World Champion Geens and Home Favourite Van Coevorden Triumph at Ironman 70.3 Geelong

The morning mist still hung over Corio Bay as more than 60 professional athletes plunged into the waters to kick off the 2025 Ironman 70.3 Geelong on Sunday, launching this year's Ironman Pro Series in spectacular fashion.

By day's end, Belgium's Jelle Geens and Australia's Natalie Van Coevorden had stamped their authourity on the race, each pocketing USD $7,500 and maximum Pro Series points as they crossed the finish line in Eastern Beach.

Geens Picks Up Where He Left Off

Fresh from his Ironman 70.3 World Championship victory in New Zealand last December, Belgium's Jelle Geens showed no signs of slowing down. Despite admitting to a less-than-perfect preparation, the world champion appeared in complete control throughout the race.

"I wasn't 100 percent sure how I was going to feel because I got sick a couple of weeks ago, and then my partner got sick, and it was very busy with the baby," Geens said post-race. "But in the end, I actually felt really good."

Geens emerged from the swim alongside Olympic specialists Aaron Royle and Matt Hauser, immediately positioning himself at the front of the race. His winning time of 3:33:23 included a blistering 1:07:58 run split – the fastest of the day by nearly a minute.

Australia's Jake Birtwhistle mounted a spirited chase but finished 45 seconds behind Geens, while New Zealand's Tayler Reid impressed on his Ironman 70.3 debut to round out the podium.

Van Coevorden's Breakthrough Victory

In the women's race, Australian Olympian Natalie Van Coevorden claimed her maiden Ironman 70.3 victory after several near misses in recent years. The win almost didn't happen, with Van Coevorden revealing post-race that she had considered withdrawing that morning due to illness.

"I was messaging my coach, my mum, my boyfriend, saying should I start, should I not start," Van Coevorden said. "They all said back yourself, you've had a really good block of training, and you're probably fitter than you think."

The decision to race proved inspired, as Van Coevorden delivered a textbook performance. After forming part of a four-woman breakaway on the bike, she patiently reeled in New Zealand's Hannah Berry during the run, taking the lead with around 12km remaining.

Berry ultimately finished just 39 seconds behind, with Australia's Grace Thek extending her remarkable streak of podium finishes in Geelong to eight consecutive years.

A Race of Fine Margins

The introduction of the Ironman Pro Series has brought a new level of intensity to the professional ranks, with the "Every Second Matters" scoring system adding drama to every position battle.

Under the new format, points decrease with every second behind the winner. Geens and Van Coevorden each secured the maximum 2,500 points available, while Berry's narrow defeat still netted her 2,470 points – just 30 short of the maximum.

This system created fascinating tactical battles throughout both races. Tayler Reid's Ironman 70.3 debut showed his shrewd understanding of the format, as he carefully managed his effort to secure third place, just 30 seconds behind Birtwhistle.

Early Season Form Guide

The season opener provided an early glimpse into who has hit the ground running in 2025. Geens, after his breakthrough World Championship win last December, has clearly maintained his momentum through the off-season.

Great Britain's Cameron Main announced himself as a name to watch with a strong fourth-place finish, while Japan's Kenji Nener rounded out the men's top five.

Among the women, Regan Hollioake – fresh from victories at Ironman Australia, Malaysia and New Zealand – showcased her bike strength with the day's fastest female split (2:14:12), but couldn't match the run speed of the leading trio, finishing fourth.

Grace Thek's remarkable consistency in Geelong continues to impress. Her blistering run split of 1:18:59 – over three minutes faster than anyone else – moved her from sixth off the bike to third at the finish, extending her podium streak at this event to eight straight years.

Course Records Fall Short

Despite ideal racing conditions, neither the men's nor women's course records came under serious threat. Geens' winning time of 3:33:23 was solid rather than spectacular, while Van Coevorden's 4:05:50 reflected the tactical nature of the women's race.

One standout performance came from former professional cyclist Ben Hill, who recorded the day's fastest bike split (1:57:51) but couldn't match the run speed of the specialists, eventually finishing 21st.

Josh Ferris set the fastest swim time (21:28), emerging from Corio Bay with a slender lead, while Teresa Adam matched Van Coevorden as the quickest female swimmer with 23:24.

Pro Series Takes Shape

With the first Pro Series event complete, the professional triathlon circuit now turns its attention to South Africa, where the Ironman African Championship takes place next Sunday in Nelson Mandela Bay.

As a full-distance Ironman event, South Africa offers a maximum of 5,000 points – double what was available in Geelong – and will provide the first real indicator of who might challenge for end-of-season honours.

For now, Geens and Van Coevorden sit atop the standings, having laid down an early marker that they intend to be major players in the inaugural season of the Pro Series.