Sam Long (USA) and Kirsten Kasper (USA) Take Titles at the 2026 IRONMAN 70.3 Boise Triathlon

July 25, 2026

- Long overcomes an early swim deficit to deliver a dominant performance and claim the men's title in Idaho - Kasper storms back from more than five minutes down to earn a dramatic comeback win

BOISE, Idaho (July 25, 2026) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – The 2026 IRONMAN^® 70.3^® Boise triathlon delivered thrilling professional racing with memorable performances from many of triathlon’s top talent as American Sam Long powered to a commanding victory in the men’s race. Fellow American Kirsten Kasper mounted a spectacular late-race comeback to capture the women’s title and maximum Experience Oman IRONMAN Pro Series points on a warm and windy day in Idaho’s capital city. The event showcased a deep international professional field and welcomed thousands of athletes to one of the newest stops on the IRONMAN Pro Series circuit.

Women’s Race

The women’s professional race produced one of the day’s most exciting storylines as American Olympian Kirsten Kasper battled back from a deficit after the bike leg, to earn victory in dramatic fashion. The race began with New Zealand’s Rebecca Clarke leading the swim in 25:41, with Kasper, Belgium’s Hanne de Vet, American Jenna Campbell, and fellow Kiwi Hannah Berry all exiting the water among the lead group.

On the bike, De Vet delivered an aggressive performance and steadily built her advantage throughout the 90-kilometer course. The Belgian entered T2 with a lead of more than two minutes over Berry, while Kasper started the run in third position, facing a deficit of just over five minutes to the race leader. With De Vet looking increasingly in control, the race appeared destined to belong to the Belgian.

However, Kasper unleashed the fastest run of the day, methodically closing the gap. By the halfway point of the run course, De Vet’s lead had shrunk dramatically as both Berry and Kasper surged forward. With approximately six kilometers remaining, the leading trio converged, setting the stage for a thrilling finish. Kasper’s momentum proved unstoppable as she powered past her rivals and crossed the finish line first in 4:00:50. Berry claimed second in 4:02:05, while De Vet held on for third place in 4:03:29 after leading much of the race.

“My goal was to have a good swim and hopefully get some time on the girls, but they were right there with me,” said Kasper after her victory. Then on the bike, it was a solo ride most of the day. I knew I was going to give up some time, but just tried to not give up too much time. And on the run, I just went to my race plan and chipped away at it. I’m just ecstatic to come away with the win.”

When asked if she felt suited for middle distance racing after only her third IRONMAN 70.3 race, Kasper added, “Yeah, it still feels long. About 80K into the bike I was ready to get off. But I come from a run background so I actually love being able to race the half marathon and see how fast I can go.”

Men’s Race

On the men’s side, Sam Long delivered another trademark performance, overcoming a sizeable swim deficit before taking complete control of the race. Switzerland’s Ben Faeh exited the water first in 23:34, with France’s Vincent Luis close behind. Long, known for his bike-run strength, began the day in 20th position, trailing the leaders by 2 minutes and 32 seconds after the swim.

Long quickly set about erasing the deficit once on the bike. Within the opening 17 kilometers, he had already moved into fourth place and cut the gap to little more than a minute. Continuing his relentless charge through the field, Long surged into the lead and steadily increased his advantage. By the second transition, he had opened more than three minutes on Faeh, while Luis began the run over four minutes behind.

The American remained untouchable over the final 13.1 miles, extending his lead throughout the run and never giving his challengers an opportunity to respond. Long stopped the clock in an impressive 3:32:25 to secure victory. Behind him, Ari Klau produced a strong all-around performance to take second place in 3:37:21, while Blake Harris rounded out the podium in 3:37:52. Early contenders Vincent Luis and Ben Faeh ultimately slipped to a very close fourth and fifth, as Long’s dominant display reinforced his position as one of the sport’s premier middle-distance athletes.

“I called (today’s race) the game of revenge, but it was truthfully revenge for myself. I just haven’t shown what I am truly capable of lately,” said Long who was asked how he performed so well without a bike computer during the race. “IRONMAN’s tag line is Anything is Possible, and sometimes I feel like we put our own limits on ourselves. This is win number 22 of my professional career so I have confidence when I say to myself, I know what I am doing. Today’s race was a bit about trusting myself, trusting my body, and knowing I had what it takes to get it down. Hats off to all the other guys out there. I’m really proud to race such tough field.”

