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In the opener of the 2026 Ironman Pro Series, Cat Matthews took a record win, while the men’s race came down to the finish as Trevor Foley snatched victory in the final third of the marathon.
New Zealand’s Ironman kicked off the Ironman Pro Series with Cat Matthews and Trevor Foley taking gold. (Photo: triathlete)
Updated March 6, 2026 at 10:04 p.m
Ironman New Zealand has begun Iron Man Pro Series In dramatic fashion on the men’s side, as 26-year-old American Trevor Foley ran a marathon of 2:35 to take victory in a tight battle, while 2025 Pro Series champion Christian Blumenfelt (NOR) suffered major mechanical and stomach problems with the bike.
On the women’s side, Pro Series champion Kat Matthews (GBR) overcame a slight deficit in the swim before riding with Kiwis Hannah Berry and Lottie Wilms (NED) for the majority of the bike, then produced a brilliant run to win by almost seven minutes with a marathon 2:51.
The Ironman Pro Series kicked off earlier than usual this year, with more than 40 athletes lining up in the inaugural event to earn valuable points and get their season started strong.
In doing so, they also had to contend with Iron Man’s first application of New 20 meter draft rulewas announced in early February and is set to apply to all Ironman races from now on.
All eyes were on Blummenfelt and Matthews heading to Taupo, but new Pro Series contenders such as Pierre Le Corre (FRA) and Tamara Jewett (CAN) were keen to challenge the favourites.
In the men’s race, disaster struck early on Blumenfelt’s bike after he came out of the water with just over 90 seconds remaining when his right cockpit extension broke off, forcing him to hold on to it for much of the bike while having to rest on only his left cockpit extension.
More misery followed for the defending series champion when he began vomiting while running, slowing him down significantly and leaving him to finish sixth – although still enough to confirm his place for Kona.
After an impressive swim up the front following a broken collarbone that required surgery in late 2025, Kyle Smith (NZL) was the one setting a relentless pace early on the bike, building a 3:30 lead that eventually extended to over six minutes over the likes of Blumenfelt, Foley and Matt Hanson.
This rhythm continued early in the race as Smith extended his lead to the delight of his home crowd before gradually slowing in the back half of the marathon. This was Smith’s first Ironman since Kona in 2022.
Foley, Matt Hanson (USA), Lou Currie and Jack Moody (NZ) were the first to capitalize, all running just over 2:30 marathon pace at this stage.
Foley was the first to pass Smith, before Hanson and Le Currie followed, and all three were within a minute of each other before the 20-mile mark of the marathon. Foley has managed to hang on and has had a perfect start to the 2026 campaign which was scheduled to begin in Oceanside at the end of the month.
Ironman New Zealand 2026 results
On the women’s side, a group of four swimmers led by Fenella Langridge (UK), including a strong swimmer from New Zealand’s Hannah Berry, came out, giving them a lead of more than two and a half minutes over Matthews and defending champion Regan Holyoake (AUS).
Hollioake lost significant time in T1 trying to get her helmet on and quickly lost contact with the group as Perry initially set the pace, at one point holding a nearly three-minute lead over Matthews.
That margin quickly disappeared once Matthews hit her stride on the bike. She surged to the front after just over a quarter of the trip, staying with Perry and Willems – interestingly, despite the new 20m zone – until T2.
From there, the two-time Pro Series champion never looked back. Matthews clocked the second fastest marathon of the day to take the win and maximum points, while Tamara Jewett recorded an outstanding split in the run – 2:42:40, narrowly missing out on the podium behind Wilms but earning a well-deserved place in the World Championships.
2026 Ironman New Zealand Women’s Results
Matthews’ record-setting performance suggests that the calf injury she suffered in 2025 70.3 World Championships in Marbella Strong behind her. She will look to continue that momentum at 70.3 Geelong, where a points cap once again could help free up the remainder of their season.
Looking ahead for the men, Blummenfelt may have to add another Ironman result to make up the deficit from this race, while Foley – who did not compete in the Pro Series last year – has a perfect start and will continue his remaining schedule – entirely in North America – at Oceanside 70.3 in three weeks.
