The 2026 IRONMAN® 70.3® Pennsylvania Happy Valley North American Championship delivered a thrilling day of elite competition in central Pennsylvania, as American Trevor Foley and Canadian Paula Findlay captured North American Championship titles and maximum Experience Oman IRONMAN Pro Series points against a deep field of global talent.
Held in and around State College, the race brought together top professional triathletes and more than 1,700 age-group athletes. Marking its first visit to central Pennsylvania, the Experience Oman IRONMAN Pro Series further elevated the event’s status as one of North America’s premier triathlon competitions. Set against the rolling terrain of Happy Valley and finishing on alongside iconic Beaver Stadium on the campus of Penn State University, the demanding course tested athletes across all three disciplines, reinforcing State College as a challenging and worthy host of the IRONMAN 70.3 North American Championship.
Men’s Race
The men’s race unfolded as one of the most dramatic contests of the 2026 season, highlighted by a head-to-head run battle between Trevor Foley (USA) and Sam Long (USA). On a course that rewards strength and resilience, particularly across its rolling bike terrain and sustained run effort, both athletes showcased their ability to overcome early deficits. After exiting the swim well back in the field, they surged forward on the bike, steadily closing the gap to the race leaders while navigating the challenging profile of the Happy Valley course. It was Matthew Marquardt (USA) who reached T2 first, but Long, who had a 29 second deficit off the bike, took less than five minutes to close the gap. He was soon joined at the front by a fast-charging Foley.
The duo ran stride-for-stride through much of the half marathon, exchanging the lead multiple times in front of a packed spectator crowd. In the closing stages, Foley made a decisive move, pulling away in the final kilometers to secure the victory, his second overall win of the season and his first victory over Long in their professional careers.
Foley’s late move proved decisive and he crossed the line in a winning time of 3:42:25. Long finishing second and Jason West (USA), a Penn State graduate, rounding out the podium after an impressive charge through the field.
Women’s Race
The women’s race showcased a dominant and controlled performance from Paula Findlay (CAN), who put together a near-flawless day to secure her first victory of the 2026 season.
A strong swim positioned Findlay at the front early, setting the tone for what would become a commanding performance on one of the more demanding courses on the circuit. She powered through the rolling bike course with a race-best split, taking full advantage of the terrain to build a lead of more than three minutes heading into T2.
From there, Findlay remained in complete control, handling the 13.1-mile run with composure and consistency. On a course that rewards steady pacing and strength over speed, she extended her advantage mile by mile, racing unchallenged all the way to the finish line.
Findlay secured the North American Championship title with authority, stopping the clock with a 4:08 margin over Lydia Russell (USA), the returning champion in Happy Valley. The performances further underscored Findlay’s dominance on the day while also reinforcing Happy Valley as a course that rewards complete, well-executed performances across all three disciplines. Six minutes behind Russell, Australia’s Grace Thek who would complete the podium with a strong 1:22 half marathon run.
“Man, I feel amazing! (I’m on an) absolute heater this year,” said Foley on the finish line. “I think when you start winning, you start carrying this momentum. Everything is about momentum and I have a lot of good momentum right now. I am on cloud nine.
When asked how he kept up the momentum on the run, Foley stated: “I kept hitting the aid stations hard, and I kinda got a really nice second wind with about 5k to go. I told myself I was going to put my foot to the floor and see what happens. I have been smashing the run training, so I felt like all that training came through those last 15 minutes.
“It’s relieving, but I am also so happy,” said Findlay after her dominant win. “It’s been a rough stretch that I have had over the past six months, so to feel a bit more like myself was fun. These courses suit me. This course was maybe even better that St. George last year. I really loved the bike course a lot. I just rode really hard and that was what made the difference.”
