Neumann & Wilms Victorious at 70.3 Sunshine Coast

Sunday 11 September 2022

Max Neumann and Lotte Wilms have claimed victory at Sunday’s Qatar Airways IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast, with both athletes impressing on their way to the top step of the podium.
 
Neumann won the men’s title in 3:29:47, edging out Adelaide’s Steve McKenna, with defending champion Nicholas Free third, while Wilms took the women’s crown in 4:00:20, ahead of New Zealand’s Hannah Wells and Penny Slater.
 
Neumann last raced on the Sunshine Coast in 2020, where he finished second, with the Brisbane-based athlete going one better on Sunday.
 
The top three men were the class of the field all day, with less than a second separating them for almost the entire 21.1km run, before Neumann pushed ahead in the closing stages to be first across the line.
 
“It was a tough day, it’s always good to come back here,” he said. “The Sunshine Coast is a local race for me, just an hour drive from home and to have a good hit out four weeks before Kona is a good confidence booster and the perfect lead in to the final four weeks so it couldn’t have gone better.
 
“We swam well, broke up the group after the first 10kms, I just rode hard there at the front, then we consolidated that gap and got about two minutes at the front and then us three boys really ran a quick race to be honest, 1:09 here on a pretty tough course with the hills is actually pretty quick,” said Neumann. “It was about as quick as it gets today to be honest with you, so I think we’re all pretty happy.
 
“With about 5km to go I reckon we were running at about three minute pace and we really knocking it down there, I couldn’t crack Steve and then I got him on the last hill and just held it till the end,” he said.
 
Next stop for Neumann is the VinFast IRONMAN World Championship next month, with it set to be his first trip to Hawaii’s big island and the most famous event on the IRONMAN calendar.
 
“It’s going to be my first Kona, I haven’t had a great experience at the World Championships so far but Kona is special and it will bring something special out of me and I think the humidity will suit me so I’m pretty excited to be honest,” said Neumann.
 
Sunshine Coast-based Dutch athlete Lotte Wilms impressed once again at her adopted home race, winning the title for the second straight year, after claiming victory on her IRONMAN 70.3 debut in 2021.
 
“It was a great day, the conditions were really good, it wasn’t too windy, it was cloudy which is really nice on the Sunshine Coast as it can get really hot here,” said Wilms. “I felt really good in the swim, I always feel at home in the swim, I love to be in the ocean too, so I was really enjoying it. Then on the bike I had some goals and I could see the girls were making up some time on me after one lap so I pushed a little bit harder on the second lap.
 
“Then on the run I also had some goals, I wasn’t allowed to go full gas for the first 10kms because I’m going to race in America next week, later in the run I was supposed to go harder which was lucky because Hannah was catching me so I had someone to chase,” she said. “After 16kms I retook the lead and I didn’t let it go until the finish so it was a really good day.”
 
Wilms said that she enjoyed the close battle with Wells, with the Kiwi pushing her all the way on the run.
 
“It was nice to have the battle with Hannah because I was just racing with myself till 10km in the run, so it was really nice that someone else was picking up the speed, I couldn’t keep going with her for a while, so it distracts your mind for a little bit.”
 
The Sunshine Coast is quickly becoming a favourite location for Wilms, with the Dutch triathlete enjoying plenty of support on course.
 
“It’s fantastic, last year it was a big surprise, I loved it so much that I stayed here and I’m living here, it’s my home now, so now winning it for the second time is incredible,” she said. “I got so much support from the community, so much support from IRONMAN, there’s so many volunteers that I know, I feel at home, everyone is so welcoming.”
 
The 2022 Qatar Airways IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast is a sold out event, with more than 2,000 athletes contesting a 1.9km swim starting and finishing on Mooloolaba Beach, a 90km ride taking in the Sunshine Motorway and a 21.1km run finishing on the Mooloolaba Esplanade.

MALE PRO:
1 Max Neumann AUS 3:29:47
2 Steve McKenna AUS +0:12
3 Nicholas Free AUS +1:29
4 Mitch Cunningham AUS +4:18
5 Mitch Kibby AUS +4:49

FEMALE PRO:
1 Lotte Wilms NLD 4:00:20
2 Hannah Wells NZL +1:33
3 Penny Slater AUS +2:30
4 Kylie Simpson AUS +3:56
5 Kirra Seidel AUS +10:44

