Search
shop

‘That is a Kona-winning performance’ – Don on Skipper’s Wales display

He may have been immersed in Super League himself, but Tim Don was blown away by Joe Skipper's display in Wales
News Director
Last updated -
STRENGTH. ENDURANCE. PERFORMANCE.

Tim Don was busy managing his Eagles team at SLT Munich over the weekend as they took the men’s race thanks to a sensational performance from Matt Hauser.

But when he and Halo ID co-founder Ian Dempsey caught up on Monday to discuss the weekend’s action for us, it wasn’t Munich they started with – but Tenby.

That’s because top of the talking points for them was Joe Skipper‘s display in winning IRONMAN Wales.

Advertisement

‘You will beat the Norwegians’

The Brit took the title by eight minutes, but that barely tells the story.

Ian takes it up, explaining: “Wales is known as one of the hardest courses out there. It’s half up, half down – so Joe’s 2:37 marathon is pretty special.

“The story is a lot deeper than this though as he broke his chain on the bike and lost over 20 minutes trying to sort it out – yet still went 8:35.”

Joe Skipper 2022 photo credit IRONMAN Wales
[Photo credit: IRONMAN Wales]

And Tim’s reaction – remember this is the man who for a long-time held the fastest-ever IRONMAN time – was fascinating.

He said: “It’s more than world-class, it’s phenomenal.

“That is a Kona-winning performance, but it’s not at Kona. My worry is can he back it up with something as special in Kona?”

And addressing Joe, who spoke to us here at TRI247 in the build-up to the race and revealed his training couldn’t have gone any better, Don adds: “Your altitude block out in Font Romeu with the crew has obviously done you a world of good.

“If you turn up to Kona and perform like that, you will win. You will beat the Norwegians.”

Quite a statement and we’ll find out in less than four weeks if it proves true.

The inside track from SLT

Back to Super League and not surprisingly Tim was delighted to see Hauser swoop for the win in the men’s race for his Eagles team.

“We got three Eagles in the top 10,” he explained [Emil Holm and Dan Dixon were the others].

“It was a phenomenal race – Hayden Wilde’s race-execution is second to none. But Matty was incredible – he put 20 seconds into Hayden on the swim and then when he attacked on the run, he really put the hammer down, especially as the other two had the short chute. I loved it!”

Tim also had plenty of praise for dominant women’s winner Georgia Taylor-Brown of the Scorpions: “She was just untouchable. She made it look easy – and she was never on the rivet.

“I did feel for Cassandre Beaugrand – the day before eight people fell off on the same corner on the course recce. So what Super League did is they moved the apex of the corner and widened it halfway through the recce and no one fell off after that point. It’s good they adapted like that.”

There are many more fascinating insights from inside the SLT bubble and a detailed round up of the rest of a busy weekend’s action over at Halo ID.

Pro View
Tim Don
Tim is a triathlon and IRONMAN legend. And alongside Ian Dempsey he’s created Halo ID, a global community for like-minded people with a love for triathlon and endurance sport – all about your next level, whatever that may be.
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
Challenge The Championship Marjolaine Pieree
How to qualify for Challenge The Championship – and why it should be on your triathlon bucket list
Cadomotus aero triathlon cycling shoes
Can your triathlon cycling shoes make you faster? How shoe choice could speed up your triathlon finish times
French Riviera T100 bike course Esterel
Is this the ultimate middle distance triathlon bike course? We rode the French Riviera T100 bike course and it’s EPIC
Ironman gear guide – everything you need to get to the finish line of a full distance triathlon
Challenge St. Pölten 2024 - image credit Jose Luis Hourcade / Challenge Family
Expert swim coach on the three most common swim mistakes age group triathletes make (and how to fix them!)
latest News
IRONMAN World Championship 2024 Nice Age Group Swim Start
IRONMAN to review World Championship slot allocation model after fears raised for Age Group women
Jonny Brownlee / Jonathan Brownlee - Super League Triathlon London 2023
Did the Brownlee brothers nearly join pro cycling’s Team Sky after 2012 Olympic heroics?
Kristian Hogenhaug interviewed after The Championship 2025
Danish triathlon star highlights blistering bike split as key to The Championship success.
Alistair Brownlee - T100 San Francisco 2024 bike
Olympic triathlon legend Alistair Brownlee completes iconic Gralloch race in latest gravel test
Jeanne Lehair Beth Potter WTCS Yokohama 2025
From Olympic heartbreak to joy of first WTCS win as emotions flow for Jeanne Lehair
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...