News & Racing

Marta Sanchez Dominates in Busselton for First 70.3 Victory

Spanish star Marta Sanchez executes perfect race strategy to win IRONMAN 70.3 Western Australia Asia-Pacific Championship and secure home-country World Championship slot.

Shawn Smith

1 December, 2024 — 7.07pm. 5 min read

Marta Sanchez winning the 2024 Iroman 70.3 Western Australia Asia-Pacific Championship. Photo: Korupt Vision

The 2024 Ironman 70.3 Western Australia Asia-Pacific Championship in Busso delivered a breakout performance from Spain's Marta Sanchez, whose calculated race execution earned her a memorable victory and perhaps more importantly, secured her qualification for next year's World Championships in her home country of Marbella.

The women's professional field arrived in Busselton with Denmark's Maja Stage Nielsen, sitting third in the Ironman Pro Series standings, looked to cement her position with just two races remaining in the season. The Dutch powerhouse duo of Lotte Wilms and Els Visser brought their formidable experience to the oceanfront course, with Wilms particularly familiar with Busselton's challenges from previous podium performances.

Race morning presented the athletes with unexpected challenges. The typically calm waters of Geograph Bay churned with considerable chop, while overcast skies and 16°C temperatures suggested the traditionally fast course might require more tactical nuance than pure speed. A 13km/h westerly wind added another variable to the equation, particularly significant given the exposed coastal sections of the bike course.

The pro field featured a mix of athletes at different career stages. Teresa Adam, the former dominant force in the sport, continued her comeback journey after a period marked by injury. Meanwhile, Sanchez arrived fresh off an impressive sixth-place finish at the Ironman World Championships in Nice and a subsequent victory at Ironman Barcelona, though few predicted the Spanish athlete would stamp her authority so decisively on the race.

Wilms and Adam Set Early Tempo in Rough Waters

The pro women's race began five minutes after the men, with the choppy conditions providing immediate drama. The Dutch star Lotte Wilms asserted herself early, demonstrating her ocean swim that has become her trademark. Charging through the waters, Wilms found herself shoulder-to-shoulder with Teresa Adam from New Zealand – the two quickly establishing themselves as the strongest swimmers in the field.

Behind this leading duo, a battle for positions played out through the washing machine-like conditions. Marta Sanchez, who would later emerge as the day's champion, positioned herself in third place, maintaining contact while expending minimal energy fighting the chop. The decision to swim her own race rather than chase the leaders would prove crucial to her overall race strategy.

By the time the athletes approached T1, Wilms had managed to edge out front, posting a swim time of 26:17, matched precisely by Teresa Adam. Marta Sanchez emerged from the water 22 seconds later at 26:39, followed by Marta Sanchez at 26:47. Valerie Bartholomy rounded out the top five with 26:54.

The opening swim leg, despite the challenging conditions, produced remarkably tight time gaps among the top women. The entire top six exited the water within 40 seconds of each other, setting up what promised to be an intriguing tactical battle on the bike. Most notably, pre-race favorite Hannah Berry kept herself well-positioned with a 27:33 split, limiting her losses to the swim specialists ahead.

Three-Way Battle Shapes Championship

The flat, fast bike course quickly transformed into a game of tactics, with the trio of Lotte Wilms, Teresa Adam and Marta Sanchez establishing themselves at the front. Wilms, wearing race number two and with crucial Pro Series points at stake, took control early and did much of the pace-setting, carefully monitored by her fellow PTO team member Teresa Adam in matching green race kit.

The dynamics of the lead group proved fascinating, with Marta Sanchez demonstrating remarkable patience in third position. Fresh off her sixth-place finish at the Ironman World Championships in Nice and subsequent victory at Ironman Barcelona, Sanchez appeared content to let Wilms drive the pace while staying within the legal draft zone.

A significant move came early in the bike when Sanchez bridged up to the leading duo of Wilms and Adam, immediately passing them to take control. This surge created what appeared to be a decisive break from the rest of the field, with Hannah Berry leading the chase group at two minutes back by the 28.5-kilometer mark.

The race took another turn as a large chase pack formed behind, including some of the sport's strongest cyclists. Els Visser, Daniela Bleymehl, Maja Stage Nielsen and Penny Slater found themselves working together, though still unable to make significant inroads into the leading trio's advantage. This group of potential contenders sat approximately 4 minutes behind by the midpoint of the bike leg.

Through the Tuart Forest section, the leaders maintained their advantage ensuring legal spacing while working effectively as a group. Wilms continued to take the lion's share of the work at the front, her determination to maximise Pro Series points evident.

As the bike leg progressed, the time gaps stabilised. Grace Alexander and Hannah Berry held their position roughly 2 minutes 30 behind the leaders, while the chase group remained at around 4 minutes back. The consistent work of the leading trio saw them steadily extending their advantage, with Wilms ultimately posting a bike split of 2:12:33, narrowly beaten by Sanchez's 2:12:14.

The bike leg concluded with the same three athletes who had dominated it from the start - Wilms, Adam, and Sanchez - entering T2 within seconds of each other. Their commanding performance had effectively turned the race into a three-way battle for the title, barring a dramatic collapse on the run.

Sanchez Claims Victory as Bergsten Surges

Marta Sanchez immediately asserting her authority on the run. Within the first 4 kilometers, the Spanish athlete had built a 44-second lead over Lotte Wilms, while Teresa Adam began to drift backwards into third position, the effort of the bike leg becoming evident in her stride.

Sanchez's aggressive start raised eyebrows, particularly given her recent racing schedule including a sixth at the Ironman World Championships and victory at Ironman Barcelona. However, her fluid running form suggested confidence rather than desperation. A brief moment of concern arose when she stopped at an aid station to adjust her shoe strap, but she quickly resumed her commanding pace.

The race dynamic shifted significantly by the halfway point as Anna Bergsten began making her presence felt. The Swedish athlete, who had exited T2 several minutes down, was posting the fastest run split of the day. Her methodical progress through the field added another layer of drama to the unfolding race, particularly as she closed in on Wilms for second position.

With four kilometres remaining, the decisive move came as Bergsten finally caught and passed Wilms, who offered a sporting high-five in acknowledgment her run performance. The pass reflected the different race priorities at play - Wilms focusing on securing valuable Pro Series points, while Bergsten hunted for a podium finish.

Up front, Sanchez maintained her composure through the final kilometers, showing no signs of fatigue from her aggressive early pace. Her run split of 1:23:00 highlighted race strategy, as she crossed the finish line in 4:06:38 for her first 70.3 victory.

Bergsten's remarkable run performance secured her second place in 4:07:48, while Wilms rounded out the podium in 4:08:03, crucially adding 2,415 points to her Pro Series tally. Michelle Hill surged through the field for fourth place, with Grace Thek completing the top five.

For Sanchez secured her qualification for the 2025 Ironman 70.3 World Championships in her home country of Marbella, Spain. Her emotional finish line celebration reflected both the magnitude of her achievement and the perfect execution of her race strategy from swim to run.