IRONMAN Triathlon


Coming Triathlon Events View all

Frysman

Reaklif, Warns, Netherlands

Laponia Triathlon

Gällivare, Sweden

Stone Extreme

Lago d'Iseo / Passo Paradiso, Italy

Swedeman Xtreme

Östernoren, Sweden

Odyssey

St Neots, United Kingdom

Challenge Roth

Roth, Germany

Altriman

les Angles, Pyrenees, France

eagleXman

Assergi, Italy

TriBourne 226

Eastbourne, United Kingdom

Kaike triathlon

Yonago, Tottori, Japan

Ironman Vitoria Gasteiz

Vitoria Gasteiz, Spain

Ironman Lake Placid

Lake Placid, United States

Ironman Leeds

Leeds, United Kingdom

Ironman Canada Ottawa

Ottowa, Canada

Ironman Kalmar Sweden

Kalmar, Sweden

Ironman Copenhagen

Copenhagen, Denmark

Ironman Tallinn

Tallinn, Estonia

Ironman Switzerland

Thun, Switzerland

Ironman Wisconsin

Madison, Wisconsin, United States

Ironman Japan South Hokkaido

Hokkaido, Japan

Tri Tour El Pont de Suert

El Pont de Suert, Spain

La Tour Geneve

Geneve, Switzerland

Garmin Tri Tour Elblag

Elblag, Poland

Great White North

Hubbles Lake, Alberta, Canada

Outlaw Half Holkham

Holkham Hall, Norfolk, United Kingdom

Oravaman

Zuberec, Slovakia

Cotswold Classic

Ashton Keynes, United Kingdom

Door Country Half

Egg Harbor, WI, United States

Garmin Tri Tour Sycow

Sycow, Poland

Sourdough Triathlon

Chatanika, Alaska, United States

70.3 Muskoka

Huntsville, Ontario, Canada

70.3 Jonkoping

Jönköping, Sweden

70.3 Muncie

Muncie, Indiana, United States

70.3 Luxembourg

Remich, Luxembourg

70.3 Swansea

Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom

70.3 Musselman

Geneva NY, United States

70.3 Ohio

Sandusky, United States

70.3 Oregon

Salem OR, United States

70.3 Ecuador

Manta, Ecuador

70.3 Boise

Boise Idaho, United States

Triathlon News & Media Blogs View all

Marten van Riel & Jess Learmonth Win 70.3 Nice France

Marten van Riel & Jess Learmonth Win 70.3 Nice France

Sunday 29 Jun 2025 [Triathlon News]

Van Riel's Dominance: Marten Van Riel controlled the men's race from the swim, building a significant lead on the bike and maintaining it through the run. This win also qualified him for the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Marbella. Michele Bortolamedi (ITA) finished second, and Jens Emil Sloth Nielsen (DEN) took third. more

Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR) Claims Second European Title at Thrilling 21st Edition IRONMAN Frankfurt

Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR) Claims Second European Title at Thrilling 21st Edition IRONMAN Frankfurt

Sunday 29 Jun 2025 [Triathlon News]

The IRONMAN European Championship for professional men took place in Frankfurt today, making the 11th race of the IRONMAN Pro Series. In a nail-biting race right up to the bitter end, it was Norwegian Kristian Blummenfelt who took the tape, claiming his second straight win in Frankfurt, and second regional IRONMAN Championship title this year. more

Kaindland & Jansen Win CHALLENGE Kaiserwinkl Walchsee

Kaindland & Jansen Win CHALLENGE Kaiserwinkl Walchsee

Sunday 29 Jun 2025 [Triathlon News]

A tough and hot day of racing in the Austrian Alps saw career-defining wins for Austrian Olympian, Tjebbe Kaindl, and Laura Jansen (GER) as they both took their first professional wins over the middle distance in 3:46:19 and 4:15:15 respectively. The pro women kicked the day off with Therese Feuersinger (AUT) dominating the swim in 24:13, posting the fastest swim split of the day, more

IRONMAN Pro Series Frankfurt MPRO Start List

IRONMAN Pro Series Frankfurt MPRO Start List

Friday 27 Jun 2025 [Triathlon News]

On 29 June, the city of Frankfurt, Germany will host the men’s IRONMAN® European Championship triathlon. As one of the oldest and most prestigious races on the circuit, the city will once again welcome a world class professional field, made up of three IRONMAN World Champions, the full 2024 IRONMAN World Championship podium, and last year’s IRONMAN Frankfurt European Championship podium. more

70.3 Nice FRA Pro Start List

70.3 Nice FRA Pro Start List

Friday 27 Jun 2025 [Triathlon News]

Host of the 2019 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship, Nice offers athletes the best of the Côte d’Azur. Nestled between sea and mountains, experience a well-rounded course, remarkable location and a finish line on the Promenade des Anglais - one of the most iconic locations in French triathlon. more

Facebook


YouTube


Sign up for FREE NEWSLETTER:

We will never share your email address or spam you.