Knibb, Blummenfelt Win Oceanside Ironman 70.3

TDT | Manama

Email : hussainm@newsofbahrain.com

Sun-drenched Oceanside, California, USA, hosted a memorable Sunday for Bahrain Victorious 13. Taylor Knibb delivered a standout performance in the women’s race, while former Bahrain Victorious star Kristian Blummenfelt dominated the men’s event.

Knibb extended her 2026 winning streak representing the Kingdom. She finished the 1.9 km swim just behind Brazil’s Vittoria Lopes in 23:29 but quickly hit her stride on the 90 km bike leg, completing it in 2:15:27 – smashing her previous record of 2:18:00 and building a strong lead for the 21.1 km run. She crossed the line in 4:01:39, nearly five minutes faster than her prior best, finishing almost two minutes ahead of Norway’s Solveig Lovseth, with France’s Audrey Merle in third. The victory earned her 2,500 Pro Series points and $7,500, jumping 18 places to 11th on the leaderboard.

“Every race is fun when you win,” Knibb said. “The first 16 kilometers went well, but the last part tested me. Sometimes you just have to go for it.”

Blummenfelt, Olympic champion and former Bahrain Victorious 13 member, started outside the top 15 after the swim but steadily gained ground on the bike. In the half marathon, he launched a decisive surge in the final 2.5 kilometers, overtaking Sam Long and Jonas Schomburg to finish in 3:40:08 – his second straight 70.3 win following Geelong six days earlier.

“I really had to work today,” Blummenfelt said. “I felt strong on the run, but I still had two minutes to Jonas and Sam. I passed them with 2.5 kilometers to go and barely made it.”

With victories in Oceanside, both athletes now turn their focus to Ironman Texas on April 18, aiming to continue their early-season dominance. Their performances highlight the depth and competitive spirit of Bahrain Victorious 13 and its alumni, signaling a strong season ahead.