In what turned into a spectacular head-to-head battle between Lucy Charles-Barclay and Taylor Knibb, it was the British star who proved untouchable, taking a stunning victory at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Marbella.
From the gun, Charles-Barclay stamped her authority on the race, leading out of the water with a 47-second gap over Knibb. The chase group, including Jessica Learmonth, Georgia Taylor-Brown, Sif Bendix Madsen, Caroline Pohle, and Belgium’s Hanne de Vet, followed more than two minutes back. Behind them were a cluster of favorites – Kat Matthews, Ellie Salthouse, Paula Findlay, and Solveig Lovseth – already with significant ground to make up.
Knibb Strikes on the Bike, but Charles-Barclay Responds
Once on the bike, it didn’t take long for Knibb to show her strength. Within ten kilometers, she surged into the lead, dropping Learmonth and setting a fierce tempo on the demanding course that featured 1,800 meters of climbing over 90 kilometers. Yet Charles-Barclay refused to yield. On a heavy climb, she clawed her way back, shadowing Knibb’s every move. Ten kilometers later, during a fast descent, the Brit regained control of the race, forcing Knibb to follow in her wheel.
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The two stayed locked together all the way to T2, trading the lead multiple times and extending their advantage over the field. By the time they reached the second transition, Knibb held a slim 20-second margin, with the duo boasting nearly four minutes over Matthews, Learmonth, and Madsen. Paula Findlay followed another minute back, while Germany’s Tanja Neubert and France’s Marjolaine Pierré rounded out the top seven.
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Matthews Charges, Then Heartbreak Strikes
Charles-Barclay’s quick transition briefly narrowed Knibb’s lead to seven seconds, but the American immediately reasserted herself on the opening kilometers of the run, stretching the gap to around twenty seconds. All eyes, however, were on Kat Matthews, who was flying through the field – running nearly ten seconds per kilometer faster than the leaders and seemingly on course for a dramatic comeback.
But at the six-kilometer mark, disaster struck. Matthews suddenly grabbed her leg, began to limp, and moments later was forced to withdraw from the race in visible pain.
LCB Seizes Control
As Matthews’ heartbreak unfolded, Charles-Barclay made her decisive move. Within a kilometer, she reeled in Knibb and surged past, immediately opening a commanding lead. By the 13-kilometer mark, her margin had ballooned to over a minute, and there was no looking back.
Behind her, Neubert capitalized on Matthews’ withdrawal and Learmonth’s struggles to move into third place, while Knibb held strong in second.
Unstoppable
In the final stretch, nothing could stop Charles-Barclay. The Brit continued to extend her advantage, crossing the line in dominant fashion to reclaim her position at the very top of Middle Distance triathlon. Charles-Barclay won the race in 4:14:54. Knibb secured second place in 4:17:55, with Neubert completing the podium after a superbly consistent performance in 4:22:07.
Full top ten:
- Lucy Charles-Barclay 4:14:54
- Taylor Knibb +3:00
- Tanja Neubert +7:12
- Georgia Taylor-Brown +8:52
- Marjolaine Pierré +9:00
- Solveig Lovseth +9:53
- Jessica Learmonth +11:25
- Lizzie Rayner +13:47
- Hanne de Vet +15:06
- Ellie Salthouse +15:29