{"id":25993,"date":"2023-10-10T09:53:08","date_gmt":"2023-10-10T07:53:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/676aa68c-f5e1-4506-9f45-d312fc6bb92a"},"modified":"2023-10-10T10:46:05","modified_gmt":"2023-10-10T08:46:05","slug":"which-american-pro-female-triathletes-are-racing-the-2023-ironman-world-championship","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/rss_feed\/which-american-pro-female-triathletes-are-racing-the-2023-ironman-world-championship\/","title":{"rendered":"Which American pro female triathletes are racing the 2023 Ironman World Championship?"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By 220 Triathlon Team\n <\/p>

Published: Tuesday, 10 October 2023 at 07:53 AM<\/p>

\n\n

When Chelsea Sodaro<\/a><\/strong> crossed the finish line as champion in Kona last year, she was the first American female pro woman to do so in more than 25 years. The closest an American had come to the top step in nearly a decade was Heather Jackson in 2016, when she took bronze on the Big Island.\u00a0But the American women of pro triathlon are blazing a new era, from Sodaro\u2019s rookie Kona win to Taylor Knibb<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s dominant back-to-back 70.3 Worlds wins in 2022 and 2023.\u00a0While plenty of focus is rightfully on Sodaro and Knibb heading into this year\u2019s Ironman world championship<\/a><\/strong>, there are three other American women who have the potential to shock the triathlon community next weekend: Skye Moench<\/a><\/strong>, Jocelyn McCauley and Sarah True<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>

