Phillips Shatters Course Record As Hollioake Conquers Ironman New Zealand

Athletes received a powerful welcome to race day from local iwi Ngāti Tūwharetoa, who performed the traditional haka. This year marked a historic first as both tāne (men) and wahine (women) participated in the ceremony—continuing the inclusive legacy established during the 2024 Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Taupō.

Calm waters at 21°C and mild air temperatures of 18°C created ideal racing conditions, resulting in unprecedented times across the board. The men's competition saw all four top finishers demolish the previous course record, while three women crossed the finish line under nine hours—a testament to the depth of talent in both fields.

New Zealand's Mike Phillips demolished the course record by nearly 10 minutes en route to his third Ironman New Zealand victory in Taupō on Saturday, while Australia's Regan Hollioake executed a perfectly timed race to claim the women's title in just her second professional season.

Phillips crossed the line in 7:45:47, obliterating the previous mark set by Great Britain's Joe Skipper in 2020. Ironically, Skipper himself finished second in 7:48:47, with fellow Kiwi Jack Moody completing the podium just 24 seconds later in 7:49:12.

Men's Race: Tactical Brilliance Pays Off

Tahiti's Benjamin Zorgnotti led the men out of Lake Taupō's 21°C waters in 47:49, with seven athletes exiting within 16 seconds, including Phillips and Moody. Skipper faced a 3:30 deficit heading onto the bike course under clear skies and mild 18°C temperatures.

A seven-man pack formed early on the 180km bike leg, remaining intact for over 110km before Phillips broke away. The Kiwi entered transition with a 1:39 advantage, while Skipper delivered a blistering 4:10:29 bike split—breaking his own course record—yet still trailed by 2:20 entering the run.

"I wasn't really trying to slip away at the end of the bike," Phillips revealed post-race. "But I found myself with a couple of minutes' lead, which really put me in control and meant I could settle into my own pace starting the run."

On the marathon, Phillips maintained a steady 2:40 split despite repeated challenges. Moody surged early, slicing the lead to just over a minute at one point, but Phillips responded with conviction.

"A lot of people see the last couple of races and Jack's beaten me on the run by a fair bit," Phillips acknowledged. "But when I came off the bike first, I thought, 'Well, I'm the fastest that's run here ever before, so they've still got to come and catch me now.'"

Skipper timed his finish impeccably, overtaking Moody in the final kilometer to secure second place.

Phillips wasn't focused on the record during the race. "I wasn't really thinking about that. The race was pretty tight, so I had to keep an eye on the other guys as opposed to the time," he explained. "There was no real easy split today—every discipline was fast."

Women's Race: Patient Strategy Prevails

In the women's event, Australia's Regan Hollioake secured her third consecutive Ironman title with a winning time of 8:51:30. Two-time champion Jocelyn McCauley of the USA finished second in 8:56:52, with Switzerland's Nina Derron completing the podium in 8:57:48.

Switzerland's Alanis Siffert led the swim in 48:24, with Britain's Fenella Langridge just three seconds behind. McCauley exited third, three minutes back, while Hollioake emerged fourth with a 3:20 deficit.

"I was a little bit behind after the swim—I didn't have a great swim," Hollioake admitted. "But Nina and I worked together legally on the bike and rode really strongly. I came off the bike feeling really good."

McCauley seized control early on the bike, building a commanding five-minute advantage by transition. The American started the run strongly, but Derron overtook her near the 11km mark, with Hollioake following suit shortly after.

"When I saw the girls going out super hard, I thought that probably works in my favor," Hollioake revealed. "It was instructions from the coach that the race starts at 20K, so just keep it controlled. With an Ironman, the run doesn't really start until about 20K, and I'm really confident in my consistency."

The Australian's patient approach paid dividends as she steadily pulled away on the second half of the marathon, crossing the finish line with a five-minute cushion.

"I'm so overwhelmed," Hollioake said post-race. "This is such an amazing race and such a historical race. To be on the board with those legends that have won in past years is just amazing."

Australian Contingent Impresses

Beyond Hollioake's victory, the Australian contingent delivered strong performances across both races. Veteran Tim Van Berkel secured fifth in the men's event in 7:56:00, posting one of his fastest Ironman times in recent years.

"Feeling pleased with my result yesterday giving it my all," Van Berkel shared afterward. "Happy that I held onto 5th in what was a solid day ending in one of my fastest Ironman times."

Former Australian Rules footballer Kate Gillespie-Jones continued her successful transition to triathlon with a fifth-place finish in 9:20:00. The former North Melbourne AFLW player has rapidly adapted to the demands of long-course triathlon since switching sports in 2022.

Skye Wallace took seventh in 9:38:05, while Danyella Eberle rounded out the Australian women in ninth with 9:43:55.

Champions Reflect on Milestone Victories

Phillips, with victories in 2019, 2023, and now 2025, reflected on his journey to the record. "The first time I won, I thought I could go quite a lot faster than I did. It's taken me five or six years to actually come and set the record here. It's just awesome to put it all together—have a good swim, bike, and run."

For Hollioake, the win confirms her meteoric rise in the sport. "It's really special. We train so hard for these moments—you never know when they're going to come again. To have three wins in 12 months is just incredible. I'm excited for what 2025 holds."

The Australian, who finished fourth at last year's event in her professional debut, summed up her connection to the race: "It's amazing, honestly, it's one of the best races in the world. To do my first pro race here last year and then to come back this year and win is just amazing."