With the Ironman World Championship in Kona drawing near – just two weeks away for the women’s race – there are still a handful of major events keeping the triathlon spotlight alive. One of them was Ironman 70.3 Augusta, where Jason West and Paula Findlay powered to convincing wins.
For West, the day began with a small setback. He exited the water just over 30 seconds down on the leaders – no surprise with Ben Kanute setting a blistering pace up front. Kanute strung the field out early, with Magnus Manner close behind and a large chase pack, including West, not far off. On the bike, the chasers reeled Kanute in after 50 kilometers, bringing the race together again. From there, a sizeable group stayed intact until Greece’s Louis Woodgate launched an attack, managing to carve out a one-minute advantage heading into T2.
But on the run, West quickly showed why he’s considered one of the sport’s most lethal runners. Within just three kilometers, he surged past the competition, steadily opening up his lead with every stride. He crossed the line in 3:35:05 to take the win. Fellow American Ari Klau claimed second in 3:37:19, while Kevin McDowell secured third in 3:38:26, making it a clean sweep for the U.S. podium.
Paula Findlay in Command
On the women’s side, Paula Findlay also had ground to make up after the swim. She exited the water more than 1:20 behind leader Margarita Ryan, in eighth position. Wasting no time, Findlay went on the attack early on the bike, quickly moving her way through the field. By midway, she had joined Grace Alexander and Amelie Kretz, with the trio pushing into T2 together holding a comfortable four-minute buffer over the rest.
Once on the run, Findlay asserted herself decisively. Though her lead didn’t balloon immediately, it was clear she had the strongest legs of the day. At every checkpoint, her advantage inched wider, and by the finish she sealed the victory in 4:04:43. Alexander held on for second in 4:07:32, while Lydia Russell ran her way to third in 4:10:07.