Stacked Men’s Pro Field Ready for Battle at Ironman Western Australia Asia-Pacific Championship

More than 30 elite male professionals will descend on Busselton this Sunday, 7 December, as the 2025 Ironman Western Australia Asia-Pacific Championship welcomes one of its strongest start lists in recent memory.

At stake are both the Ironman Western Australia and Ironman Asia-Pacific Championship titles, a share of the $150,000 USD prize purse, and four coveted Kona slots per gender for the 2026 Ironman World Championship on Kona.

Champions Return, Challengers Rise

Three former Busselton champions – Matt Burton (AUS), Max Neumann (AUS), and Denis Chevrot (FRA) – headline the field, adding serious firepower to an already formidable roster. They will be joined by an ambitious group of podium contenders that includes New Zealand’s Mike Phillips, Sweden’s Jesper Svensson, and rising Australian stars Nick Thompson and Sam Appleton.

Nick Thompson: Breakout Year, Big Expectations

Perth’s own Nick Thompson arrives in Busselton off a breakthrough season. His seventh-place finish at the Ironman World Championship in Nice capped a year that saw him claim fourth overall in the 2025 Ironman Pro Series, with a $70,000 USD bonus payout to show for it.

Two years after making his professional Ironman debut in Busselton – where he immediately finished on the podium – Thompson returns as Australia’s fastest full-distance athlete of the season and one of the pre-race favourites. A win on home turf, combined with early Kona qualification, would be the perfect conclusion to his standout year.

Matt Burton: A Hard Road Back

For fellow West Australian Matt Burton, the last 18 months have been anything but straightforward. After multiple setbacks, including the discovery earlier this year that a foot bone infection had resurfaced, simply making it to the Busselton start line marks a triumph in itself.

“I feel myself. After some challenges early year, receiving the news in early September that the bone infection in my foot I’d been treated for early last year was still active and become overactive stopped me in my tracks and meant there was a real challenge ahead to get to my favourite day in December,” said Burton.

“Without sounding cliche, being here in Busso on the start line is already a great success. This race particularly has acted as the motivation needed to manage through it all,” he said.

Busselton holds deep personal meaning for Burton. This will be his eighth appearance, adding to a resume that includes the 2021 win, four additional podium finishes, and the 2023 bike course record of 3:59:09.

“It is where the journey began for me 17 years ago… With my son, Tom, born five days before me winning in 2021, my wife, Tom and now our five-month-old daughter Pia haven’t seen this level of success at home yet. Whilst the odds may be stacked against my dream this year, I like that.”

With warm, dry coastal conditions expected, Burton anticipates a physically taxing day that will reward riders who can hold power late into the bike leg.

“I currently have the bike course record of 3:59, and it isn’t something I am prepared to pass on… A steady cadence takes its toll on both the bike and run so with a warmer day, strength will become a bigger player than people often give it credit for.”

Sam Appleton: Unfinished Business

Few athletes arrive with more determination than Sam Appleton, who was leading the 2023 race before a crash at 120 km abruptly ended his day. Since then he has added the 2024 Ironman Australia title and three more Ironman 70.3 victories, bringing his lifetime total to 18.

“I definitely have unfinished business here… I am back this year with a vengeance,” said Appleton.

He expects the decisive moves to unfold in the second half of the bike.

“It would not surprise me if there is quite a large group on the bike for the first 90km. From 120km and onwards is where it starts to get really hard. I think a sub 2:40 is needed to win this race. It would not surprise me if the Aussie record of 7:39 is also broken,” he said.

Returning to familiar ground is also a major motivator.

“I might be biased, but I think Ironman Asia Pacific put on the best races in the world. I might be based in the US, but I still call Australia home.”

A Fast Course, a Fierce Field, and High Stakes Ahead

Busselton’s famously flat course has produced record-setting performances before, and the 2025 field appears poised to add another chapter to the event’s legacy. With seasoned champions, rising talent, and high stakes all converging, the Ironman Western Australia Asia-Pacific Championship promises to be one of the most compelling men’s races of the season.

Below is the men’s professional start list (subject to change):