Talking Triathlon

This week James sits down with Kristian Blummenfelt. They start with how he's approaching 2025, including Nice and 70.3 Worlds, before looking ahead to Ironman New Zealand in 2026 and the early season races in Geelong and Oceanside. They get into 20m drafting and the current Ironman Pro Series standings, before talking through T100 vs the Pro Series and how he's trying to balance both. Ironman Texas is a big focus, what he expects there and what comes after, including how 70.3 Worlds 2026 and Kona fit into his plans. They finish with bucket list races and whether winning the Tour de France is something he genuinely thinks about. To support the podcast please head to: patreon.com/talkingtriathlon To watch this podcast as a video visit: https://bit.ly/3vzSss2 Or check us out on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkingtriathlon You can follow James at https://www.instagram.com/bale.james85 You can follow Tim at https://www.instagram.com/tford14 You can follow Kristian at https://www.instagram.com/kristianblu

Sam Laidlow has kicked off a proper debate around TUEs, pushing for transparency and launching a petition to make the information public. We weigh in with our thoughts on TUEs in pro triathlon. At T100 Gold Coast, Taylor Knibb is back doing what she does, taking the win ahead of Jess Fullagar and Imogen Simmonds, even with the field already starting to thin out. Geelong 70.3 was ridiculous. Kristian Blummenfelt ran 1:06 to beat Jelle Geens and Hayden Wilde in a crazy, genuinely entertaining race. Kat Matthews was just as solid on the women's side and never really looked under pressure. Oceanside 70.3 is next and the start list is stacked. Blummenfelt lines up again alongside Gustav Iden, Casper Stornes and Jonas Schomburg, while Solveig Løvseth, Paula Findlay and Taylor Knibb headline the women's race. For 50% OFF the entire Huub range of goggles use the code "goggle-50" at https://huubdesign.com ENTER THE ULTIMATE TRIATHLON RAFFLE: https://2026tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/james-bale To support the podcast please head to: patreon.com/talkingtriathlon To watch this podcast as a video visit: https://bit.ly/3vzSss2 Or check us out on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkingtriathlon You can follow James at https://www.instagram.com/bale.james85 You can follow Tim at https://www.instagram.com/tford14 You can donate to Tim's Marathon here: https://melbmara2026.grassrootz.com/beyondblue/tim-ford

We kick things off with The Ultimate Triathlon Raffle, where James is closing in but still needs another £500, so the prize list has stepped up again. Lucy Charles-Barclay potentially racing the Commonwealth Games leads into a wider conversation, before we touch on Sam Laidlow's marathon. At 70.3 Dallas, Lionel Sanders is back to winning, which is impressive in itself, but even more so given he managed to lose 40 seconds in a 350m swim and still take the race. In Lanzarote, Georgia Taylor-Brown, Laura Lindemann and Sophie Evans were all back racing, which is a good sign as the short course season builds. T100 Gold Coast continues to take hits, with Julie Derron now out, and we run through what's left of the women's field with Taylor Knibb, Jess Fullagar, Natalie Van Coevorden and Ellie Salthouse. Geelong 70.3 has quickly become one of the races of the weekend, with Kristian Blummenfelt lining up against Hayden Wilde and Jelle Geens. And then there's Oceanside 70.3, where the start list is stacked across the board. For 50% OFF the entire Huub range of goggles use the code "goggle-50" at https://huubdesign.com ENTER THE ULTIMATE TRIATHLON RAFFLE: https://2026tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/james-bale To support the podcast please head to: patreon.com/talkingtriathlon To watch this podcast as a video visit: https://bit.ly/3vzSss2 Or check us out on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkingtriathlon You can follow James at https://www.instagram.com/bale.james85 You can follow Tim at https://www.instagram.com/tford14 You can donate to Tim's Marathon here: https://melbmara2026.grassrootz.com/beyondblue/tim-ford

We start with an unusual story involving Brayden Currie after he had an incident with a cow. From there we review Ironman New Zealand, starting with the broadcast before getting into the racing itself. In the men's race Trevor Foley took the win ahead of Pierre Le Corre, while Kristian Blummenfelt had a tough day that could now put his Ironman Pro Series campaign in a difficult position. We then move to the women's race where Kat Matthews delivered a dominant performance to take the win ahead of Hannah Berry. Attention then turns to the T100 Gold Coast where injuries are already starting to affect the field, with Ashleigh Gentle, Kate Waugh and Lucy Byram all withdrawing from the season opener. We finish with the announcement of the Geelong 70.3 start list which has quickly become one of the most interesting races of the weekend. Kat Matthews is back on the start line again, while in the men's race Kristian Blummenfelt will line up against Jelle Geens and Hayden Wilde. For 50% OFF the entire Huub range of goggles use the code "goggle-50" at https://huubdesign.com To support the podcast please head to: patreon.com/talkingtriathlon To watch this podcast as a video visit: https://bit.ly/3vzSss2 Or check us out on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkingtriathlon You can follow James at https://www.instagram.com/bale.james85 You can follow Tim at https://www.instagram.com/tford14 You can donate to Tim's Marathon here: https://melbmara2026.grassrootz.com/beyondblue/tim-ford

