#102 - Ironman World Championship Preview with Lizzie Rayner
Release Date: 09/12/2025
#128 - Ironman Texas Preview with Lizzie Rayner and Mark Threlfall
Talking Triathlon
James is joined this week by Mark Threlfall and Lizzie Rayner. They start with Lizzie’s season, how it’s played out so far and what’s coming next. The conversation then turns to the T100 gender split races and the reaction to how those events are being structured. From there it’s into Ironman Texas, which delivers one of the biggest races of the season so far, before finishing with Ironman South Africa. BUY ONE GET ONE FREE WITH HUUB: https://huubdesign.com/collections/easter-sale ENTER THE ULTIMATE TRIATHLON RAFFLE: https://2026tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/james-bale To support...
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#127 - Oceanside 70.3 Catch Up and Crazy Ironman Texas Start List
Talking Triathlon
We finally get to Oceanside 70.3 after Tim was away last week, breaking down the men’s race with Kristian Blummenfelt, Casper Stornes, Sam Long and Jonas Schomburg all in the mix. On the women’s side, the focus turns to Taylor Knibb and what her performance means heading towards Kona. We then move to the T100 Singapore start list, which is loaded with short course names. The question is whether it’s a straightforward win for Hayden Wilde or if athletes like Matt Hauser and Leo Bergere can challenge him. A one-off running segment this week. Cassandre Beaugrand sets a French 10k record,...
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#126 - Kristian Blummenfelt
Talking Triathlon
This week James sits down with Kristian Blummenfelt. They start with how he’s approaching 2025, including Nice and 70.3 Worlds, before looking ahead to Ironman New Zealand in 2026 and the early season races in Geelong and Oceanside. They get into 20m drafting and the current Ironman Pro Series standings, before talking through T100 vs the Pro Series and how he’s trying to balance both. Ironman Texas is a big focus, what he expects there and what comes after, including how 70.3 Worlds 2026 and Kona fit into his plans. They finish with bucket list races and whether winning the Tour de France...
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#125 - TUEs in Triathlon
Talking Triathlon
Sam Laidlow has kicked off a proper debate around TUEs, pushing for transparency and launching a petition to make the information public. We weigh in with our thoughts on TUEs in pro triathlon. At T100 Gold Coast, Taylor Knibb is back doing what she does, taking the win ahead of Jess Fullagar and Imogen Simmonds, even with the field already starting to thin out. Geelong 70.3 was ridiculous. Kristian Blummenfelt ran 1:06 to beat Jelle Geens and Hayden Wilde in a crazy, genuinely entertaining race. Kat Matthews was just as solid on the women’s side and never really looked under pressure....
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#124 - Geelong 70.3 is STACKED (T100 Gold Coast Isn't)
Talking Triathlon
We kick things off with The Ultimate Triathlon Raffle, where James is closing in but still needs another £500, so the prize list has stepped up again. Lucy Charles-Barclay potentially racing the Commonwealth Games leads into a wider conversation, before we touch on Sam Laidlow’s marathon. At 70.3 Dallas, Lionel Sanders is back to winning, which is impressive in itself, but even more so given he managed to lose 40 seconds in a 350m swim and still take the race. In Lanzarote, Georgia Taylor-Brown, Laura Lindemann and Sophie Evans were all back racing, which is a good sign as the short course...
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#123 - Ironman New Zealand Wrap Up
Talking Triathlon
We start with an unusual story involving Brayden Currie after he had an incident with a cow. From there we review Ironman New Zealand, starting with the broadcast before getting into the racing itself. In the men’s race Trevor Foley took the win ahead of Pierre Le Corre, while Kristian Blummenfelt had a tough day that could now put his Ironman Pro Series campaign in a difficult position. We then move to the women’s race where Kat Matthews delivered a dominant performance to take the win ahead of Hannah Berry. Attention then turns to the T100 Gold Coast where injuries are already starting...
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#122 - Ironman New Zealand Preview
Talking Triathlon
We start with the full Challenge Roth start list which just keeps getting stronger. Laura Philipp has now been added to the women’s field, setting up a potential showdown with Kat Matthews in what could quickly become a race against the Ironman world best time. The men’s field has also been bolstered with the additions of Sam Laidlow, Rico Bogen, Jonas Schomburg and Patrick Lange, creating a lineup where the pace could be pushed from the start. Lionel Sanders is back doing Lionel Sanders things, saying he is once again all in on Kona and describing the race as his Olympics as he...
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#121 - Will Kristian Blummenfelt Break The World Record In Roth?
Talking Triathlon
This week we start with Kristian Blummenfelt confirming he’ll race Challenge Roth. The discussion quickly turns to whether Roth could be the place he finally breaks the Ironman world record in a way that truly stands, given the ongoing debate around his tide-assisted swim in Cozumel. We then move to Kat Matthews, also lining up for Roth, and the growing question of whether Laura Philipp will join her on the start line. With the women’s field already looking strong, the potential matchup adds another layer of intrigue to the race. From there, we zoom out and talk more broadly about...
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#120 - Is Lionel Sanders Retiring?
Talking Triathlon
This week we start with a big result for Maya Kingma, who has won her first professional cycling race. After previously talking about triathletes trying to make the jump into cycling, it’s a result that feels genuinely significant. We then move to Lucy Charles-Barclay, who has undergone surgery, and where that leaves her as she looks ahead to the rest of the season. From there, the conversation turns to Lionel Sanders. Lionel has suggested this might be his final Kona, which has led many to wonder whether retirement could be closer than expected. As always, even a small comment from Lionel...
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#119 - PTO Acquire Challenge Family
Talking Triathlon
We start this week with Maya Kingma. On a previous episode we were talking about triathletes trying to become cyclists, and Maya is proof that it can actually be done. We dig into her move, why it matters, and what it says about crossover potential at the very top end of endurance sport. From there we go deep on the Professional Triathletes Organisation acquisition of Challenge Family. We break down the pros and cons, not just for professional racing but for amateur athletes as well, and try to separate hype from reality. The biggest question hanging over the deal is what it means for...
info_outlineThis week we start with Hayden Wilde making headlines for racing in prohibited shoes before shifting our attention to the main event, the Ironman World Championships in Nice. Lizzie Rayner joins us to break down the men’s race, the form of the favourites and the likely tactics that will shape the day. We dive into the chances of Sam Laidlow, Gustav Iden and Kristian Blummenfelt, and what it will take to win on the demanding Nice course this year. We finish with Tim’s picks for the podium.
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