Lionel Sanders and Paula Findlay Lead a Canadian Sweep at the 2024 IRONMAN 70.3 Mont-Tremblant Triathlon

June 23, 2024

- Sanders moves up to 17th while Findlay’s win moves her into 11th in the Series standings; both earn their second IRONMAN Pro Series victories of the year - Sanders and Findlay secure 2,500 points and $7,500 with today’s victory

MONT-TREMBLANT, Quebec, Canada (June 23, 2024) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – On a rainy day in Canada’s Laurentian Mountains, the European-style ski village of Mont-Tremblant played host to the IRONMAN 70.3 Mont-Tremblant triathlon and the ninth stop of the IRONMAN Pro Series™. The race saw a Canadian sweep of the top spot of the podium with Lionel Sanders (CAN) and Paula Findlay (CAN) claiming titles and both earning 2,500 IRONMAN Pro Series points and USD $7,500 in prize money. Sanders and Findlay each earned their second IRONMAN Pro Series victories of the year.

Despite the conditions resulting in a shortened swim and intermittent rain that showered the course throughout the race, the IRONMAN 70.3 Mont-Tremblant triathlon produced some unforgettable performances. While Sanders and Findlay both took dominating leads in the run, the battle for the second podium spot in both the men’s and women’s races proved to be a thrilling aspect of the day’s event. American Ben Kanute chased down fellow American Matthew Marquardt in the final kilometers to take second (03:37:29) as Marquardt finished third (03:37:32). In the women’s race it was defending women’s champion from 2022 Tamara Jewett (CAN) who took second (4:04:51) after catching Ellie Salthouse (AUS) who took third (4:04:58) at the finish line in Mont-Tremblant.

“These were the conditions and I tried to do my absolute best,” explained Sanders at the finish line. “I swam decently well, then onto the bike I went to work really hard. It was a real pleasure to ride with these guys. Everyone rode really fair and then off the bike it was pretty well survival on the run. I started to hurt really bad about 13k in and I just held on for dear life.”

“I did the (Canadian) TT championship on Friday and today’s [event]. I actually felt really good today, so I think doing that hard effort on Friday may have helped me for today,” Findlay said. “I am proud of myself for feeling good and keeping a good head space about it, and getting it done.”

When asked about the swim being shorter and the impact on her race Findlay said, “It didn’t feel shorter, and it was really choppy, so feel like it was a good call to bring us in a little bit. I was following feet and trying to stay calm on the swim because I knew what was ahead on the bike.”

Top Five Male Professional Results

Top Five Female Professional Results

*Prior to the start of the event, IRONMAN with the support of local officials made the decision to shorten the swim course to a .727-mile (1,170 meter) swim due to wind at the far end of the course.

The 2024 IRONMAN 70.3 Mont-Tremblant triathlon saw more than 75 of the world’s top professional triathletes compete for a piece of the USD $50,000 total event pro prize purse, and IRONMAN Pro Series points, as well as three slots per gender to the 2024 VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Taupō, New Zealand on December 14 and 15.

News and Notes

• In his return to racing following a rib injury, Lionel Sanders (CAN) took control of the race early in the run and captured the overall win with a time of 3:35:11. Sanders’ victory marks his sixth victory at the IRONMAN 70.3 Mont-Tremblant triathlon (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022 and 2024).
• Paula Findlay (CAN) took a decisive win in the women’s race leading the entirety of the run and finishing with a with a time of 04:01:00.
• The race marked Matthew Marquardt’s (USA) first IRONMAN 70.3 triathlon as a professional triathlete.
• Chris Leiferman (USA) and João Ferreira (PRT) recorded the fastest run splits of the day, each completing the run course with a time of 1:09:35.
• While Matthew Marquardt (USA) was first into transition with a time of 2:02:46, it was Lionel Sanders (CAN) who had the fastest bike split on the day with a time of 2:01:44.
• Paula Findlay (CAN) recorded the fastest bike split in the women’s race with a time of 2:18:59.
• Tamara Jewett (CAN) clocked the fastest run in the women’s race with a time of 1:16:13.
• Portugal’s João Ferreira and Great Britain’s Jodie Stimpson set the fastest professional swim times of the day, 14:59 and 16:54 respectively, following the shortened swim.
• The fastest transition of the day was from Canadian Jessey Elf in 58 seconds at T2.
• 44 pro male athletes and 26 pro females finished fast enough behind the race winner to earn points toward IRONMAN Pro Series standings.
• Sander’s win moves him up 50 spots to 16th in the standings after two wins in two IRONMAN Pro Series races this year. Findlay’s win sees her move 11 spots up to 11^th in the standings following two wins and three podiums in three IRONMAN Pro Series Races this year.
• In addition to Sanders and Findlay, other major movers in the IRONMAN Pro Series standings following the IRONMAN 70.3 Mont-Tremblant includes Ellie Salthouse (AUS) who jumps 9 places into 9th in the standings, Erin Schenkels (CAN) leaps 7 places to 12th, Jackson Laundry (CAN) is up 5 places to 2nd, Colin Szuch (USA) moves up two place to 3rd and Matthew Marquardt (USA) rises 14 places to put him 8th.
• Of the top 10 in the men’s and women’s professional field the United States had the most athletes with 11. Canada followed with 5. Australia had 2 and Portugal and New Zealand each had 1.

Full results for the IRONMAN 70.3 Mont-Tremblant triathlon can be found at. For additional event information, please visit www.ironman.com/im703-mont-tremblant.

