A record start list of more than 40 professional triathletes from 15 countries is set to gather in Taupō, New Zealand, for the ANZCO Foods IRONMAN New Zealand event.
Scheduled for March 7, 2026, the race marks the opening of the third season of the Experience Oman IRONMAN Pro Series.
The event serves as the world’s second oldest IRONMAN triathlon and features one of the deepest fields in its 42-year history. Competitors will be vying for a total professional prize purse of US$125,000, 5,000 series points, and four qualifying slots per gender for the 2026 IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, HI.
The 2026 Experience Oman IRONMAN Pro Series, organised by The IRONMAN Group, consists of 16 events across six continents.
The series includes six IRONMAN and eight IRONMAN 70.3 triathlons, alongside the IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships. Professional athletes compete for a share of a US$1.7 million year-end bonus pool, with the top-ranked male and females each set to earn US$200,000.
Kat Matthews, the 2025 IRONMAN Pro Series champion, returns to Taupō to begin her title defence. Matthews, who finished as runner-up when Taupō hosted the 2024 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship, faces a strong women’s field that includes reigning ANZCO Foods IRONMAN New Zealand champion Regan Hollioake and local favourite Hannah Berry.
Other notable contenders in the women’s race include two-time IRONMAN New Zealand winner Jocelyn McCauley and fast swimmers such as Lotte Wilms and Rebecca Clarke.
| Women’s professional field | |||
| Bib number | First name | Last name | Country |
| F1 | Regan | Hollioake | AUS |
| F2 | Kat | Matthews | GBR |
| F3 | Hannah | Berry | NZL |
| F4 | Jocelyn | Mccauley | USA |
| F5 | Lotte | Wilms | NLD |
| F6 | Maja | Stage Nielsen | DNK |
| F7 | Danielle | Lewis | USA |
| F8 | Nina | Derron | CHE |
| F9 | Gabrielle | Lumkes | USA |
| F10 | Rebecca | Clarke | NZL |
| F11 | Steph | Clutterbuck | GBR |
| F12 | Tamara | Jewett | CAN |
| F14 | Fenella | Langridge | GBR |
| F15 | Chloe | Lane | AUS |
| F16 | Alexia | Bailly | FRA |
| F17 | Hannah | Knighton | NZL |
| F18 | Rhianne | Hughes | GBR |
| F19 | Line | Bonde | DNK |
| F20 | Katie | Treston-Torney | USA |
| F21 | Mizuki | Hirayanagi | JPN |
In the men’s field, 2025 series champion Kristian Blummenfelt is the favourite. The Norwegian athlete, an Olympic gold medallist and former IRONMAN World Champion, will face off against defending Taupō champion Mike Phillips. Phillips holds the current course best time of 7:45:47, set during the 2025 season.
The men’s entry list also features Taupō local Kyle Smith and French Olympian Pierre Le Corre, who is making his IRONMAN debut.
| Men’s professional field | |||
| Bib number | First name | Last name | Country |
| M1 | Mike | Phillips | NZL |
| M2 | Kristian | Blummenfelt | NOR |
| M3 | Rasmus | Svenningsson | SWE |
| M4 | Trevor | Foley | USA |
| M5 | Henrik | Goesch | FIN |
| M6 | Matt | Hanson | USA |
| M7 | Jack | Moody | NZL |
| M8 | Ben | Hamilton | NZL |
| M9 | Kyle | Smith | NZL |
| M10 | Pierre | Le Corre | FRA |
| M11 | Frederic | Funk | DEU |
| M12 | Mitchell | Kibby | AUS |
| M14 | Sam | Osborne | NZL |
| M15 | Jack | Sosinski | AUS |
| M16 | Yvan | Jarrige | FRA |
| M17 | Andy | Krueger | USA |
| M18 | Nathan | Dortmann | AUS |
| M19 | Tom | Somerville | NZL |
| M20 | Matt | Kerr | NZL |
| M21 | Calvin | Amos | AUS |
| M22 | Jamie | Hayes | USA |
| M23 | Dylan | Thissen | NLD |
| M24 | Robert | Huisman | NZL |
| M25 | David | Martin | CZE |
The event organisers expect more than 2,600 age-group participants to join the professional field in Taupō. The race will be broadcast live for international audiences on the IRONMAN YouTube channel and the Pro Series website.
Experience Oman joined the series as the title partner for the 2026 season as part of a multi-year agreement that names the tourism board as the ‘Official Global Destination’ of the IRONMAN Global Series.
