Salem’s 5th annual Ironman 70.3 race drew thousands of athletes and spectators to Riverfront Park on Sunday, July 19.It kicked off with a 6 a.m. plunge into the Willamette River, where athletes swam for 1.2 miles, biked for 56 miles through Oregon’s wine country and then ran 13.1 miles through M into-Brown Island Park.Soren Jensen won the men’s race, with a time of 3 hours, 50 minutes and 12 seconds.  Kristen Yax was the first woman to finish, with a time of 4 hours, 32 minutes and 57 seconds, according to a Facebook post from Ironman. Athletes walk across the Peter Courtney Minto Island Bridge before the start of the race’s swimming segment at sunrise. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) Kristen Yax, of Phoenix, Ariz., rejoices after winning the women’s race in 4 hours, 32 minutes, 57 seconds during Ironman 70.3 Oregon on Sunday, July 19 in Salem. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Athletes participating in Ironman walk across the Peter Courtney Minto Island Bridge before the race’s swimming segment began at sunrise. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) An athlete rides on Trade Street outside Riverfront Park at the start of the 56-mile ride during Ironman 70.3 Oregon on Sunday, July 19, 2026. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Conrad Sanders recovers on the finish line after placing second in the Ironman 70.3 Oregon race Sunday in Salem. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) Amber Rodriguez and her children hold signs to cheer on their husband and father, Matthew Reyes, an athlete competing in the Ironman race. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) Swimming The athletes swam 1.2 miles in the Willamette River. Athletes leave the Willamette River after a 1.2-mile swim during the Ironman 70.3 Oregon at Riverfront Park on Sunday, July 19, 2026. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Swimmers participating in the Ironman race swim in the Willamette River as they approach the docks. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) Athletes climb the dock after a one mile swim in the Willamette River during Ironman 70.3 Oregon at Riverfront Park on Sunday, July 19, 2026. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) An athlete climbs from the water after completing the swim portion of the Ironman race on Sunday in Salem as volunteers signal competitors into the transition area. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) Sonya Counts gets ready to assist athletes out of the water at the end of their swim during Ironman 70.3 Oregon held at Riverfront Park on Sunday, July 19, 2026. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) An athlete climbs from the water after completing the swim portion of the Ironman race on Sunday in Salem as volunteers signal competitors into the transition area. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) Athletes climb the dock after a one mile swim in the Willamette River during Ironman 70.3 Oregon at Riverfront Park on Sunday, July 19, 2026. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) An athlete climbs from the water after completing the swim portion of the Ironman race on Sunday in Salem as volunteers signal competitors into the transition area. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) Donna Adelman helps direct athletes towards the ramp that leads to their bikes after they emerge from the Willamette River at the Ironman 70.3 Oregon at Riverfront Park on Sunday, July 19, 2026. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Swimmers participating in the Ironman race swim in the Willamette River as they approach the docks. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) Athletes participating in Ironman walk toward the Willamette River before the start of the race’s swimming segment at sunrise. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) A supporter adds more cow bell at the Ironman 70.3 Oregon on Sunday, July 19, 2026. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Members of the Detwiler family show off their T-shirts supporting their dad and husband racing at Iron Man in Salem. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) Athletes run up a hill towards their bikes after completing a 1.2-mile swim in the Willamette River at Ironman 70.3 Oregon held at Riverfront Park on Sunday July 19, 2026. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) An athlete smiles while carrying a wetsuit through the transition area to begin the cycling portion during the Ironman race Sunday in Salem. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) Running The athletes ran 13.1 miles through paved park trails. Aaron Hopkinson celebrates crossing the finish line at the Ironman 70.3 Oregon race Sunday in Salem. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) Carolyn Carter smiles and waves as she runs across the Peter Courtney Minto Island Bridge during the running segment of the Ironman race Sunday in Salem. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) An athlete begins the 13 mile run into Minto Brown Park in the last part of Ironman 70.3 Oregon on Sunday, July 19, 2026. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Kristen Yax smiles as she runs across the Peter Courtney Minto Island Bridge during the running segment of the Ironman race Sunday in Salem. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) An athlete begins the 13 mile run into Minto Brown Park in the last part of the Ironman 70.3 Oregon on Sunday, July 19, 2026. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Liam Bielat runs across the Peter Courtney Minto Island Bridge during the running segment of the Ironman race Sunday in Salem. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) Mary Day from San Fransisco, CA heads into Minto Brown Park over the Peter Courtney Bridge during Ironman 70.3 Oregon on Sunday, July 19 in Salem. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Soren Jensen runs across the Peter Courtney Minto Island Bridge during the running segment of the Ironman race Sunday in Salem. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) Jordan Young from Salem runs over the Peter Courtney Bridge into Minto Brown Park during the Ironman 70.3 Oregon held at Riverfront Park on Sunday, July 19, 2026. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) An athlete shows an injury before beginning the 13 mile run into Minto Brown Park during the last part of the Ironman 70.3 Oregon on Sunday, July 19, 2026. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) A volunteer stands ready to hand out medals to finishers at Ironman 70.3 Oregon on Sunday, July 19, 2026, in Salem. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) One of Conrad Sanders’ shoes lies on the finish line after it came off as he crossed the finish line and finished second in the Ironman 70.3 Oregon race Sunday in Salem. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) Conner MacPhee pours water on himself after crossing the finish line at the Ironman race Sunday in Salem. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) Kristen Yax, of Phoenix, Ariz., hugs her son, Axel, after winning the women’s race in 4 hours, 32 minutes, and 57 seconds during Ironman 70.3 Oregon on Sunday, July 19 in Salem. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Mariah Boyd holds a women’s-only portable toilet door at the Ironman race in Salem. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) Meredith Wilson of Vancouver, Canada, runs past Rep. Tom Andersen, D-Salem, after crossing the finish line and placing third in the women’s race with 4:34:51 at Ironman 70.3 Oregon Sunday, July 19, 2026 in Salem. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Emanuel Lopez crosses the finish line with a smile during the Ironman 70.3 Oregon race Sunday in Salem. Lopez finished sixth in the race. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) Many supporters showed up to cheer participants with signs at the Ironman 70.3 Oregon at Riverfront Park on Sunday, July 19, 2026. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Oregon state Rep. Tom Andersen places the winner’s medal around Kristen Yax’s neck after she won the women’s title at the Ironman race Sunday in Salem. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) Many types of supporters showed up to cheer participants at Ironman 70.3 Oregon on Sunday, July 19, 2026. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Conrad Sanders lies on the finish line after placing second in the Ironman race Sunday in Salem as a medical volunteer attends to him. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) Jason Hollander from Princeton, NJ looks at his finish time of 4:12:27 at the Ironman 70.3 Oregon on July 19, 2026, in Salem. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Kristen Yax raises the finish-line tape over her head after winning the women’s title at the Ironman race Sunday in Salem. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) An athlete receives their medal at the finish line at Ironman 70.3 Oregon on Sunday, July 19, 2026. (LAURA TESLER/For Salem Reporter) Soren Jensen embraces his fiancee, Ashley, after winning the Ironman 70.3 Oregon race Sunday in Salem. (BROOK FERRIS/Salem Reporter) Contact reporter Brook Ferris: [email protected]. SIGN UP: “Your work helps hold leaders accountable and gives citizens a voice.” Independent reporting gives Salem a stronger voice on issues from homelessness to health care. Be part of that work. Subscribe today. The post PHOTO GALLERY: Ironman 70.3 appeared first on Salem Reporter. ...read more read less