“I just haven’t shown what I am truly capable of lately.” Sam Long shows a return to form with a win at Ironman 70.3 Boise, while Kirsten Kasper takes the women’s race
The 2026 IRONMAN 70.3 Boise triathlon delivered thrilling professional racing with memorable performances from many of triathlon’s top talent as American Sam Long powered to a commanding victory in the men’s race. Fellow American Kirsten Kasper mounted a spectacular late-race comeback to capture the women’s title on a warm and windy day in Idaho’s capital city.
What happened in the women’s race?
The race began with New Zealand’s Rebecca Clarke leading the swim in 25:41, with Kasper, Belgium’s Hanne de Vet, American Jenna Campbell, and fellow Kiwi Hannah Berry all exiting the water among the lead group.
On the bike, De Vet delivered an aggressive performance and steadily built her advantage throughout the 90-kilometer course. The Belgian entered T2 with a lead of more than two minutes over Berry, while Kasper started the run in third position, facing a deficit of just over five minutes to the race leader. With De Vet looking increasingly in control, the race appeared destined to belong to the Belgian.
However, Kasper unleashed the fastest run of the day, methodically closing the gap. By the halfway point of the run course, De Vet’s lead had shrunk dramatically as both Berry and Kasper surged forward. With approximately six kilometers remaining, the leading trio converged, setting the stage for a thrilling finish. Kasper’s momentum proved unstoppable as she powered past her rivals and crossed the finish line first in 4:00:50. Berry claimed second in 4:02:05, while De Vet held on for third place in 4:03:29 after leading much of the race.
“My goal was to have a good swim and hopefully get some time on the girls, but they were right there with me,” said Kasper after her victory. Then on the bike, it was a solo ride most of the day. I knew I was going to give up some time, but just tried to not give up too much time. And on the run, I just went to my race plan and chipped away at it. I’m just ecstatic to come away with the win.”
What happened in the men’s race?
On the men’s side, Sam Long delivered another trademark performance, overcoming a sizeable swim deficit before taking complete control of the race. Switzerland’s Ben Faeh exited the water first in 23:34, with France’s Vincent Luis close behind. Long, known for his bike-run strength, began the day in 20th position, trailing the leaders by 2 minutes and 32 seconds after the swim.
Long quickly set about erasing the deficit once on the bike. Within the opening 17 kilometers, he had already moved into fourth place and cut the gap to little more than a minute. Continuing his relentless charge through the field, Long surged into the lead and steadily increased his advantage. By the second transition, he had opened more than three minutes on Faeh, while Luis began the run over four minutes behind.
The American remained untouchable over the final 13.1 miles, extending his lead throughout the run and never giving his challengers an opportunity to respond. Long stopped the clock in an impressive 3:32:25 to secure victory. Behind him, Ari Klau produced a strong all-around performance to take second place in 3:37:21, while Blake Harris rounded out the podium in 3:37:52. Early contenders Vincent Luis and Ben Faeh ultimately slipped to a very close fourth and fifth, as Long’s dominant display reinforced his position as one of the sport’s premier middle-distance athletes.
“I called (today’s race) the game of revenge, but it was truthfully revenge for myself. I just haven’t shown what I am truly capable of lately,” said Long who was asked how he performed so well without a bike computer during the race. “IRONMAN’s tag line is Anything is Possible, and sometimes I feel like we put our own limits on ourselves. This is win number 22 of my professional career so I have confidence when I say to myself, I know what I am doing. Today’s race was a bit about trusting myself, trusting my body, and knowing I had what it takes to get it down. Hats off to all the other guys out there. I’m really proud to race such tough field.”
Lead image: BOISE, IDAHO – JULY 25: Sam Long #2 of the United States poses for a photograph before the swim portion of the 2026 IRONMAN 70.3 Boise on July 25, 2026 in Boise, Idaho. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images for IRONMAN)
Helen Webster
Editor, 220 Triathlon 