Here’s why they’re ones to watch\u2026<\/p>

Skye Moench<\/strong><\/h2>Skye Moench finishing second at the 2023 Ironman European Championship, in Frankfurt, Germany. (Credit: Jan Hetfleisch\/Getty Images for Ironman)<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Skye Moench hails from Utah where she was originally an accountant before turning pro in 2016 and having two breakout races in 2019: a win at Ironman Frankfurt and then at 70.3 Boulder. <\/p>
Four years later, Moench is ranked 16th in the Professional Triathletes Organization (PTO) World Rankings, with her two particular strengths being a strong bike and quick run.\u00a0Moench was ready to make her Kona debut in 2019, but was involved in a season-altering bike crash just weeks before the World Championship. Then came the pandemic and further delayment of Kona. <\/p>
It wasn’t until 2022 that Moench got to test her strengths on the Queen K, where she finished ninth and second American.\u00a0This year, Moench has had a slew of consistently formidable results, including a second place at 70.3 St. George, another silver at Ironman Frankfurt, and a fifth place at 70.3 Chattanooga. <\/p>
Unlike many pros who opted to arrive on the Big Island more than a month in advance of the race, Moench stayed close to home to dial in her championship preparation.\u00a0Although Moench may not be among the first out of the water, her track record of robust bike and run splits could see her edge her way into the top five or even top three overall women this year.<\/p>
Kona: Ironman World Championship wom<\/a>en’s course preview<\/a><\/strong><\/li><\/ul>
Jocelyn McCauley<\/strong><\/h2> $\"American$
Jocelyn McCauley celebrates finishing third at the 2023 Ironman Texas. (Credit: Kyle Rivas\/Getty Images for Ironman)<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Jocelyn McCauley is another American from the ‘Mountain West’ and resides with her husband and two daughters in Idaho. McCauley had a heartbreaking end to the 2022 World Championships when she had to pull out of the race late into the run due to a leg injury.\u00a0This year, McCauley has gone all in on preparations for the World Championship, arriving in Kona more than a month beforehand to \u201cfind enjoyment in all the island has to offer: the wind, the heat, the humidity \u2013 to find love for all of it,\u201d McCauley shares with 220 from her homestay in Kona.\u00a0The American, who is ranked 28th in the PTO World Rankings, had a stellar performance at Ironman Texas in April 2023 and came away from the day as the third pro woman. <\/p>
Since then, McCauley has continued to work on regaining her strength after a surgery to address a torn hip labrum and a hernia. Despite that rehab, McCauley is ready to fully compete come the big day.\u00a0\u201cI am going to do exactly what I tell my daughter to do at gymnastics: try your hardest, do your best, smile, and have lots of fun,\u201d McCauley says. <\/p>
\u201cAll that being said, though, I think this year, we\u2019ll see the swim matter a lot more with some strong women like Lucy Charles-Barclay<\/a><\/strong>, Taylor Knibb, and Fenella Langridge<\/a><\/strong> leading the charge\u2026 I\u2019m hoping to come off the bike in the top five and demonstrate what a good runner I am, which is something I haven\u2019t been able to execute since the birth of my second daughter last year.\u201d\u00a0Racing in Kona this year is extra-special for McCauley as she will not be able to race in Nice next year due to religious exemptions from racing on Sundays.\u00a0\u201cI\u2019m trying not to think about [not racing the World Championship next year] too much right now,\u201d McCauley says. \u201cI want to be present for this year\u2019s World Championship, and I\u2019m focused on that. I have plenty of other goals I want to achieve next year that I\u2019m just as excited about.\u201d\u00a0McCauley has wowed in the past with a wicked bike and fierce run – can she make both work in her favor this year? Only time will tell.<\/p>
How to watch the Ironman World Championship women’s race in Kona<\/a><\/strong><\/li><\/ul>
Sarah True<\/strong><\/h2> $\"US$
Sarah True winning the 2023 Ironman European Championship in Frankfurt, Germany. (Credit: Jan Hetfleisch\/Getty Images for Ironman)<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Compatriot Sarah True<\/a><\/strong> has been in the professional triathlon game for a long time; the New Hampshirite and mom to tot son Haakon had a standout career as a draft-legal triathlon Olympian and has now made her mark on the non-drafting long-course segment of the sport.\u00a0True found success in Hawai\u2019i in 2018 when she finished fourth, but then faced two DNFs on the Big Island in 2019 and 2022 \u2013 last year, True was already under the weather upon arriving in Kona and was unable to recover fast enough to compete.\u00a0Despite last year\u2019s DNF, True has had a strong slew of races since then, with a victory at 2022 Ironman Arizona and 2023 Ironman Frankfurt.\u00a0True, who is ranked 17th in the PTO World Rankings, is a well-balanced athlete who can be at the top of the field across the swim, bike or run. On top of her prowess in the sport, the American is balancing not only motherhood with triathlon, but also a doctorate degree in clinical psychology.\u00a0\u201cI feel as though my Kona build has far more in common with the average amateur athlete than my professional peers,\u201d True says after arriving in Kona. <\/p>
\u201cI\u2019ve had to squeeze in workouts when possible. While I have less time and energy than would be ideal for a Kona build, I\u2019m healthy and feeling pretty strong right now.\u00a0“[But] I can\u2019t control what anyone else does out there \u2013 [I can only control] my own effort. I would love to cross the finish line knowing that the day represented my hard work and I got everything possible out of myself.\u201d\u00a0These three American women are all capable of fantastic days at the World Championship, but it all comes down to managing what Madam Pele gives athletes to work with on the day \u2013 heat, wind, humidity, rain or all of the above.\u00a0But above all, there’s a level of excitement from the pros about showcasing the pro women in a standalone race.\u00a0\u201cI hope that having a women\u2019s only Kona allows the women\u2019s racing to shine,\u201d True shares. \u201cThe American women are certainly strong right now. <\/p>
“Kona is special because of its rich history; when you are riding along the Queen K or running in the Energy Lab, it\u2019s hard not to reflect on how many incredible women before us raced on the same course. It\u2019s truly awe-inspiring.\u201d<\/p>
Female triathletes: the 12 greatest ever<\/a><\/strong><\/li>
The top 15 greatest Kona athletes of all time<\/a><\/strong><\/li><\/ul>
Top image credit:<\/strong> Maddie Meyer\/Getty Images\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n
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