ST. GEORGE — Canadian triathlete Paula Findlay stood at the top of the podium Saturday morning after capturing her second career win at the 2024 Ironman 70.3 North American Championship.
Right after crossing the finish line, a breathless Findlay told St. George News that the first time she won was in 2018.
“So it makes me feel very old,” she said.
Findlay didn’t have a problem with her age or anything else on race day, taking an early commanding lead on the bicycle and never giving it up.
Her first-place time of four hours, nine minutes, 27 seconds won the women’s pro division.
“Feel really good. I’m super happy,” Findlay said. “It’s such a tough race here, from start to finish, so I’m really excited.”
In her post-race interview, Findlay said she came out of the swim amongst the leaders.
“And then I really wanted to break away on the bike, so I used the hills to my advantage,” she said, adding that what she does best on the bike is climb.
“My big focus on this race was being brave on the downhills and not getting spooked by the wind,” Findlay said. “Sometimes I get a little nervous.”
She said she rode consistently and well, building about a four-minute gap between her nearest competitors after getting off the bike and starting the run.
“It was nice to run without fear,” Findlay said. “I still pushed hard but it wasn’t like I was on the redline or anything so I could enjoy it a little bit.”
Finishing second in the women’s pro division was Australian Ellie Salthouse at 04:11:56. In third was American Jackie Hering, who posted a time of 04:12:50.
“This sport is so awesome,” Findlay said, noting that she’s friends with most of the top competitors. “There’s a lot of camaraderie out on the course but it gets competitive when that gun goes off.”
“Ellie and Jackie are really great friends of mine,” Findlay said. “They kept me honest all day. I could never let up because I knew they were behind me.”
In her post-race interview Salthouse said she knew Findlay outclassed the field on the bicycle ride that day.
“Paula dispatched me pretty early out of the climb from Sand Hollow,” Salthouse said. “I was solo pretty much the whole way.”
“I knew Paula was on fire on the bike at the moment, so I knew if I rode my own day I would hopefully come off (the bike) only a minute or two back.”
Salthouse said she might have erred by expending too much energy too soon.
“I may have paid for that a little bit at Snow Canyon, but you got to risk it to get the biscuit,” Salthouse said.
Third-place Hering said in her post-race interview that she was, “Racing for all the moms out there today.”
Appropriately, she was congratulated by her young daughter immediately after crossing the finish line.
“I love racing here, I love the challenging course,” Hering said, noting that she loves how the run is broken into segments and there’s people cheering all along the course.
“I planned to grind it out really hard on the uphills and then recover on the downhills,” Hering said. “It worked pretty good.”
Completing the top five women pro finishers were South African (and defending champion) Jeanni Metzler, who posted the fourth-place time of 04:14:47.
Kate Curran of Great Britain crossed the finish line next shortly thereafter, finishing with her mark of 04:15:42.
Click here to see the complete results of the women’s race.
Photo Gallery
Paula Findlay is awarded her medal for finishing first in the women's pro division of the 2024 Ironman 70.3 North American Championship, St. George, Utah, May 4, 2024 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
Age group racers line up to begin the swim in the 2024 Ironman 70.3 North American Championship, Sand Hollow Reservoir, Utah, May 4, 2024 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
The women's pro division in the 2024 Ironman North American Championship lines up at the start of the swim, Sand Hollow Reservoir, Utah, May 4, 2024 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
Australian Ellie Salthouse checks her time after finishing second in the women's pro division at the 2024 Ironman 70.3 North American Championship, St. George, Utah, May 4, 2024 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News
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