Honourable Mentions
Anne Haug Germany
Despite dealing with injury for much of the year, Germany’s Anne Haug put together a stellar 2019 that culminated with her first Ironman World Championship title in October.
Haug was third in her Kona debut in 2018, and had a strong start to her year with a second-place finish at Ironman 70.3 Dubai in February. Then the former Olympian suffered a tear in her plantar fascia and a stress fracture. The 36-year-old bounced back to win Ironman Copenhagen in August and then became the thirdfastest woman in history on the Big Island, winning in Kona in 8:40:10 thanks to a 2:51 marathon.
Lucy Charles-Barclay Great Britain
Charles-Barclay won the Ironman African Championship, the Challenge Championship, and took Challenge Roth in a full-distance personal best time of 8:31:09, along with fifth at 70.3 Worlds after a controversial drafting penalty. The 26-year-old then led off the bike in Kona, but was caught on the run by Haug, taking second in Kona for the third year in row.—JS
Daniela Ryf Switzerland
Except for one bad day (only her second in the last five years), Daniela Ryf was virtually unbeatable again in 2019. Unfortunately, that bad day came as she tried to win her fifth-straight Ironman World Championship title. Ryf did take her fifth 70.3 world championship in Nice in September, but was sick on race day in Kona. Always a class act, Ryf got to the finish line in 14th place, a tribute to her class as one of the best the sport has ever seen.