When Chelsea Sodaro crossed the finish line as champion in Kona last year, she was the first American female pro woman to do so in more than 25 years. The closest an American had come to the top step in nearly a decade was Heather Jackson in 2016, when she took bronze on the Big Island.
But the American women of pro triathlon are blazing a new era, from Sodaro’s rookie Kona win to Taylor Knibb’s dominant back-to-back 70.3 Worlds wins in 2022 and 2023.
While plenty of focus is rightfully on Sodaro and Knibb heading into this year’s Ironman world championship, there are three other American women who have the potential to shock the triathlon community next weekend: Skye Moench, Jocelyn McCauley and Sarah True.
Here's why they're ones to watch…
Skye Moench
Skye Moench hails from Utah where she was originally an accountant before turning pro in 2016 and having two breakout races in 2019: a win at Ironman Frankfurt and then at 70.3 Boulder.
Four years later, Moench is ranked 16th in the Professional Triathletes Organization (PTO) World Rankings, with her two particular strengths being a strong bike and quick run.
Moench was ready to make her Kona debut in 2019, but was involved in a season-altering bike crash just weeks before the World Championship. Then came the pandemic and further delayment of Kona.
It wasn't until 2022 that Moench got to test her strengths on the Queen K, where she finished ninth and second American.
This year, Moench has had a slew of consistently formidable results, including a second place at 70.3 St. George, another silver at Ironman Frankfurt, and a fifth place at 70.3 Chattanooga.
Unlike many pros who opted to arrive on the Big Island more than a month in advance of the race, Moench stayed close to home to dial in her championship preparation.
Although Moench may not be among the first out of the water, her track record of robust bike and run splits could see her edge her way into the top five or even top three overall women this year.
Jocelyn McCauley
Jocelyn McCauley is another American from the 'Mountain West' and resides with her husband and two daughters in Idaho. McCauley had a heartbreaking end to the 2022 World Championships when she had to pull out of the race late into the run due to a leg injury.
This year, McCauley has gone all in on preparations for the World Championship, arriving in Kona more than a month beforehand to “find enjoyment in all the island has to offer: the wind, the heat, the humidity – to find love for all of it,” McCauley shares with 220 from her homestay in Kona.
The American, who is ranked 28th in the PTO World Rankings, had a stellar performance at Ironman Texas in April 2023 and came away from the day as the third pro woman.
Since then, McCauley has continued to work on regaining her strength after a surgery to address a torn hip labrum and a hernia. Despite that rehab, McCauley is ready to fully compete come the big day.
“I am going to do exactly what I tell my daughter to do at gymnastics: try your hardest, do your best, smile, and have lots of fun,” McCauley says.
“All that being said, though, I think this year, we’ll see the swim matter a lot more with some strong women like Lucy Charles-Barclay, Taylor Knibb, and Fenella Langridge leading the charge… I’m hoping to come off the bike in the top five and demonstrate what a good runner I am, which is something I haven’t been able to execute since the birth of my second daughter last year.”
Racing in Kona this year is extra-special for McCauley as she will not be able to race in Nice next year due to religious exemptions from racing on Sundays.
“I’m trying not to think about [not racing the World Championship next year] too much right now,” McCauley says. “I want to be present for this year’s World Championship, and I’m focused on that. I have plenty of other goals I want to achieve next year that I’m just as excited about.”
McCauley has wowed in the past with a wicked bike and fierce run - can she make both work in her favor this year? Only time will tell.
Sarah True
Compatriot Sarah True has been in the professional triathlon game for a long time; the New Hampshirite and mom to tot son Haakon had a standout career as a draft-legal triathlon Olympian and has now made her mark on the non-drafting long-course segment of the sport.
True found success in Hawai’i in 2018 when she finished fourth, but then faced two DNFs on the Big Island in 2019 and 2022 – last year, True was already under the weather upon arriving in Kona and was unable to recover fast enough to compete.
Despite last year’s DNF, True has had a strong slew of races since then, with a victory at 2022 Ironman Arizona and 2023 Ironman Frankfurt.
True, who is ranked 17th in the PTO World Rankings, is a well-balanced athlete who can be at the top of the field across the swim, bike or run. On top of her prowess in the sport, the American is balancing not only motherhood with triathlon, but also a doctorate degree in clinical psychology.
“I feel as though my Kona build has far more in common with the average amateur athlete than my professional peers,” True says after arriving in Kona.
“I’ve had to squeeze in workouts when possible. While I have less time and energy than would be ideal for a Kona build, I’m healthy and feeling pretty strong right now.
"[But] I can’t control what anyone else does out there – [I can only control] my own effort. I would love to cross the finish line knowing that the day represented my hard work and I got everything possible out of myself.”
These three American women are all capable of fantastic days at the World Championship, but it all comes down to managing what Madam Pele gives athletes to work with on the day – heat, wind, humidity, rain or all of the above.
But above all, there's a level of excitement from the pros about showcasing the pro women in a standalone race.
“I hope that having a women’s only Kona allows the women’s racing to shine,” True shares. “The American women are certainly strong right now.
"Kona is special because of its rich history; when you are riding along the Queen K or running in the Energy Lab, it’s hard not to reflect on how many incredible women before us raced on the same course. It’s truly awe-inspiring.”
Top image credit: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