We start with the full Challenge Roth start list which just keeps getting stronger. Laura Philipp has now been added to the women's field, setting up a potential showdown with Kat Matthews in what could quickly become a race against the Ironman world best time. The men's field has also been bolstered with the additions of Sam Laidlow, Rico Bogen, Jonas Schomburg and Patrick Lange, creating a lineup where the pace could be pushed from the start. Lionel Sanders is back doing Lionel Sanders things, saying he is once again all in on Kona and describing the race as his Olympics as he builds his season around October. From there we run through the full T100 Gold Coast start list which now includes short course athletes Jess Fullagar and Nicole van der Kaay stepping into the series. We finish with Ironman New Zealand in Taupo. Kristian Blummenfelt leads the men's race but the field also includes Mike Phillips, Kyle Smith and Pierre Le Corre. On the women's side Kat Matthews headlines the race. For 10% OFF the entire Huub range use the code "Talkingtriathlon10" at https://huubdesign.com To support the podcast please head to: patreon.com/talkingtriathlon To watch this podcast as a video visit: https://bit.ly/3vzSss2 Or check us out on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkingtriathlon You can follow James at https://www.instagram.com/bale.james85 You can follow Tim at https://www.instagram.com/tford14 You can donate to Tim's Marathon here: https://melbmara2026.grassrootz.com/beyondblue/tim-ford

This week we start with Kristian Blummenfelt confirming he'll race Challenge Roth. The discussion quickly turns to whether Roth could be the place he finally breaks the Ironman world record in a way that truly stands, given the ongoing debate around his tide-assisted swim in Cozumel. We then move to Kat Matthews, also lining up for Roth, and the growing question of whether Laura Philipp will join her on the start line. With the women's field already looking strong, the potential matchup adds another layer of intrigue to the race. From there, we zoom out and talk more broadly about Challenge Roth itself, the event, the brand, and why it continues to attract the biggest names in long-distance racing outside the Ironman system. We then recap Challenge Wanaka, where Jack Moody and Tamara Jewett took convincing wins. The conversation shifts to Lionel Sanders and his 2026 season, including the notable decision not to race Oceanside, a race he has historically performed very well at. We finish the episode discussing a recent LinkedIn post about the PTO actively sourcing celebrities and influencers for races, and whether that focus makes sense when many believe the priority should remain on professional athletes. For 10% OFF the entire Huub range use the code "Talkingtriathlon10" at https://huubdesign.com To support the podcast please head to: patreon.com/talkingtriathlon To watch this podcast as a video visit: https://bit.ly/3vzSss2 Or check us out on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkingtriathlon You can follow James at https://www.instagram.com/bale.james85 You can follow Tim at https://www.instagram.com/tford14 You can donate to Tim's Marathon here: https://melbmara2026.grassrootz.com/beyondblue/tim-ford

This week we start with a big result for Maya Kingma, who has won her first professional cycling race. After previously talking about triathletes trying to make the jump into cycling, it's a result that feels genuinely significant. We then move to Lucy Charles-Barclay, who has undergone surgery, and where that leaves her as she looks ahead to the rest of the season. From there, the conversation turns to Lionel Sanders. Lionel has suggested this might be his final Kona, which has led many to wonder whether retirement could be closer than expected. As always, even a small comment from Lionel quickly becomes a talking point. We then shift focus to racing in the southern hemisphere, starting with Challenge Wanaka. With both the pro series and T100 kicking off in the south this year, Wanaka is well placed to benefit from that early-season momentum. Next up is the Ironman New Zealand start list, where names like Kristian Blummenfelt, Kat Matthews, and Kyle Smith give the race real weight. We finish the episode by looking ahead to the T100 Gold Coast, and what this season could have in store as the series continues to take shape. For 10% OFF the entire Huub range use the code "Talkingtriathlon10" at https://huubdesign.com To support the podcast please head to: patreon.com/talkingtriathlon To watch this podcast as a video visit: https://bit.ly/3vzSss2 Or check us out on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkingtriathlon You can follow James at https://www.instagram.com/bale.james85 You can follow Tim at https://www.instagram.com/tford14 You can donate to Tim's Marathon here: https://melbmara2026.grassrootz.com/beyondblue/tim-ford

We start this week with Maya Kingma. On a previous episode we were talking about triathletes trying to become cyclists, and Maya is proof that it can actually be done. We dig into her move, why it matters, and what it says about crossover potential at the very top end of endurance sport. From there we go deep on the Professional Triathletes Organisation acquisition of Challenge Family. We break down the pros and cons, not just for professional racing but for amateur athletes as well, and try to separate hype from reality. The biggest question hanging over the deal is what it means for Challenge Roth, and whether a T200 distance could realistically emerge. That opens up a wider discussion around market power, monopolies, and how much consolidation is too much for the sport. We also look at what this means for Ironman. Will they react, or will they sit back and use the situation to their advantage? We finish by stepping back and asking a bigger question. If you could design the ideal professional triathlon race setup from scratch, what would it actually look like? For 10% OFF the entire Huub range use the code "Talkingtriathlon10" at https://huubdesign.com To support the podcast please head to: patreon.com/talkingtriathlon To watch this podcast as a video visit: https://bit.ly/3vzSss2 Or check us out on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/talkingtriathlon You can follow James at https://www.instagram.com/bale.james85 You can follow Tim at https://www.instagram.com/tford14 You can donate to Tim's Marathon here: https://melbmara2026.grassrootz.com/beyondblue/tim-ford