Top Five Male Professional Results

Top Five Female Professional Results

Full results for the 2026 IRONMAN 70.3 Boise triathlon can be found at www.ironman.com/races/im703-boise/results.

IRONMAN Pro Series Standings    

The Experience Oman IRONMAN Pro Series is a year-long performance-based triathlon race series with professional triathletes being able to earn points at 16 races globally. Open to approximately 1,000 eligible professional triathletes worldwide, the Experience Oman IRONMAN Pro Series ushers in a new era of IRONMAN racing where Every Second Matters with every second behind the race winner equating to a point earned or lost. For any athlete, only their top five event results count towards their overall Pro Series points and standing, of which a maximum of three IRONMAN results can be counted. How it works can be found here: www.ironman.com/proseries/about-ironman-pro-series

Following today’s race, the biggest movers in the men’s standings are Matt Hanson, who moved up seven spots into second in the standings, while Vincent Luis jumps seven spots to seventh in the Series. Race champion Sam Long takes a nine-point jump, putting him into the top 10. In the women’s standings, while Grace Thek remains in the top position, Hannah Berry’s second-place result sees her move four places into fifth place in the standings.

Overall IRONMAN Pro Series Standings – Top Five Male (After 12 Events)     

Overall IRONMAN Pro Series Standings – Top Five Female (After 12 Events)     

Next Events Coming Up

Up next in the Experience Oman IRONMAN Pro Series heads to the Swedish shores of Baltic Sea for the first time with the IRONMAN Kalmar-Sweden on August 15.

A free replay of the 2026 IRONMAN 70.3 Boise triathlon is available to international audiences via www.ironman.com/proseries or IRONMAN’s YouTube Page, and on Outside+ for those watching from the United States and Canada.

For more information on the IRONMAN Pro Series, visit www.ironman.com/proseries. Media inquiries may be directed to press@ironman.com.

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About the Experience Oman IRONMAN Pro Series

The Experience Oman IRONMAN^® Pro Series is a year-long performance-based world series that showcases and rewards top professional triathletes as they vie for points and event prize money, on their way to claiming the title of IRONMAN Pro Series champion and a lion’s share of the lucrative $1.7 million USD year-end bonus prize pool.  Along the way, athletes will battle for the prize money offered at each individual IRONMAN Pro Series triathlon, equating to over $2.4 million USD, as well as coveted world championship qualifying slots. Open to approximately 1,100 eligible professional triathletes worldwide, the IRONMAN Pro Series ushers in a new era of IRONMAN racing where Every Second Matters – every second behind the race winner equates to a point earned or lost. Incorporating iconic distances, challenging courses, and stunning destinations, every IRONMAN Pro Series race will be broadcast live and free to a global audience. In 2026, the Experience Oman IRONMAN Pro Series will be contested over 17 events and 16 race locations around the globe, including a combination of six IRONMAN^® and eight IRONMAN^® 70.3^® triathlons, as well as the IRONMAN World Championship^® and IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship triathlons. Beyond the 2026 Experience Oman IRONMAN Pro Series, more than 50 additional global events will feature IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 professional racing fields, offering IRONMAN World Championship qualifying opportunities and over $1.9 million USD in prize money. In total, the professional prize purse for 2026 will exceed $6 million USD, visit www.ironman.com/proseries.

About The IRONMAN Group

The IRONMAN Group is the world’s largest operator of participation sports with a portfolio of brands, events, media, partners, merchandise, and digital platforms operating in over 50 countries worldwide. A global portfolio consisting of hundreds of events includes the IRONMAN^® Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN^® 70.3^® Triathlon Series, 5150^® Triathlon Series, IRONKIDS^®, premier running events including the Rock ‘n’ Roll^® Running Series and City2Surf^®, the UTMB^® World Series of trail running, the Epic Series™ of mountain biking including the Absa Cape Epic^®, and a collection of road cycling and other multisport races. Since the inception of the iconic IRONMAN^® brand and its first event in 1978, millions of athletes have proven that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE^® by crossing finish lines around the world. From its beginnings as a single race among friends in Hawai’i, The IRONMAN Group has become a global sensation and collection of high-growth lifestyle brands that inspire people to unlock their potential in life. For more information, visit www.ironman.com/about/ironman-group.