Ellie Salthouse Photo: Challenge Sir Bani Yas
Australia’s Ellie Salthouse has won 27 half-distance races since turning her sights to longer-distance racing in 2016. That career has seen her earn three top-10 finishes at the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships, but a podium finish at the worlds has been an elusive goal.
Last year Salthouse “only” added one more title to that impressive resume (she won 70.3 Sunshine Coast), but enjoyed a great season on the T100 front, with three top-five finishes, including a fourth at the championship final in Qatar.
We caught up with Salthouse on Friday, the day before she would start her 2026 season at the Challenge Sir Bani Yas triathlon. After pushing the pace at the front for about 60 km of the bike, Salthouse would find herself chasing eventual champ Katrine Græsbøll Christensen into T2, then get passed by her countrywoman Natalie Van Coevorden on the run, finishing third.
Slowtwitch: Where does this race sit for you in the season? You’re in Australia, so in theory we’re in the middle of your race season, but because you race so much internationally, I don’t think that’s the case.
Ellie Salthouse: Yeah, I actually just came off my off-season. I took three weeks completely off and I’m about three weeks back into training now. So, this is a very early-season rust buster, but we’ll see how we go. Hopefully I’m fresh and ready to race.
How would you classify last year? I thought it was pretty awesome, but where does it sit on the Ellie Salthouse report card?
It started off a bit rocky with knee surgery in February, which was a hard pill to swallow at the beginning of the year. I wasn’t sure when I’d be back racing, but luckily I was able to get back out there in June. From there, I built slowly from June through to December and ended up with two fourth places at T100 events—one of those being the Grand Final—and a fifth place as well. In the scheme of things, it was a huge year and I was really excited with the results, and I’m looking forward to building on that again this year.
What exactly was the knee surgery—was it a meniscus issue or something else?
I had a piece of missing cartilage behind the patella that was caused by an overextension when I slipped on wet paint during a race back in September the year before. They had to go in and remove the fragments that were floating around in there, and then scrape the bone to promote new fibrous growth. It’s good as new now.
So what does 2026 look like? You’re here at a Challenge “rust buster” event, but are we looking at more T100s, 70.3s, or a mix?
Yeah, I’m definitely looking at doing the T100 events—I’ll do four of those. Then I’ll do 70.3 world champs, and I’m looking at doing a couple of 70.3s as well. I think Boise and maybe Western Sydney while I’m still in Australia. And then hopefully the (Challenge) Championship, if I qualify from here, will be on the schedule in May. So yeah, I think it’s going to be another big year, ending around the middle of December.
Ellie Salthouse @ T100 London 2025. Photo: Kevin Mackinnon
How much time will you be spending overseas versus at home? Are you still spending a fair bit of time in the US and Europe, or mostly in Australia?
We’ll be in Australia for about six months, basically until July. I’ll just do small trips—like to Samorin for the Championship—and then back to Australia. With the first T100 for women being in Australia as well, it makes a big difference. So we won’t really leave for the year until July, and then we’ll pretty much be on the road from July until mid-December.
That’s a long stretch.
Yeah, we actually book a round-the-world ticket. We basically go to the US first, then Europe and the Middle East, and then back home.
Looking ahead, what would make 2026 an even better year than the ones you’ve had?
A podium at a world championship event would be huge for me. I haven’t managed to do that yet. I got fourth in Qatar last year in a world championship series field, and that really showed me I belonged at that level. A podium against that caliber of athletes—some of the best in the world—would be massive and would really cement my position among the best.
The T100 is an interesting space, though. There’s a world championship series and big money, but it’s different from a one-day worlds. Would you rather take third overall in the T100 series or third at something like Marbella?
I’ll take both. But, honestly, 70.3 Worlds still holds a lot of prestige for me. It’s a one-off, single-day event that crowns a world champion. A podium there would be huge. That’s always been my big goal—to be a world champion. The T100 season-long format is really cool and rewards consistency, which I like, but at the end of the day it’s not a single race. For me, my heart still lies with the 70.3 distance, and I’d love to podium there.
Is there a real chance we see you at a full distance at some point?
Yeah, I think in 2027 I’ll do an Ironman. I always said I would never do one, but I’m kind of curious now. I feel like I’ve got one more really solid year in the T100 to give that a proper crack, and then I’d like to try the full distance and see if I like it. If I don’t, I’ll stick with middle distance and T100. But I don’t want to end my career without knowing how I go or whether I enjoy it.
You were pretty firmly in the “never” camp before, though.
That was me—up until probably last year. But, I also said I’d never do middle distance, and now here we are. It’s my job.
Salthouse wins the Husky Triathlon in Australia in 2024.
When you look back at your career—from those early races to now—is it hard to believe where you are?
Yeah, absolutely. I look back on my whole career and it’s such a highlight. From racing at 11 years old, turning pro at 17, switching to middle distance in 2016, and everything since—it’s really cool to see the progression. I’m proud of the wins, the podiums and even just the experiences. Now I’m one of the older athletes, and the dynamic has flipped—there are younger athletes coming through who look up to me. That’s pretty special.
You’ve often been right on the edge—fourths, top-five finishes, knocking on the door at some of the major events. What will it take for you to achieve that goal of a podium at a world championship?
Last year was huge for me mentally. Finishing fourth in Qatar against that caliber of field made me realize I really belong at that level. Now I approach races differently—I race to win instead of being defensive. I see myself as someone others need to beat. That mental shift has been really big for me.
What finally made that switch happen?
Time. People told me for years that I was at that level, but I didn’t believe it myself. I needed the time and the experiences to get there. Now my mental game finally matches my physical game, and that’s where it gets dangerous.
Is there a bit of pressure that comes with that—almost a “no excuses now” feeling?
Yeah, definitely. The time is now. I’m nearly 33, I’m coming into my prime, and I’ve got 16 years of racing under my belt. I’ve got nothing to lose. I love the sport, I live and breathe triathlon, and as long as I’m enjoying it, staying relevant, and performing well, I’ll keep doing it for as long as I can.