IM Pro Series 2025

Not Iden for the pro series. Iden may well recover his mojo in time for one or both of the WCs, but I suspect that he won’t be 100% all year to be able to snag the pro series title.

Blu on the other hand will absolutely be gunning for it from the first race

Ya, I’m thinking Iden or Blu will win Frankfurt. Maybe Lange finally makes a show of it.

I actually think the Europeans will show up at SA vs Texas. Laidlow will also be there and I think it will be quite competitive, probably on par vs Texas

Hanson (who was #5 in last year’s Series) shares his IM Pro Series races (on his yt channel):

  • IMSA (30 March)
  • Texas (26 April, only 4 weeks later)
  • 70.3 St George (10 May, this time two weeks on)
  • 70.3 Eagleman, maybe (depends how first three go)
  • Race #5?

I guess Hanson is not sure whether he might gain more points in IMLP rather than in the IMWC (Nice, with all guns firing there and needs time (away from USA) for getting Nice bike course capable). If he races as well as he did this year in the IMWC he should plan to race Nice.
Same for judging whether Marbella trip is worth it: probably not: his #15 in Taupo did not count for him, and the bike course is scenic.
Those first three races sure look concentrated and ‘early’ in the season (given the late 2024 finish in Taupo). He raced 8 IM Pro Series races last year.

With everyone revealing their race schedules , wonder if more folks might be thinking of making a trip down under to Cairns? Never a popular race with the pros so those who are looking for points and some cash should consider it

Oceanside is full! (Pro entries have closed)
I wonder what field limits they are working to. 70/50?
Last year MPro 70 started from iirc >80 entered and 63 finished, of whom 9 took over 4:28:04 (so zero IM Pro Series points) (all ‘home’ Pros).
Last year WPro 31 started from iirc 40 entered and 28 finished. Knibb was clear of #2 by 11 minutes. I assume she’ll not race this year (since T100 Singapore is a week before) but she may as Singapore is an ‘attend the opening T100 Tour race’ requirement, no actual need to race. IM Texas later that month is the North American Champs and I am guessing Knibb will race that to earn her IMWC start slot before the T100 season heats up, going up against Matthews et al in the process.

You really think she would show up to the start line and not race it to win?? What in her history would ever lead you to believe such a thing is possible??

No, I’m saying that (source Findlay at or after Taupo iirc) the contract requires athletes to attend Singapore, but don’t have to race ie not even start (if it doesn’t fit). There are plenty of regular season races for athletes to race at least the four they need (both contracted and that’s the number to score, pre-GF).

As it is now part of the series there will no doubt be a much larger, higher ranked pro field.

Cairns was an IM Pro Series race last year. But this year Frankfurt is in June (29th) so a direct alternative.
Has any top #40 athlete said they plan to race Cairns? Till then . . .

Berry and Burton won last year (SOF= 79 and 83). Berry went on to #4 overall with her 5000 points and #2 Wilms was on the IM Pro Series 2024 podium. That was Burton’s one and only excellent result of 2024.
https://www.trirating.com/ironman-cairns-2024-analyzing-results/
Thorsten says: “This year’s conditions were among the fastest there have ever been in Cairns, about seven minutes quicker than the long term average. This may have contributed to new course records set by winner Matt Burton. He improved almost ten minutes on Cameron Wurf’s bike course record from 2017 and about five minutes on the overall course record set last year by Braden Currie [who was #2].”

Think Skipper and Barnaby showed up at Cairns last year but I don’t think they featured. I am sure they both had the same train of thought , easier competition, stronger podium potential

Cairns has never attracted a big international crowd but it’s always been a regional championship or Pro Series. Maybe they should give that to Busselton? Slighter closer to the rest of the world maybe?

You’re right: I had forgotten Barnaby made that trip: lucrative in effect. Every second counted.
And of course before the flip-flop-flip we nearly had Long there, for additional entertainment.

With Geens now Australia based he is headed for Gelong on 23 March.
If anyone thought that 70.3 would be easy IM Pro Series points they will have to recalibrate.
As the champion he already has a start at Marbella. T100 Dubai is looking like a wildcard fest for the men as half the T100 contracted athletes will miss it and race Marbella instead.