Start List Announced: Texas‑Sized Stakes at Hand this April as Momentum Builds for the 2026 Experience Oman IRONMAN Pro Series

April 2, 2026

Start List Announced: Texas‑Sized Stakes at Hand this April as Momentum Builds for the 2026 Experience Oman IRONMAN Pro Series

• The 2026 Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Texas North American Championship triathlon returns to The Woodlands with one of the most exciting and competitive professional fields in the event’s history
• The first full-distance IRONMAN triathlon in North America in the 2026 Experience Oman IRONMAN Pro Series will offer a $175,000 total pro prize purse, a maximum 5,000 IRONMAN Pro Series points and the coveted North American Championship title
• High caliber women’s field will be highlighted by two-time IRONMAN Pro Series Champion and three-time Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Texas Champion Kat Matthews (GBR), three-time IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion Taylor Knibb (USA), and reigning IRONMAN World Champion Solveig Løvseth (NOR)
• World-class men’s field to include the Norwegian trio of IRONMAN World Champions, Kristian Blummenfelt, Gustav Iden, and Casper Stornes, as well as three-time IRONMAN World Champion Patrick Lange (DEU) and two-time IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion Jelle Geens (BEL) making his IRONMAN triathlon debut

THE WOODLANDS, Texas (April 2, 2026) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – The 2026 Memorial Hermann IRONMAN^® Texas North American Championship triathlon will welcome more than 100 professional triathletes to its start line on Saturday, April 18, as one of the most pivotal races of the early season unfolds in The Woodlands, Texas. As the fourth stop on the 2026 Experience Oman IRONMAN Pro Series and the first full‑distance IRONMAN triathlon held in North America this year, the event will offer a $175,000 total professional prize purse, critical Pro Series points, six qualifying slots per gender to the 2026 IRONMAN World Championship^® triathlon in Kona, Hawai`i, and the coveted IRONMAN North American Championship title.

The race will be broadcast live, free for all international audiences across IRONMAN YouTube, ironman.com/proseries, and DAZN, with additional regional live broadcast and highlight shows also available including L’Équipe Live, ESPN (within Disney+), SuperSport, hr-Fernsehen, RTVE, iQIYI, and Outside TV. Broadcast and streaming information can be found at www.ironman.com/proseries/how-to-watch.

The women’s race is led by athletes who have already defined the opening weeks of the 2026 Experience Oman IRONMAN Pro Series, blending championship experience with red‑hot early‑season form. Great Britain’s Kat Matthews arrives in Texas as the two-time and reigning IRONMAN Pro Series champion, three-time and reigning Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Texas champion, and the current leader in the 2026 standings, having already captured two Pro Series victories this season. Matthews has established herself as one of the most complete long‑distance athletes in the sport. Her ability to control races through disciplined pacing and exceptional run strength makes her the athlete every contender will measure themselves against on race day.

Reigning IRONMAN World Champion, Norway’s Solveig Løvseth, opened her season with a strong second place result in the Athletic Brewing IRONMAN^® 70.3^® Oceanside triathlon, placing herself firmly among the top contenders on any start line. Taylor Knibb enters her second Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Texas triathlon carrying significant momentum. Fresh off an impressive win in Oceanside, the three-time IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion, has repeatedly demonstrated her ability to dominate races with her unmatched bike power.

New Zealand’s Hannah Berry brings big-race consistency and extensive experience to the Lone Star State. The 2026 ANZCO Foods IRONMAN New Zealand triathlon runner up and 2025 IRONMAN World Championship triathlon fourth place finisher, has quietly compiled solid results early in the season, keeping herself in contention as the series begins to take shape. Austria’s Lisa Perterer will look to kick off her season-opening campaign in Texas, following a successful 2025 that saw her finish third in the series. Spain’s Marta Sanchez has shown solid early‑season form, finishing in sixth in Oceanside and remains a serious podium threat if she can keep contact with the leaders before the run. Sweden’s Sara Svensk, who also holds a career as a medical doctor, will look to launch her season on a high note in Texas following a good late season second place result at the 2025 IRONMAN Cozumel triathlon.

Americans Jackie Hering and Danielle Lewis round out the top contenders, both with experience and recent success. Hering, the 2024 IRONMAN Pro Series runner up and 2025 Cairns Airport IRONMAN Cairns winner, and Lewis, the 2024 Athletic Brewing IRONMAN Lake Placid winner, have demonstrated their ability to close races strongly and withstand the demands of world class IRONMAN competition.

