The pinnacle of the women’s professional long-course season takes place on Sunday (September 22) as the 2024 IRONMAN World Championship in Nice sees the sport’s superstars go head-to-head. As with last year, the women and men race separately, with Nice hosting the women’s race for the first time, just over a month before the men head to Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii. There’s no defending champion Lucy Charles-Barclay – but all the other big hitters line up, including the two who joined her on the podium last year, Anne Haug and Laura Philipp. They are joined by the likes of 2022 champion Chelsea Sodaro as well as Kat Matthews and India Lee, both of whom are in the top 10 in the world and part of a strong British contingent. And they’ll not only take on each other but also an incredibly demanding and exciting course on the French Riviera. We have all bases covered with everything you need to know about the showdown on the Cote d’Azur – including start time, how to watch the race live, a rundown on the stellar field, details of the course and much more. The women’s professional race in Nice will start at 07:15 local time on Sunday September 22 from the Plage des Ponchettes, which corresponds to 06:15 UK time. That is 01:15 on Sunday on the East Coast of the United States or 22:15 PST on Saturday September 21. You can watch the race live right here without leaving TRI247 – just click on the embed below… Live race day coverage will also be broadcast for free across multiple platforms for global viewers including  proseries.ironman.com, DAZN, and YouTube, as well as Outside TV in the U.S. and Canada, L’Équipe in France, and ZDF Online for German viewers. And as ever, the IRONMAN Tracker app on your phone / mobile device, alongside the broadcast coverage, is your essential companion to keep up to date with all of the on-course action. German duo Anne Haug and Laura Philipp made the podium in Hawaii and are among the favourites for the win 11 months on. Haug may be 41 years young but this season saw her rewrite the full-distance record books with a fastest-ever time of 8:02:38 when she won Challenge Roth. Haug already has one IMWC title to her name, earned in 2019, and last year set a new women’s run course best on her way to second place. Philipp has been superbly consistent again – she has never finished lower than fourth in her three previous IMWC attempts – and hasn’t been out of the top four in six races this season. But she has tended to find one or two too good for her, including Haug at Roth. Kat Matthews has twice finished ahead of Philipp too and has won both her completed IRONMAN races in 2024 – Texas and Vitoria-Gasteiz. She has unfinished business with this race too – she was runner-up when the 2021 version was held in St George in 2022 but was a DNF last year in Kona. Matthews is among no fewer than eight British women, including India Lee – who won T100 Miami and defended her title at Challenge’s ‘The Championship’. Those victories have propelled her into #7 in the rankings and this race has always been her big target even though it is her IMWC debut. Other challengers include 2022 IRONMAN World Champion Chelsea Sodaro (USA) – who got back to winning ways earlier this season at both 70.3 Tasmania and IRONMAN New Zealand – and IRONMAN European Champion Jackie Hering (USA). And there will be three French athletes hoping to shine on home roads just as Sam Laidlow did in the men’s race last year – Marjolaine Pierré, Julie Iemmolo, and Jeanne Collonge. The full start list and bib numbers are here. The swim takes place in the shallows of the Mediterranean and starts in the water off the pebble beach of the Plage des Ponchettes. The course is a total of 3,850m, almost in a ‘W’ shape, and runs perpendicular to the famed Promenade des Anglais, with transition situated just off the beach. The bike course is one loop of 180.2km and one of the most spectacular around with a series of climbs and technical descents to negotiate, with a total elevation gain of 2,427m. In contrast the run course is a flat, four-lap affair along the Promenade des Anglais. So all in all very, very different to Kona but the big question is which is tougher? TRI247’s Jenny Lucas-Hill gives her verdict here. For the first time ever, the IRONMAN World Championship will have a key bearing on the season-long IRONMAN Pro Series. Comprising 20 select IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 professional races at 18 events globally, the best five scores count in the battle for the greatest share of the $1.7 million bonus prize purse and the IMWC race in