Top Five Male Professional Results
| Pos |
Name |
Swim |
Bike |
Run |
Total Time |
Pro Series Points (unofficial) |
Prize Money |
| 1 |
Trevor Foley (USA) |
25:42 |
2:03:26 |
1:09:50 |
3:42:25 |
2,500 |
$7,500 |
| 2 |
Sam Long (USA) |
26:23 |
2:02:57 |
1:11:14 |
3:43:35 |
2,430 |
$5,000 |
| 3 |
Jason West (USA) |
24:20 |
2:06:57 |
1:10:11 |
3:44:38 |
2,367 |
$3,500 |
| 4 |
Matthew Marquardt (USA) |
24:14 |
2:04:28 |
1:13:54 |
3:46:02 |
2,283 |
$2,500 |
| 5 |
Marc Dubrick (USA) |
23:19 |
2:06:12 |
1:14:15 |
3:47:02 |
2,223 |
$2,000 |
Top Five Female Professional Results
| Pos |
Name |
Swim |
Bike |
Run |
Total Time |
Pro Series Points (unofficial) |
Prize Money |
| 1 |
Paula Findlay (CAN) |
27:04 |
2:19:11 |
1:23:45 |
4:14:02 |
2,500 |
$7,500 |
| 2 |
Lydia Russell (USA) |
28:00 |
2:26:44 |
1:19:05 |
4:18:10 |
2,252 |
$5,000 |
| 3 |
Grace Thek (AUS) |
27:07 |
02:27:13 |
1:22:26 |
4:20:36 |
2,106 |
$3,500 |
| 4 |
Grace Alexander (USA) |
26:03 |
02:23:16 |
1:27:24 |
4:20:53 |
2,089 |
$2,500 |
| 5 |
Hannah Berry (NZL) |
27:05 |
02:24:44 |
1:25:05 |
4:21:13 |
2,069 |
$2,000 |
Full results for the 2026 IRONMAN 70.3 Pennsylvania Happy Valley North American Championship can be found at: www.ironman.com/races/im703-pennsylvania/results
IRONMAN Pro Series Standings
The Experience Oman IRONMAN Pro Series is a year-long performance-based triathlon race series with professional triathletes being able to earn points at 16 races globally. Open to approximately 1,000 eligible professional triathletes worldwide, the Experience Oman IRONMAN Pro Series ushers in a new era of IRONMAN racing where Every Second Matters with every second behind the race winner equating to a point earned or lost. For any athlete, only their top five event results count towards their overall Pro Series points and standing, of which a maximum of three IRONMAN results can be counted. How it works can be found here: www.ironman.com/proseries/about-ironman-pro-series
Following today’s race, the biggest movers in the men’s standings are Long, who moved up four spots to sit in third, and Foley, who jumps six spots to sixth thanks to his two perfect scores. In the women’s standings, Hannah Berry’s fifth-place finish moves her into second place, with Grace Thek now sitting in third after an impressive run of four top-five finishes so far.
Overall IRONMAN Pro Series Standings – Top Five Male (After Seven Events)
| Rank???? |
Name (Country)? |
Total IRONMAN Pro Series Points (Max Top 5 events) |
Total Eligible Races Scored |
Eligible IRONMAN Races Scored |
Eligible IRONMAN 70.3 Races Scored |
| 1???? |
Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR) |
14,142 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
| 2??? |
Matt Hanson (USA) |
10,814 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 3 |
Sam Long (USA) |
8,697 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
| 4 |
Rudy Von Berg (USA) |
8,543 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
| 5 |
Ben Kanute (USA) |
8,155 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
Overall IRONMAN Pro Series Standings – Top Five Female (After Seven Events)
| Rank???? |
Name (Country)? |
Total IRONMAN Pro Series Points (Max Top 5 events) |
Total Eligible Races Scored |
Eligible IRONMAN Races Scored |
Eligible IRONMAN 70.3 Races Scored |
| 1???? |
Solveig Løvseth (NOR) |
12,385 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 2??? |
Hannah Berry (NZL) |
9,734 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
| 3 |
Grace Thek (AUS) |
9,472 |
4 |
1 |
3 |
| 4 |
Lotte Wilms (NLD) |
8,511 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
| 5 |
Tamara Jewett (CAN) |
8,226 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
Full IRONMAN Pro Series standings can be found at www.ironman.com/proseries.
Next Events Coming Up
The Experience Oman IRONMAN Pro Series heads to Denmark with the IRONMAN 70.3 Elsinore on June 21.
For more information on the IRONMAN Pro Series, visit www.ironman.com/proseries. Media inquiries may be directed to press@ironman.com.
A free replay of the 2026 IRONMAN 70.3 Pennsylvania Happy Valley North American Championship is available to international audiences via www.ironman.com/proseries or IRONMAN’s YouTube Page, and on Outside+ for those watching from the United States and Canada.
For more information on the IRONMAN Pro Series, visit www.ironman.com/proseries.