Kiwi superstar Hayden Wilde is set for a return to IRONMAN after signing up to do battle with the likes of Kristian Blummenfelt and Jelle Geens at this month’s Geelong 70.3.
Seemingly freed up by the enforced postponement of the World Triathlon Championship Series race in Abu Dhabi, the New Zealander has switched his focus toward Australia and a first M-Dot race appearance since he finished second in the 70.3 World Championships in 2024.
The man who beat Wilde that day in Taupō – and who then defended his title in 2025 – was Belgian Geens, and their rivalry, together with a dash of Norwegian spice from Blummenfelt, means the ingredients are all there for what promises to be a classic opening 70.3 of the Pro Series.
Matthews also heading to Geelong
Other names to take note of in the men’s professional field include the likes of Kyle Smith (NZL) and Pierre Le Corre (FRA), who both impressed at the weekend when they took on IRONMAN New Zealand.
Another athlete who jumps from New Zealand straight into Geelong is the winner of the women’s race, Kat Matthews (GBR), who lines up for her first 70.3 of the season alongside Canada’s Tamara Jewett and Aussie duo Grace Thek and Milan Agnew.
But it is the battle of the big three in the men’s race which will, understandably, steal the majority of the headlines as Wilde kicks off his season in a race which probably wasn’t even on his radar until the conflict in Iran forced the WCTS to call off its season opener.
While very much associated with the WTCS and T100-branded races, the Olympic silver and bronze medallist has enjoyed success whenever he has stepped up in distance, with a third at the 70.3 Taupo in 2019, a win at 70.3 Melbourne in 2023, and that runner-up finish in 2024.
Unexpected switch to IRONMAN
With Olympic qualification for LA28 now open, it is no surprise to see Wilde focus on the short format of WTCS, and it will be fascinating to see how he deals with the extra distances involved – the total for a WTCS race being 51.5km and a 70.3 being 113km.
Of course, he is the reigning T100 World Champion, which, at 100km, is much closer to the demands of a 70.3, but all eyes will be on him to see if what looks to have been a late switch from preparing for Abu Dhabi will impact him in Geelong.
His battle with Geens at the 70.3 World Championships rolled on into the 2025 T100 season as Wilde – having recovered from a career-threatening bike crash, which left him with six cracked ribs, a punctured lung and a smashed scapula – dominated the season, winning six of the seven races that he started.
Geens, who finished third in the overall T100 season standings, shared a podium with him three times, finishing third in London and as runner-up in both the French Riviera and Spain. But with the 70.3 being 13km longer in distance, Wilde will no doubt be looking to learn from the lessons of 2024 as he faces the Belgian, who also won at Geelong last year.
Learning lessons from the past
That day, he seemed well set for victory, having come out of the swim perfectly placed and then leading as he entered T2 after the fastest bike split of the day. But it was on the run where his inexperience at the longer distance came back to bite him, as Geens bided his time before making his move and taking the World Championship title.
After the race, Wilde admitted: “I put big ambition out there; I was naïve, but I wanted to give it a go. I did the training, and I felt I rode appropriately, and I know these roads like the back of my hand. I knew that as soon as we hit View Road, there was an opportunity of opening a gap; I got that gap, and I felt confident going in [to the run].
“It’s weird to say, and I think the short course guys will say this; it’s really hard to slow yourself down in that first 10 km, and I just couldn’t do it. I was too excited; I went out probably too hard.”
Big Blu will also be looking to muscle his way into contention after a frustrating opener at IRONMAN New Zealand on Saturday, where he suffered bike and nutrition issues before managing to achieve a sixth-placed finish.
It may be early in the season, but all three of these triathlon superstars – currently the reigning champions of the Pro Series, T100 and the 70.3 World Championships – will be keen to make their mark in what promises to be a real thriller down under in Geelong on March 22.
