Nathalia triathlete Regan Hollioake gears up for a shot at Ironman New Zealand

By Liam Nash

Feb 27, 2025

Nathalia's Regan Hollioake has her sights set on a podium finish at this weekend’s Ironman New Zealand event. Photo by Korupt Vision

Regan Hollioake has hopped across the pond to compete in the ultimate endurance race - and though she didn’t have to swim there, she probably could have.

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The Nathalia triathlete is getting ready to rip over land and sea in the Ironman New Zealand event, held in the town of Taupo, more than 2700km from home.

The waters will be familiar for Hollioake, though.

Last year she burst onto the scene during her first full year on the pro circuit, twisting necks with a fourth placing in the Taupo-hosted Ironman New Zealand.

And with the 2025 edition of the event running on Saturday, Hollioake cannot wait to suit up once more and test her mettle against the upper crust of international triathletes over the course of a 3.8km swim, 180km bike ride and 42.2km run.

“I am so thrilled to be back in Taupo,” she said.

“After racing here last year in my first professional Ironman, I couldn’t wait to experience the Taupo community, course, and race vibes again.

“Ironman New Zealand is such a special race on the calendar, steeped in tradition, with an unrivalled atmosphere.

“There is a reason this race has been going for over 40 years. I’ve been looking forward to coming back here for 12 months.”

It’s hard to argue Hollioake’s reasoning for returning.

She literally blew hundreds of competitors out of the water in 2024, finishing with a gun time of 8:59:18 that ranked her 14th out of the total 772 competing athletes, male and female.

Hollioake was less than a minute behind podium getter, American racer Jocelyn McCauley, and only 106 seconds off second placed Els Visser, of the Netherlands.

The result in New Zealand spurred Hollioake onto her maiden professional victory on home soil at Ironman Australia two months later, and she backed that up with another win at Ironman Malaysia in October.

Now, she wants to add her name to the winners’ list at Ironman New Zealand.

“I finished fourth last year in a very tight race for the podium,” she said.

“This year I’d like to go one, or a few, better. I’m a far more confident and experienced athlete this time around and I think I can make an impact at the front of the race against some really speedy ladies.

“I’m hoping for a competitive, fair, and fun race that allows me to get the best out of myself.”

This year, Hollioake is eyeing off the Ironman Pro Series with sights set on races in Geelong, Texas and Cairns as well as Ironman World Championship Hawaii, having secured her place on the start line in Malaysia last year.