IRONMAN Pro Series Standings

The IRONMAN Pro Series™ is a year-long performance-based triathlon race series with professional triathletes being able to earn points at 20 select races in 19 locations globally. Open to approximately 1,000 eligible professional triathletes worldwide, the IRONMAN Pro Series ushers in a new era of IRONMAN racing where Every Second Matters™ with every second behind the race winner equating to a point earned or lost. For any athlete, only their top five event results count towards their overall Pro Series points and standing, of which a maximum of three IRONMAN results can be counted. How it works can be found here.

Overall IRONMAN Pro Series Standings – Top Five Female (After Nine Events)

Overall IRONMAN Pro Series Standings – Top Five Male (After Nine Events)

Full IRONMAN Pro Series standings can be found at proseries.ironman.com.

Overall IRONMAN Pro Series Event Prize Money

In addition to the IRONMAN Pro Series’ $1.7M year-end bonus prize pool, there is an event pro prize purse payout of $2,575,000, distributed across IRONMAN Pro Series events. To date the IRONMAN Pro Series has paid out a total of $737,500. Over USD $1.3 million remains to be claimed at the remaining events.

Top Five Female Prize Money Earned (After nine events)

Top Five Male Prize Money Earned (After nine events)

Next Events Coming Up

Up next is the IRONMAN 70.3 Les Sables d’Olonne-Vendée, when the IRONMAN Pro Series heads to the Côte de Lumière, a seaside town on the western French coast, on Sunday, June 29. The 2024 IRONMAN 70.3 Les Sables d’Olonne-Vendée triathlon will offer professionals a maximum of 2,500 points towards IRONMAN Pro Series standings, a $50,000 event total pro prize purse, and three qualifying slots for each gender to the 2024 VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship taking place in Taupō, New Zealand.

A FREE replay of broadcast coverage at the 2024 IRONMAN 70.3 Mont-Tremblant is available on Outside+ for those watching from the United States and Canada; and for the rest of the world on proseries.ironman.com or IRONMAN’s YouTube Page.

For more information on the IRONMAN Pro Series, visit proseries.ironman.com. Media inquiries may be directed to press@ironman.com.

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About the IRONMAN Pro Series

The IRONMAN Pro Series™ is a year-long performance-based world series that will see professional triathletes earn points at 20 select races in 19 locations globally to vie for the title of IRONMAN Pro Series Champion and a share of the lucrative USD $1.7 million year-end bonus prize pool. Athletes will also continue to battle for each individual event’s prize money equating to over USD $2.5 million and coveted world championship qualifying slots. The IRONMAN Pro Series will consist of six full-distance IRONMAN^® triathlons and 10 half-distance IRONMAN^® 70.3^® triathlons in addition to the split location women’s and men’s VinFast IRONMAN World Championship triathlons and two-day women’s and men’s VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship triathlons. Open to approximately 1,000 eligible professional triathletes worldwide, the IRONMAN Pro Series will usher in a new era of IRONMAN racing where Every Second Matters™ with every second behind the race winner equating to a point earned or lost. Incorporating iconic distances, challenging courses, and stunning destinations, every IRONMAN Pro Series race will be broadcast live and free to a global audience. An additional 18 events throughout 2024 will also offer IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 professional racing and world championship qualifying opportunities, as well as over USD $1.6 million in prize money to create a total 2024 professional prize purse of nearly USD $6 million. For more information, visit proseries.ironman.com.

About The IRONMAN Group

The IRONMAN Group operates a global portfolio of events that includes the IRONMAN^® Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN^® 70.3^® Triathlon Series, 5150™ Triathlon Series, the Rock ‘n’ Roll^® Running Series, IRONKIDS^®, World Triathlon Championship Series, premier running events including the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon™ and City2Surf^®, UTMB^® World Series trail-running events including the Canyons Endurance Runs™ by UTMB^®, Tarawera Ultra by UTMB^® and Ultra-Trail Australia™ by UTMB^®, Epic Series™ mountain bike races including the Absa Cape Epic^®, road cycling events including Haute Route^®, and other multisport races. The IRONMAN Group is the largest operator of mass participation sports in the world and provides more than a million participants annually the benefits of endurance sports through the company’s vast offerings. Catering to the full athlete experience, the company portfolio also includes FulGaz^® virtual cycling, the most realistic indoor riding experience connected fitness application aimed at preparing athletes for real-world events. Since the inception of the iconic IRONMAN^® brand and its first event in 1978, athletes have proven that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE^® by crossing finish lines around the world. Beginning as a single race, The IRONMAN Group has grown to become a global sensation with hundreds of events across 55+ countries. The IRONMAN Group is owned by Advance, a private, family-owned business, and Orkila Capital, a growth equity firm focused on building great brands. For more information, visit www.ironman.com/about-ironman-group.

About Advance 

Advance is a private, family-held business that owns and invests in companies across media, entertainment, technology, communications, education and other promising growth sectors. Our mission is to build the value of our companies over the long-term by fostering growth and innovation. Advance’s portfolio includes Condé Nast, Advance Local, Stage Entertainment, The IRONMAN Group, American City Business Journals, Leaders Group, Turnitin, and Pop. Together these operating companies employ more than 17,000 people in 29 countries. Advance is also among the largest shareholders in Charter Communications, Warner Bros. Discovery and Reddit. For more information visit www.advance.com.