The men’s professional field in Texas features a staggering concentration of global talent, including multiple IRONMAN World Champions and athletes already shaping the 2026 Experience Oman IRONMAN Pro Series storyline. Similar to Matthews, Kristian Blummenfelt comes to Texas as the reigning IRONMAN Pro Series champion, reigning Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Texas North American Championship winner, and the current leader in the 2026 Pro Series standings fresh off back-to-back IRONMAN 70.3 wins in Geelong and Oceanside. An IRONMAN World Champion, IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion and Olympic gold medalist, Blummenfelt is already reinforcing his reputation as the best in the sport as he enters his fourth straight Pro Series event of the year.

Fellow IRONMAN World Champions Casper Stornes and Gustav Iden head to The Woodlands following solid starts in Oceanside. Reigning IRONMAN World Champion Stornes’ captivating run to secure a podium position in the final miles of the Athletic Brewing IRONMAN 70.3 Oceanside triathlon has primed him to kick off his first full-distance race of the season with confidence. The quartet of Norwegian IRONMAN World Champions, that includes Stornes, Blummenfelt, Iden, and Solveig Løvseth, will head into race day after completing a targeted training block together in Texas conditions.

Three-time IRONMAN World Champion Patrick Lange (DEU) returns to Texas bringing another championship pedigree to the start line in The Woodlands as he looks to win his third IRONMAN Texas title (following wins in 2016 and 2024). Meanwhile, Belgium’s Marten Van Riel will carry strong momentum into the Pro Series this year, translating his success across multiple triathlon formats into competitive IRONMAN performances. With speed, tactical awareness, and durability, Van Riel has already proven he can contend with the very best.

Germany’s Jonas Schomburg has been one of the most visible animators of the early season. Regularly at the front of IRONMAN Pro Series races, Schomburg’s impressive second place finish at the Athletic Brewing IRONMAN 70.3 Oceanside – just 24 seconds off the win – proved he is once again a name to watch

Leading the American charge is Rudy Von Berg (USA), the 2023 IRONMAN Texas Champion, who finished sixth in the 2025 IRONMAN Pro Series, and Sam Long (USA), who narrowly missed out on a podium finish in Oceanside despite his gutsy performance against the stacked competition.

Finally, one of the most intriguing names on the start is Belgium’s Jelle Geens. Stepping up in distance, two-time and reigning IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion Geens will make his IRONMAN triathlon debut in Texas. While untested across the full-distance, the Belgian’s tenacity and run pedigree will ensure he is not one to rule out of contention for the North American Championship title.

Below are the professional start lists, (subject to change):

In addition to the professional field, more than 3,000 age group athletes will compete at the 2026 Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Texas North American Championship triathlon alongside the professionals on the same course, looking to earn age group qualifying slots to the 2026 IRONMAN World Championship triathlon in Kona, Hawai`i on Oct. 10, 2026.

For more information on the 2026 Experience Oman IRONMAN Pro Series visit here.

For more information on the 2026 Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Texas North American Championship triathlon visit www.ironman.com/races/im-texas. To learn more about the IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 brands and series of events, please visit www.ironman.com. Media inquiries may be directed to press@ironman.com.

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About Experience Oman

The Sultanate of Oman is a country of breath-taking natural beauty, interwoven with a kaleidoscope of history and legends. As the oldest independent state in the Arab World, Oman has embraced modernisation and progress while retaining the core aspects of its culture and heritage – making it the perfect travel destination for those seeking an authentic Arabian experience. The Sultanate of Oman is the only country in the world composed mostly of oceanic crust and rocks that originate from the Earth’s mantle. Evidence of continental drift can be witnessed in many of the unusual rock formations and topography around Oman, including the coastline around Muscat. Oman’s culture is deeply rooted in the Sultanate’s proud heritage and history of seafaring, trading and exploration. Today, long-standing traditions blend seamlessly with modern day living, with the latest fashion and electronics brands sold alongside traditional hand-made crafts, jewellery, and even goats and cattle at souqs around the country. Omanis are very welcoming of visitors from other countries, a fact that is reflected in the generous hospitality extended to guests. Welcome to the Sultanate of Oman. https://experienceoman.om/

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.