London, UK: Kyle Smith’s dominant wire-to-wire win on home soil at Challenge Wanaka and India Lee’s breakthrough triumph in the opening T100 race of the season at CLASH Endurance Miami secured them the vote for the PTO Athlete of the Month in February and March respectively.

Smith has now won 3 of his last 4 races, which has helped secure him a wildcard start at next week’s Singapore T100 (13-14 April) and a chance to test himself against the very best in the world.

The flying Kiwi beat off hot competition in February from Chelsea Sodaro – also a winner down under at the Ironman 70.3 Tasmania; Australia’s Nick Thompson, who won the men’s 70.3 Tasmania race in just his second season of long course racing; and Holland’s Els Visser, who also romped to victory at Challenge Wanaka, beating the field by over 8 minutes.

A panel of triathlon media that includes Global Triathlon Network (GTN), Triathlete, Triathlon Magazine & Tri-Mag.de vote on their 1,2,3 from a four-athlete shortlist – awarding 3 points for #1, 2 pts for #2 and 1 pt for #3 – with triathlon fans also voting via the T100 social handles. Smith polled 11 points, Sodaro 10, Thompson 5 and Visser 4.

Describing his Challenge Wanaka success as his ‘best performance ever’, Kyle also used the win to set out his ambitions for the rest of the season.

“It all came together in Wanaka, to deliver a career best performance,” he explained.  “I was so happy to be able to do this on one of the most beautiful and brutal race courses I’ve ever raced on.  It’s been a great summer of training here in New Zealand and I can’t wait to take this new found form back overseas for the rest of 2024, starting in Singapore.” Speaking in his post race debrief video, he finished with a message to his supporters: “I feel like I’ve got the wind in my sails now so come along for the ride.”

Sitting down with podcaster and T100 commentator Jack Kelly the day after her win in Miami, March’s PTO Athlete of the Month, India Lee, talked about how she ‘didn’t think I couldn’t win it, but wasn’t expecting to win’ at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. And looking ahead to the Singapore T100 on 13-14 April, she said that the Miami win had: ‘given me a lot of confidence and means I’ll be dreaming of more success but that doesn’t mean I’ll achieve it.’ Now we know how good she is in the heat, there will be many who are backing the Brit for another podium finish on the hot and humid Marina Bay course, which will host its second PTO professional race weekend, that also includes a 100km for experienced amateurs around the same course as well as two duathlons and a 5km music run.

India was a clear winner for March, picking up 15 points, with Dane Magnus Ditlev second on 9 points and Sam Long third on 6 points – having come first and second in the men’s Miami T100. With Aussie Ellie Salthouse fourth after her victory in the Ironman 70.3 Geelong.

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Anthony Scammell E: [email protected]

About the Professional Triathletes Organisation

The PTO is a sports body that is co-owned by its professional athletes, seeking to elevate and grow the sport of triathlon and take it to the next level. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is the new name for the PTO Tour and has been designated by World Triathlon as the ‘official World Championship for long distance triathlon’. It will be a season-long schedule of eight T100 races during 2024 that will be competed over 100km (2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run) and will feature the world’s best triathletes going head-to-head in Miami (9 March), Singapore (13-14 April), San Francisco (8-9 June), London (27-28 July), Ibiza (28-29 September), Lake Las Vegas (19-20 October), Dubai (16-17 November) and at the Grand Final (29-30 November). There will be racing opportunities for amateurs at all the events, including the new 100km distance at six stages, including: Singapore, London, Ibiza, Lake Las Vegas, Dubai and at the Grand Final. The broadcast will show the races live around the world in 195+ territories, courtesy of the PTO’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery as well as a range of other international, regional and local broadcasters.