail every session
swim start IRONMAN World Championship Kona 2024 photo credit Tony Svensson IRONMAN
Level up your Ironman swim split – must-read tips from an expert swim coach
Ironman gear guide – everything you need to get to the finish line of a full distance triathlon
latest News
IRONMAN Kona 2022 Age Group Results
How will “re-imagined” IRONMAN World Championship at Kona actually look for Age Groupers?
Lucy Charles-Barclay IRONMAN World Championship Kona 2023 Finish
IRONMAN World Championship goes ALL IN on Kona again with men and women to race on same day from 2026
Laura Philipp and Kat Matthews on the run at the 2024 IRONMAN World Championship
Nice gets consolation prize of 70.3 Worlds after IRONMAN World Championships return to Kona
Kona scenic 2022 photo credit Getty Images for IRONMAN
The survey results which prompted IRONMAN’s dramatic Kona U-turn
Triathlon superstar Hayden Wilde romps to victory in Belgium’s iconic Antwerp 10 Miles race
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...