A world-class field of professional women is putting the final touches on race prep as Busselton prepares to host the 2025 Ironman Western Australia Asia-Pacific Championship this Sunday, 7 December. Athletes will be battling for the Asia-Pacific Championship title, a share of the $150,000 USD prize purse, and four qualification slots for the 2026 Ironman World Championship in Kona.
Fenella Langridge Returns as Defending Champion
Great Britain’s Fenella Langridge will start with bib number one as she returns to the site of her breakthrough 2023 win, where she claimed her first full-distance victory and set a course-best time of 8:29:43.
“It’s so exciting to be back in Busselton and it feels very special and cool to be returning as the defending champion,” said Langridge. “The people and the race hold so many great memories and emotions for me, especially as it was the last time that I really felt like an athlete before my symptoms really started to develop.”
Since that triumph, Langridge has been on a long and challenging road, undergoing surgery for External Iliac Artery Endofibrosis earlier this year.
“I was pretty naive with surgery and didn’t quite understand how much it would take out of me and the effect it would have on me,” she said. “We have been very cautious and taken recovery and building fitness slowly. But it seems to be paying off so far, I now have two functioning legs – some neural sensory problems but apart from that I feel really good. I’m a totally different person and athlete to the last year and a half.”
Her journey has taken her from the UK to Kona, where she worked on the Ironman World Championship commentary team, and then to an extended training block in Noosa.
“Our trip away from home started in Kona getting inspired working at the Ironman World Championship and has built from there… I really have enjoyed my time Down Under,” she said.
Langridge is preparing for a meaningful return to full-distance racing.
“I won’t lie, it’s been an extremely challenging two years since I last won this race. I am under no illusion that I am not quite the fittest Fenella I have ever been, but I am better off for having had the surgery, and I’m heathy and most importantly happy and motivated to race. Success is being back on the start line ready to set new goals and targets for the future,” she said.
Els Visser Ready for Emotional Final Race
Dutch athlete Els Visser will make her final professional start in Busselton, a venue that played host to her first pro Ironman back in 2017.
“This is the very last race of my career – I’m retiring after this year and will go back to medicine – so no matter the outcome, the race is going to be special for me. I am going to race with my heart, try to embrace the crowds, the highs and lows, and go deep one more time. Coming home with the medal around my neck makes the circle complete,” said Visser.
Visser has long considered Australia a second home, collecting major results here including her win at the 2023 Ironman New Zealand and multiple podiums in Busselton.
“If I am in my happy place, I usually perform well. I can always race a little harder when the race means a lot to me. Since I started my triathlon career here in Australia, and came back every European winter, it just feels like home, and I feel happy and myself racing here. I also love racing in hot conditions, so being in Australia helps too,” she said.
She has spent the past six weeks preparing on the Sunshine Coast.
“I’ve been training and preparing on the Sunshine Coast for six weeks and as always, I absolutely loved it. The weather has been incredible… The preparations went well, and I had very consistent weeks,” said Visser.
With one last chance to race as a pro, Visser is ready to give everything.
“I will come from the behind after the swim and will have to work my way through the field all day… In the end we race an Ironman, it’s not a sprint race and a lot can happen in the last 10km on the run,” she said.
A Deep Women’s Field Set for Battle
Fellow Dutch competitor Lotte Wilms returns to Busselton looking to upgrade her trio of third-place finishes and finally climb onto the top step.
Swiss talent Alanis Siffert brings strong momentum with several recent podiums, while local hopes will be carried by Australians Kate Gillespie-Jones, Chloe Hartnett, and Charlotte McShane.
West Australian Kate Bevilacqua will also take her final professional start, ending a distinguished career that includes three Ironman titles and victory at Ironman Western Australia in 2010.
Below is the women’s professional start list (subject to change):
| BIB | FIRST | LAST | COUNTRY |
| F1 | Fenella | Langridge | GBR |
| F2 | Lotte | Wilms | NLD |
| F4 | Els | Visser | NLD |
| F7 | Kate | Gillespie-Jones | AUS |
| F8 | Alanis | Siffert | CHE |
| F9 | Kate | Curran | GBR |
| F10 | Kate | Bevilaqua | AUS |
| F11 | Charlotte | Mcshane | AUS |
| F14 | Chloe | Hartnett | AUS |
| F15 | Anne-Sophie | Pierre | FRA |
| F16 | Laura | Dennis | AUS |
| F17 | Sophia | Green | GBR |
| F18 | Tiina | Pohjalainen | FIN |
| F19 | Hannah | Munday | GBR |
| F20 | Katie | Remond | AUS |