In his own words, Braden Currie feels like he’s trending nicely towards his main 2025 objective, September’s Ironman World Championships in Nice.
The Wanaka 38-year-old is up to 5th in the Ironman Pro Series standings after adding 10th place at Sunday’s Oceanside 70.3 10th to his season opening 7th at 70.3 Geelong.
Lionel Sanders rolled back the years to win California in 3:47:01. The 37-year-old Canadian, who recently revealed he is pre-diabetic, won by 41sec from American Rudy von Berg with Gustav Iden third a further 24sec adrift.
Iden’s Norwegian compatriot Kristian Blummenfelt had moved to the front on the bike only to tumble to 55th after losing more than 14 minutes sorting a puncture. Big Blu showed what might have been with a course record 1:07:19 half marathon to climb back to 15th and underscore his ominous early-season form.
Currie stopped the clock in 3:55:09, closing with a 1:14:10 half marathon.
“Plenty to happy about. 10th place overall. 4th in the Ironman Series standings so far [ed: Ironman lists the Kiwi as 5th overall]. Three Ironmans left to go,” he said.
Currie who will chase a 4th Ironman Cairns victory in June and look to atone for his 2024 DNF at Lake Placid the following month in the countdown to the worlds.
All roads lead to Nice for Currie who has been beset by bad luck and world championship disappointments ever since he finished 3rd at the delayed 2021 worlds, shifted from Kona to Utah and raced in May 2022 due to the pandemic. The world No.46 believes he can recapture glories past, and especially on return to the mountainous Nice course where he was a frustrated 16th at the 2023 worlds.
Currie is happy to have started the new campaign positively.
“When you turn up to any race after travel [the] 1st goal is that I get the chance to race.
2nd – that nothing that happens that is out of my control during the race. 3rd up – that I get the result I deserve on the day,” Currie wrote on social media.
“I’m happy to have pulled off all three things in the last two races. I’m easing into this year after having a summer off and I feel good, healthy, inspired and committed to the process.”
Currie is returning home to Wanaka and will refresh with a “trip into the hills” before leaning into his full ironman training. The performance of fellow Kiwis Hannah Berry and Hayden Wilde, 4th and 1st respectively on debut at T100 Singapore, will further fuel Currie’s determination.
“Thanks for all the support and a big shout out to @dr_hannah_wells and @hayden_wilde for some incredible results in Singapore over the weekend.”
Paula Findlay(4:16:50) won the women’s race at Oceanside from American duo Jacqui Hering (4:17:09) and Danielle Lewis (4:18:18).
Germany’s Anne Reischmann remains top of the women’s IMPS standings following victory at Ironman South Africa.
Currie is 5th in the men’s standings behind Magnus Ditlev (DEN), Aussie Jake Birthwhistle, Marten Van Riel (BEL) and German Jonas Schomburg.
The Kiwi finished 9th overall in 2024, with $35,000 (NZ$63k) in race and bonus earnings.
