Emma Pallant returns to St. George as part of a stacked roster of competitors at Ironman 70.3 World Championship

Triathlete Emma Pallant will be in the Ironman 70.3 World Championship, St. George, Utah, Sept. 18, 2021 | Photo provided by Emma Pallant, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — Emma Pallant knows what it’s like to compete in St. George at the world-class triathlon course, and she can’t wait to run in the Ironman 70.3 World Championship on Sept. 18.

Emma Pallant during training for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship, St. George, Utah, Sept. 18, 2021 | Photo provided by Emma Pallant, St. George News

After finishing third in last year’s Ironman 70.3 North American Championship, Pallant is eager to compete on a familiar course.

I like coming to St. George for the good hard racing, and I think the World’s will have this in abundance,” Pallant said in an email to St. George News. “I am really looking forward to the race!” 

Pallant is part of a stacked lineup of world-class competitors in the women’s field, including the two who finished first and second ahead of her last year in St. George, Switzerland’s Daniela Ryf and South Africa’s Jeanni Metzler, respectively.

“I think the quality of the field is going to be amazing,” Pallant said. “I will just be super happy to come away with the race that I have worked and trained hard for, and hopefully all the other girls have great races too and we put on a real gutsy battle and keep elevating each other!” 

Pallant was born in Great Britain and competed there in track and field. Now she lives in Johannesburg, South Africa, but has spent the bulk of her recent training time in Boulder, Colorado.

It’s been great to train here in Boulder. My coach used to live here so knows all the best places to ride and run and I have a great strength and swim set up at Rally Sport,” Pallant said.

She added that she does miss home a little bit after three and a half months of training in Boulder. 

“But the heat and altitude are great conditions to train in and very similar to where we live in Johannesburg,” Pallant said. 

Emma Pallant during training for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship, St. George, Utah, Sept. 18, 2021 | Photo provided by Emma Pallant, St. George News

Pallant’s strong performance last year will give her an advantage in the race on Sept. 18.

“I definitely had a good experience for how hard it was, and am going into it with a lot of respect,” Pallant said. “I think having the run as a strength helps on these hills and I do like the hilly bike courses as well. Maybe the wetsuit swim might also mean I lose a little less time on the swim hopefully.”

One of the greatest advantages of running in the North American Championship last year is the familiarity it created. 

“I got to know where everything is and got to know the course, which makes coming back there later this year so much easier,” Pallant said. “I love it when I know a course and can just focus on pushing in a race rather than worrying about where to go.”

St. George’s course is unique in that both the biking and running portions have significant uphill climbs. Ironman 70.3 courses often only have one uphill portion. This fact contributes to the St. George course’s reputation as being very difficult.

“I love the course. I really love hilly bike races but normally lose a bit of time on technical descents,” Pallant said. “So the fact that St. George has the tough uphills and then the non-technical downhills is a massive bonus.”

And like many participants say after the race, Pallant remarked that the scenery in the St. George course is second to none.

“It is amazingly beautiful,” Pallant said. “I loved training there leading into the race earlier this year.”

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.

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