Findlay Flies to Fourth IRONMAN 70.3 North American Championship
It was perfectly calm water for the one-lap non-wetsuit swim at the IRONMAN 70.3 North American Championships in Happy Valley, Pennsylvania, but, despite that, the women’s race stretched out quickly into a long line. An American powerhouse trio of Jenna Campbell, Grace Alexander and new pro and former collegiate swimmer and triathlete Emily Pincus led the swim. Chasing just behind them was Paula Findlay, who couldn’t quite hold the feet, but had good company in Kiwi Hannah Berry.
Campbell was first out of the water in 23:52, shortly followed by Alexander. More than a minute back, a strong chase pack of Findlay, Berry and Thek made quick work of T1. Although Pincus was third out of the water, she lost a remarkable amount of time in transition while packing what appeared to be nutrition into her kit.
The Findlay Show Begins
Alexander, coming off back-to-back race wins (IRONMAN 70.3 Gulf Coast and Chattanooga), took the lead within the first few kilometres of the bike. But Findlay, who is training for her first full-distance race at the upcoming IRONMAN Lake Placid, was also eager to get to the front and quickly closed the gap within the first 10 km to take the lead.
Defending course champion Lydia Russell worked her way into the chase pack and spent most of the ride in fourth, positioned between Berry and Thek.
Alexander stayed with Findlay and occasionally took the lead, but Findlay never allowed it to last for long. Although the two remained together, it was clear Alexander was working to hold the pace. As they rode into the hills, Findlay put down even more power. Within a five-kilometre stretch, she opened up a two-and-a-half-minute lead and continued to extend it.
The Findlay Show Continues
After a 2:19:11 bike split and with more than a three-minute advantage, Findlay looked composed as she started the rolling run course.
Positions didn’t change much behind her in the first 10 km, with the exception of Russell. As the fastest woman on course (she also ran a 1:16 last year), Russell moved from fifth to third by the halfway point. She didn’t stop there and advanced into second with 10 km to go. Around the same time, Thek started to cash in on her fantastic run, moving from fifth off the bike into third. Alexander had nothing to respond with and was visibly starting to show fatigue.
But, from the bike to the finish, it was the Findlay show, and no one could stop her from taking her fourth North American Championship title and third in a row – she won in 2018 and then 2024 and 2025 in St. George.
“I rode really hard and felt good from start to finish–that doesn’t always happen so I don’t take it for granted,” Findlay said after the race. “[Alexander] was with me the first half [of the rollers] and I knew on the climbs I wanted to lap my watch and try to go 300 watts and just get up as hard as I could and that would lead to a gap and that was my strategy.”
| POS | ATHLETE | COUNTRY | SWIM | BIKE | RUN | OVERALL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paula Findlay | Canada | 27:04 | 2:19:11 | 1:23:45 | 4:14:02 |
| 2 | Lydia Russell | United States | 28:00 | 2:26:44 | 1:19:05 | 4:18:10 |
| 3 | Grace Thek | Australia | 27:07 | 2:27:13 | 1:22:26 | 4:20:36 |
| 4 | Grace Alexander | United States | 26:03 | 2:23:16 | 1:27:24 | 4:20:53 |
| 5 | Hannah Berry | New Zealand | 27:05 | 2:24:44 | 1:25:05 | 4:21:13 |
| 6 | Tamara Jewett | Canada | 28:54 | 2:28:43 | 1:19:50 | 4:21:59 |
| 7 | Jackie Hering | United States | 28:53 | 2:28:18 | 1:22:10 | 4:24:07 |
| 8 | Danielle Lewis | United States | 31:40 | 2:27:19 | 1:27:39 | 4:30:41 |
| 9 | Adele Likin | United States | 30:03 | 2:31:31 | 1:25:47 | 4:31:26 |
| 10 | Caroline Kaplan | United States | 1:24:54 | 4:34:10 |
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Glad to see a smiling Paula get the W
At times like this you almost wish she was racing against an A level field because she just demolished these women. No contest. Climbing at 300 watts, that’s all you need to know. I wonder what she could to against the top athletes.
Yes, it is great to see her win in a dominant fashion, such a strong back half of the bike. She’s a world-class podium threat any time she lines up in an A field. Looking back to 2022 PTO races and 70.3 World Champs in St. George, she has generally finished between 2nd and 10th across 70.3 world champs and T100 races, but mostly in the top 6. She won 2020 Challenge Daytona in front of Anne Haug and Laura Philipp. Also, different racing of course, but don’t forget her 5 WTCS wins across 2010 and 2011.
Findlay needs to regain her best run speed to really be judged as such. A 1:23 run is going to leave her at a disadvantage to, say, Pierre, another strong climber or even Philipp. Her best run last season was T100 Frejus, getting her #2 with a run half marathon pace of circa 1:20. If she goes to Nice able to run that off the ride over Col de Vence she’ll be in the mix for top 5. Just as she was in Marbella. Will training for a full distance affect her 70.3 performance?
I think she said something in the post race interview about Ironman training being good for her 70.3 shape. So, tentative no, if you mean it in a negative way…
I wonder if athletes and coaches think that training for full distance is actually going to improve 70.3/100 performance in the season’s A+ races and they will do better than just training for those shorter distances. We’ve seen Bogen, surely in his slow build to Roth, excel at T100 SF. Perhaps he raced better as a result.
It’s entirely reasonable for any athlete like Findlay with half distance championship ambitions who nevertheless wants to race at least one full distance to self-talk the idea of “Ironman training being good for [their] 70.3 shape”. I would encourage the adoption of this mindset.
I wonder if Knibb thinks she races better in her 70.3s/T100s because she’s training for full distance?
If nothing else, I’d bet the pros get an overall bike/run boost from the additional bike training needed for an Ironman. Any time you’re more durable on the bike and can stay strong through the back half of a 70.3 ride, your run will benefit.