Nice offers a maximum of 6,000 points to the winner, 1,000 more points than the other full-distance IRONMAN triathlons in the series. With only 4,516 points separating current Pro Series leader Jackie Hering from 10th place in the standings, Fenella Langridge, this points premium adds another layer of intrigue on Sunday. And in terms of on-the-day remuneration… For the women’s race in Nice, the total prize purse is $375,000, with the race winner earning $125,000 and the prize pot paying down to 15th position. It’s allocated as follows: 1st – $125,000 2nd – $65,000 3rd – $45,000 4th – $25,000 5th – $20,000 6th – $18,000 7th – $15,000 8th – $13,000 9th – $12,000 10th – $11,000 11th – $8,000 12th – $6,000 13th – $5,000 14th – $4,000 15th – $3,000 With the women’s Ironman World Championship race in Nice, we’re going to have the first big long-course title race of the 2024 season. In previous Ironman World Championship years, the winner of the race was almost always someone with a prior podium finish, with a few notable exceptions: Chrissie Wellington and Chelsea Sodaro who won on debut in 2007 and 2022, respectively. In sticking with the podium trend, we’ll focus on  Anne Haug (second in 2023 and winner in 2019), Laura Philipp (third in 2023), Chelsea Sodaro (winner in 2022), and Kat Matthews (second in 2022). As usual, there’s going to be a deep field (see the full start list here), and a lot of athletes can have a big impact on the race at the Cote d’Azur on September 22. We’ll also look at four athletes with wildcard potential, but of course there’s always someone who pulls out a special performance on race day, so don’t miss the action on  the free livestream (here’s how to watch). There are three athletes who could also have had a big impact on the race, who are unfortunately not going to start in Nice: five-time Ironman World Champion Daniela Ryf decided to end her racing career a bit sooner than planned when an injury retirement year plans; Taylor Knibb who probably would have loved to race the tough, hilly bike course in Nice (and, in fact, told Triathlete she was hoping for a wildcard spot); and reigning Ironman world champion Lucy Charles-Barclay who withdrew less than 24 hours before race day with a muscle strain in her leg. Read what that could mean for race dynamics in our updated preview: How Could Lucy Charles-Barclay’s Withdrawal Change the 2024 Ironman World Championship Dynamic? Can’t get enough Ironman World Championship coverage? Visit our Nice Hub for news, analysis, history, photo galleries, and so much more – new stories added daily from our team on the ground in France. ## Anne Haug 41 years old, Germany Who she is: Every time Anne Haug has raced in the Ironman world championships, she has never finished off the podium. In 2019, she won the title by six minutes after quickly running down an eight-minute T2-deficit to Lucy Charles-Barclay. This year, she set a new record at the Ironman distance with an 8:02 in Roth which included a 2:38 marathon – a new level for female athletes. Why she could win: Haug was able to have great 2024 long-distance races, winning Ironman Lanzarote with a new course record and then also Challenge Roth, running 2:49 and 2:38 marathons. But reducing her to “just a runner” would be too simple (just like reducing Lucy Charles-Barclay to “just a good swimmer”) – both are complete triathletes in all three legs. But Haug has the ability to put major time into almost all of her competitors in the marathon. It’s also no secret that with Charles-Barclay’s withdrawal, less than 24 hours before the race, will be a huge boon to Haug’s chances, as it not only removes a top competitor, but it vastly changes the dynamics of the race. At 41 years old, Haug could become the oldest Ironman world champion, and she’s still trying to get better. For example, she is now working with German open-water swim coach Bernd Berkhahn. (Berkhahn’s athletes have won nine medals at the Olympic Games.) Haug is also able to pace herself extremely well. For example, when Laura Philipp and others attacked on the climb to Hawi at Kona in 2023, she let them go and quickly lost four minutes to them. But then she had the best final hour on the bike, starting the run just 90 seconds back. This skill and patience could be very important on the hilly Nice bike course. Why she might not: Haug has called her 2024 season chaotic: At the start of the year, a serious infection made training impossible for weeks and she still has issues in cold-water swims. Her longer races were last-minute decisions – a validation race at Ironman Lanzarote (a matter of logistics, as