Cam Wurf has hailed Taylor Knibb as “quite possibly the top endurance female athlete on the planet”, placing the newly crowned IRONMAN World Champion alongside cycling superstar Tadej Pogačar.
It is some endorsement from an athlete whose own professional cycling career (and rowing before that) gives him a particular appreciation of what it takes to excel beyond triathlon.
Writing in his post-Kona blog, the Australian celebrated Knibb’s response to last year’s disappointment before delivering a typically candid assessment of his own race.
And while 12th place fell short of his ambitions, 43-year-old Wurf remains determined to pursue his dream of becoming IRONMAN World Champion – with his place at Kona in 2027 already secured.
Wurf’s ultimate compliment for Knibb
For Wurf, Knibb’s victory was about more than the performance itself. It was also about how she handled both the memories of last year and the challenge posed by defending champion Solveig Løvseth.
“For Taylor to shrug off the demons of 12 months ago, the challenge she faced from Solveig, and find a way to win, incredibly inspiring,” he wrote.
Then came the comparison with Pogačar, with Wurf pointing to Knibb’s achievements across different distances and sports.
“I’m sure we can agree Tadej Pogačar is the top male athlete in endurance sports right now.
“When you look at her recent performances, across different distances and sports… Taylor I would argue is quite possibly the top endurance female athlete on the planet right now. How lucky are we that she’s from our sport!”
Wurf also reserved praise for men’s winner Vincent Luis, whose experience and ability to handle adversity he felt had proved decisive.
“A guy of that class with all that experience, the highest highs, and the lowest of lows, decades at the top of the sport, it was beautiful to see it all come together for him on our sport’s biggest stage.”
‘I knew it was a mistake’
Wurf’s assessment of his own performance was considerably less flattering.
His preparation had included victory at IRONMAN Maryland three weeks before Kona, followed by a final altitude block at Big Bear Lake in California.
But after arriving in Hawaii just three days before the race, he felt things begin to unravel. Catching up with people took priority over recovery, while a late decision to change bike frame sizes left him racing in a position he regretted.
“The second mistake I made was deciding to change frame sizes in the final week,” he explained.
“I consequently finally rode the bike two days before the race and while deep down I knew it was a mistake to change anything at that point, I fatefully didn’t follow my gut instinct.”
There was some characteristic humour amid the frustration.
“I pride myself first and foremost with looking fast even if I don’t have the legs to back it up.”
The more consequential setback came in the water. Despite believing he had enjoyed his best swimming preparation for Kona, Wurf lost contact with the main field and emerged alongside Sam Long in 54:47.
The pair then shared the chase, with Long stronger on the flats and descents and Wurf contributing on the climbs.
“We kept each other very honest setting the pace where we had our strengths,” he wrote. “It was really nice to share the bike leg with Sam.”
Their subsequent results underline how differently the final leg unfolded. Wurf began the marathon four seconds ahead of Long, but the American ran 2:42:57 to finish sixth overall.
Wurf’s 2:51:41 marathon brought him home in 12th in 8:04:01.
“This time around, the pop I had two years ago wasn’t there,” he admitted.
“Instead of the adrenaline rush of running through the field, I was battling to maintain whatever position I was currently in.”
Still competitive at 43
Despite his disappointment, Wurf took encouragement from his proximity to the front of the race.
The comparison table below underlines his continued competitiveness at 43:
| Year | Position | Finish time | Gap to winner | Deficit as % of winning time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 17th | 8:30:29 | 28:49 | 5.98% |
| 2018 | 9th | 8:10:32 | 17:53 | 3.78% |
| 2019 | 5th | 8:06:41 | 15:28 | 3.28% |
| 2022 | 11th | 8:00:50 | 20:27 | 4.44% |
| 2024 | 7th | 7:51:26 | 15:33 | 3.41% |
| 2026 | 12th | 8:04:01 | 16:34 | 3.54% |
Conditions and race dynamics vary between editions, but this year Wurf finished only 66 seconds further behind the winner than when he placed fifth in 2019.
And he also pointed out: “There’s more guys that are very good now than perhaps there were in previous years.
“This added dynamic to races means that you can easily slip down the placings due to the density of the guys finishing so close to each other.”
The world title dream remains
Wurf’s bigger conclusion was that he had become too focused on the result he wanted, rather than executing the race required to achieve it.
“It’s no secret my dream is to become the IRONMAN World Champion,” he wrote.
“Simply put, instead of worrying about the result I wanted to achieve I should be totally committed to competing to the best of my ability. The result then takes care of itself.”
His Maryland victory means qualification for 2027 is already taken care of. Improving his swimming setup is now a priority, while he believes there is more to come from his marathon if he gets the preceding disciplines right.
There was encouragement from home too, albeit delivered with the directness only a child can provide.
“My son even told me the night before the race, that after this Kona is finished I should continue training so that I can beat the really good guys next year.”
Wurf was even considering another IRONMAN before the end of 2026, reporting that he felt fresh and eager to return to training four days after Kona.
Whatever his immediate schedule, there is little doubt about his appetite for the sport is as bright as ever.
“I absolutely love what I do and cannot wait to see what more I can extract out of a guy in his mid-forties over the next twelve months.
“One session at a time, one season at a time. Until the wheels fall off.”
