Lionel Sanders (CAN) and Paula Findlay (CAN) Take Titles at the Final Edition of the Intermountain Health IRONMAN 70.3 St. George North American Championship

Sam Long (USA) and Colin Szuch (USA) complete the men’s professional podium, while Danielle Lewis (USA) and Jackie Hering (USA) secure second and third places respectively in the female professional race

ST. GEORGE, Utah (May 10, 2025) – For the final time, stunning St. George and Southwestern Utah provided the perfect, picturesque backdrop for the Intermountain Health IRONMAN 70.3 St. George North American Championship triathlon and the sixth race of the 2025 IRONMAN Pro Series. In a finale worthy of the Land of Endurance, it was Lionel Sanders (CAN) in the men’s professional field and Paula Findlay (CAN) in the women’s professional race who took the tape in downtown St. George, replicating their Canadian sweep from Oceanside in April.

In the men’s race, Seth Rider (USA) was first out of the water, closely followed by Mark Dubrick (USA), and a large chase pack that included Kevin McDowell (USA), Justin Riele (USA), Max Neumann (AUS), Jake Birtwhistle (AUS), and Robert Wilkowiecki (POL), among others. One of the race favourites leading into Saturday’s contest, Magnus Ditlev (DEN), exited the water 11th, putting him in prime position to take an early lead. Lionel Sanders (CAN) and two-time defending champion Sam Long (USA) would exit the water 2:45 and 3:17 behind Rider.

The chase was on as Ditlev would move into the lead early in the bike leg. However, a puncture for Ditlev gave opportunity for a charging Lionel Sanders to eventually take control and enter the iconic Snow Canyon climb alone before pulling into T2 in downtown St. George and surging out onto the HOKA Run Course. Sam Long followed into T2 2:30 behind and immediately put down the gas in an attempt to catch his rival, but ultimately the Canadian’s pace proved too strong, and Sanders would soar on to take his fourth win in St. George in a time of 3:37:54. Long would follow behind finishing in  3:40:08 while Colin Szuch (USA) would round out the men’s podium with a time of 3:44:04.

In the women’s race, it would be Brazil’s two-time Olympian Vittoria Lopes who would surprise the field, exiting the water first in a time of 24:35, over 20 seconds ahead of the Netherlands’ Lotte Wilms. Defending champion Paula Findlay (CAN) would finish the swim over 1:20 behind. While Lopes would take a strong lead onto the bike, Findlay managed to chase down the Brazilian and after the 30 mile mark the two created an exciting pursuit for the remainder of the bike leg. Findlay entered T2 first, but Lopes, who followed just behind, would immediate sprint ahead and onto the HOKA Run Course. Unfortunately, she would soon falter with a recurring foot injury.

It would be Findlay who would soar on to the win in a time of 4:11:06, dominating the field and showcasing why she is currently tied for fourth in the IRONMAN Pro Series standings alongside Kat Matthews (USA). A charging Danielle Lewis (USA) would run her way into second, from fourth off the bike, finishing in a time of 4:14:12 while Jackie Hering (USA) would take third, from sixth off the bike, with a time of 4:17:06. 

“I swam well!” Sanders said after finishing. “Well above my capacity. Which you can only ask for that. Then on the bike, I was close to the front, and when you are close to the front you are very motivated to get there. I rode really hard, probably too hard and it felt horrible every single step. However, I’m fortunate that everyone else road hard too and I was able to hang on.

Sanders added. “I love this place and I will definitely be coming back to St. George, even if it is not to race, but certainly to visit.”

“It feels so good and I love this place and to have a good race here – well I wasn’t super conditioned that I thought I could win again. But being that last year [of St, George], it really means a lot.” said Findlay. “I tried to ride the hills on the ups and hold speed on the downs and recover a bit. It is such a hard race and it is the hottest day I have ever raced it, so that added to the suffering. I’m really happy with this result.”

News and Notes   

• Lionel Sanders earns his fourth victory in seven appearances at the Intermountain Health IRONMAN 70.3 St. George North American Championship following wins in 2016, 2018, 2021, in addition to his second-place finish at the 2021 IRONMAN World Championship in St. George in May of 2022.
• Paula Findlay successfully defends her title, earning her third win in five appearances at the Intermountain Health IRONMAN 70.3 St. George North American Championship following wins in 2018 and 2024, along with her second-place finish at the 2022 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in St. George.
• Sanders sets a new course best time in St. George of 3:37:54, besting Sam Long’s time of 3:39:17 set just last year.
• Sanders records the fastest bike time of the men’s pro field with a time of 1:58:07 setting a new bike course best, surpassing Sam Long’s bike split of 1:59:57 set in 2024. Paula Findlay was the fastest on the bike for the women with a time of 2:17:41.
• In the men’s race it was Seth Rider (USA) who clocked the fastest swim of the day with a 22:15; Brazil’s Vittoria Lopes was the first out of the water in the women’s race finishing the 1.2-mile swim in Sand Hollow Reservoir in a time of 24:35.
• Matt McElroy (USA) secured the fastest run split of the day with a 1:09:44, and Lydia Russell (USA) claimed the fastest run of the female professional field in a speedy time of 1:19:02.
• Kevin McDowell (USA) clocked the fastest transition time of the day with 1:03 in T2.
• The biggest movers and shakers in the IRONMAN Pro Series standings following today’s race came from two Oceania athletes Ben Hamilton (NZL), who moved up nine spots into the lead and Cameron Wurf (AUS) who moved six spots into second. Following her victory, Paula Findlay moves up 13 spots to tie Kat Matthews (GBR) for fourth place.

Full results for the 2025 Intermountain Health IRONMAN 70.3 North American Championship St. George can be found at www.ironman.com/im703-st-george-results. For additional event information, please visit ironman.com/im703-st-george.