Vincent Luis and Taylor Knibb won the 2026 IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona on a day defined by two late twists and matching 13th places for Mikel Ugarte and Marta Sánchez.
The World Championship brought the professional men’s and women’s races back together in Hawaiʻi on Saturday 10 October. Spain fielded five professionals and all five completed the 3.8-kilometre swim, 180-kilometre bike and 42.2-kilometre run: Mikel Ugarte, Jordi Montraveta, Antonio Benito, Marta Sánchez and Lara Hernández-Tomé.
Vincent Luis comes through to win on debut
Magnus Ditlev set the pace in the men’s race on the bike and began the marathon in front, but his advantage disappeared in the second half of the run. Vincent Luis progressed steadily, moved into the lead in the closing kilometres and became the first Frenchman to win the IRONMAN world title in Kona.
Luis won in 7:47:27 after a 48:31 swim, a 4:15:42 bike and a 2:38:36 marathon. Gustav Iden was second in 7:49:03 despite serving a three-minute penalty during the bike. American Matthew Marquardt completed the podium in 7:49:59.
Knibb survives an extraordinary finish
Taylor Knibb built much of her winning margin on the bike, which she completed in 4:40:07. The American struggled late in the marathon and Solveig Løvseth passed her, but the Norwegian stopped with less than two kilometres remaining. Knibb reclaimed the lead and won in 8:36:29.
Laura Philipp came back from the swim to take second in 8:39:34, while Julie Derron placed third on her Kona debut in 8:46:25. Fewer than ten minutes separated the podium after a race transformed by its final kilometres.
Mikel Ugarte and Marta Sánchez lead Spain
Mikel Ugarte produced an impressive Kona debut. He left the water in 50:41, covered the 180-kilometre bike in 4:22:31 and ran a 2:45:30 marathon. His 8:04:04 earned 13th place, only three seconds behind Cameron Wurf. Ugarte later explained that his race changed on the return from Hawi, when he began moving through the field.
The result extends Ugarte’s connection with the Canary Islands. In April 2024 he finished third at ANFI Challenge Mogán Gran Canaria in 3:46:36, behind Iestyn Harrett and Kristian Høgenhaug.
Jordi Montraveta finished 18th in 8:11:52. Antonio Benito reached the marathon well placed after a 48:27 swim and a 4:20:05 bike, but lost ground on the run and finished 39th in 8:51:18.
In the women’s race, Marta Sánchez placed 13th in 9:10:25 after a 52:59 swim, 4:54:01 bike and 3:17:18 marathon. Lara Hernández-Tomé completed Spain’s professional presence in 28th place with 9:44:28. All five Spanish professionals reached the finish.
Spanish professional results
- Mikel Ugarte — 13th, 8:04:04
- Jordi Montraveta — 18th, 8:11:52
- Antonio Benito — 39th, 8:51:18
- Marta Sánchez — 13th, 9:10:25
- Lara Hernández-Tomé — 28th, 9:44:28