she lives and trains for most of the year in Lanzarote) and then Challenge Roth, where she was a race-week addition to the start list. She was sick again after Roth, spending most of the three weeks before London T100 in bed, then another two weeks after London. She’s now had a solid preparation block for Nice, but will this be enough in the deepest Ironman field of the year on a tough course? ## Laura Philipp 37 years old, Germany Who she is: Laura Philipp has been racing at a world-class level for a long time: She was third at 70.3 Worlds in Chattanooga in 2017 before moving to longer distances. After two fourth places in 2019 and 2022, she claimed her first Ironman Championship podium in 2023. Philipp is also one of the fastest Ironman athletes ever: She missed the record by seven seconds in 2022, and her 8:14 in Roth 2024 is currently the third-fastest time ever at the full iron distance. Why she could win: Compared to the always-changing schedules of Charles-Barclay and Haug in 2024, Philipp has been able to follow the plan she has set at the start of the year with husband and coach Philipp Seipp. After taking care of validation by racing two 70.3s in April and May, she showed her improving form with a win at the “German classic” at 70.3 Kraichgau and a third place at San Francisco T100. In her summer race at Challenge Roth, she smashed her own personal record with an 8:14 finish, even if the public’s attention was drawn to Haug’s even more impressive 8:02. Haug’s 2:38 Roth marathon also got more attention than Philipp’s 2:44, but Haug is also the only athlete ever who has passed Philipp in the marathon. Philipp loves to train in the mountains around St. Moritz, and she might be the athlete who can benefit the most from the hilly bike course in Nice. Can she get back to the transition zone on the Promenade des Anglais in first place and then hold on to the lead on the run? If anyone has a lot to gain with Charles-Barclay’s withdrawal from the race, Philipp stands to potentially benefit the most. Without that carrot dangling far out ahead beginning in T1, it might make things easier for Philipp to get where she needs to be early on. Why she might not: Last year in Kona, Philipp’s day didn’t start too well: She lost two-and-a-half minutes to Haug’s group, then had to work hard in the first hour on the bike to bridge up to them. She had a similar gap after the swim in Roth this summer. Instead of having to close the swim gap, she’d rather put pressure on her competition starting right away with the first climbs. On the bike, Philipp has one tough goal: ride away from Haug as she might be the only athlete among the leaders with a faster marathon than her. In order to win in Nice, Philipp has to show a great performance in all three legs. ## Chelsea Sodaro 35 years old, United States Who she is: Chelsea Sodaro won Kona 2022 with a great all-around performance. She lost some time to Lucy Charles-Barclay in the swim but started and ended the bike leg a few minutes ahead of other pre-race favorites such as Anne Haug. On the run, it seemed likely that Haug would start to make up time on her, especially when Sodaro walked the aid stations to cool down properly. But Sodaro took the lead from Charles-Barclay and even ran faster than Haug, posting a 2:52 marathon and winning by eight minutes. Why she could win: When Sodaro is “on” (as in 2022), she swims better than any of the other favorites (except Charles-Barclay of course), is very solid on the bike (staying ahead of the other fast runners), and then is also running well. This year, she might be running even faster than before – when she won Ironman New Zealand in March, she ran a new marathon PR of 2:49. Why she might not: In addition to the ups, Sodaro has also experienced her share of downs. Last season, she had frustrating DNFs at the PTO European Open and in Roth. This year, she walked off the course early in the bike leg in Singapore. She’s also gone through a lot of changes this year: She relocated to Boulder, Colorado, switched coaches (from Dan Plews to Neal Henderson), and moved to a new bike (from Canyon to Pinarello). Will she have enough time to settle into a new routine for Nice? ## Kat Matthews 33 years old, United Kingdom Who she is: After Kat Matthews finished second at the May 2022 Ironman World Championships in St. George, she was preparing for the Kona race in October when a driver hit her with a car and caused severe injuries. It took some time to heal, but with wins at Ironman Texas and a second place at 70.3 Worlds, Matthews was able to show that she was still among the best triathletes