Belgian triathlete Jelle Geens has signed a multi-year apparel partnership with Mauna Apparel as he targets a historic third IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship title.
The announcement follows Geens’ successful title defence at the 2025 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Marbella, Spain, where he defeated Kristian Blummenfelt by just three seconds. If successful in 2026, Geens would become the first male athlete in the history of the sport to win three consecutive IRONMAN 70.3 world titles.
According to Mauna Apparel, the partnership with Jelle Geens signals a shift toward a technical ‘performance system approach’. The company added that the collaboration will focus on iterative design and aerodynamic testing to find the marginal gains necessary for championship-level racing.
Geens, a two-time Olympian with multiple World Triathlon Series victories, noted that the decision was driven by the narrowing margins at the top of the sport.
“Changing partners is not something I take lightly,” said Geens. “I am chasing a third world title, and every decision has to support performance at the highest level. Mauna’s obsession with detail, testing, and refinement aligns with how I approach this next chapter.”
Founded by Philip Billikopf and Gonzalo Duarte, Mauna Apparel focuses on high-performance triathlon and cycling gear validated through wind tunnel and real-world testing. The brand has quickly moved from a development focus to supporting elite professionals globally.
Philip Billikopf serves as the company’s Co-Founder and CEO, with Gonzalo Duarte a Co-Founder and Head of Product Development
Philip Billikopf said “Jelle choosing to change partners at this stage of his career validates the work we’ve done in a short period of time. Supporting Jelle as he chases historic goals reinforces that our obsession with precision belongs at the highest level of the sport.”
In addition to his world title defence, Geens has indicated plans to move into full-distance IRONMAN racing during the 2026 season. His feedback from training and racing will be used to fine-tune Mauna’s upcoming product lines, which are… ‘developed as unified systems of fabric, patterning, and construction.’