in the world in 2023. Why she could win: Matthews has continued to race well into 2024: wins at Ironman Texas and Ironman Vitoria, second places at San Francisco T100 and the European 70.3 Champs in Tallinn. In her wins, she has done exactly what was needed, biking well and then having the best run of the day. Matthews is at her best when she races against deep fields or when she’s faced with a tough challenge. It wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see her race at yet another level in Nice. Matthews, like Philipp, stands to gain quite a bit with Charles-Barclay’s withdrawal. It means she might be able to get to the front of the race sooner and keep better tabs on the other good runners like Haug and Philipp. Why she might not: Matthews is trying to do a lot in 2024: She’s signed a T100 contract requiring her to race at least five T100 events with deep fields. She’s also trying to win the new Ironman Pro Series, which requires at least another five full- and half-distance races. In addition, she suffered a partial calf tear in her first race of the season at Miami T100 in March, barely recovering before Ironman Texas seven weeks later. Can she continue to race such a full schedule while also performing her best at the season highlights such as the Ironman world championships in Nice, when some of her best competition has been taking a lighter approach? ## The Wildcards ## Jackie Hering 39 years old, United States Among the whole field in Nice, Jackie Hering has the earliest  first Kona on her resume – she raced there back in 2011. For the last ten years, Hering has focused on the half distance. In 2024, she had a spectacular return to the full distance, winning Ironman Hamburg with a new American iron-distance record. She was also second at Ironman Lake Placid. But how will she do against the best bikers in the sport on a tough course? Will she be able to reach T2 in a position where another great run – such as her 2:52 in Hamburg – would allow her to finish in a great spot? ## India Lee 36 years old, United Kingdom India Lee has only done two full-distance races in her career, but they’ve been impressive – especially her second place at Ironman Florida in 2023 when she almost swam with Lauren Brandon, then rode in the front group, and was even in the lead by 30 seconds after 11 miles. In Nice, she should be ahead of Haug after the swim – will she then move towards the front or wait for a chase group? She might end up helping push the pace for those she rides with, but for a good end result she’ll have to run quicker than the 3:03 she ran in Florida. But with her win at Miami T100 earlier this year, she’s shown that she’s very competitive on the half distance. Can she do that on the full distance as well? ## Els Visser 34 years old, Netherlands Els Visser is probably the athlete with the most 2024 races in her legs. In the full distance, she raced Ironman New Zealand (second), Ironman Hamburg (fifth), Challenge Roth (third), and Ironman Vitoria (second), plus another eight races at the half distance. But she seems to thrive with this schedule and has improved her personal best to an 8:24, with a new best marathon of 2:55. Can she continue to race at such a high level in Nice? ## Fenella Langridge 32 years old, United Kingdom There are not too many athletes who have been able to reach T2 with a swimmer like Lucy Charles-Barclay in Kona – Fenella Langridge is one of them. Langridge is a great swimmer, probably among the first chasers one or two minutes behind. She also loves to push the pace on the bike. She’s been suffering from a run injury and has done a lot of aqua-jogging in preparation for Nice. Will she save her energy for the run, or will she go extra hard on the bike? ## Danielle Lewis 36 years old, United States Danielle Lewis has had a great 2024 season so far, finishing fifth at Challenge Roth (setting a new PR of 8:26 with a 2:48 run) and then winning Ironman Lake Placid just two weeks later with an impressive 2:52 marathon (improving the old run course record by five minutes). But you’re unlikely to see Lewis in the TV pictures, as she’s probably one of the last pros in the swim. She has worked hard in the pool to finally swim under an hour, but even then she’s probably twelve minutes behind. Follow her progress throughout the day to see if she can put herself back into top-10 contention, and if she has the run legs for another quick marathon. ## The Missing Taylor Knibb's first Ironman was full of curveballs, but she talks about how she kept smiling (almost) until the end. 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