After more than a decade at the pinnacle of long-distance triathlon, Mana athlete Joe Skipper has announced his retirement from professional racing, closing one of the most distinguished careers in British endurance sport.
Skipper set the benchmark for British men’s long-distance triathlon across nine Ironman victories, 10 full-distance titles and an extraordinary 17 performances under the eight-hour barrier, six Ironman World Championship appearances, and three Kona top-10 finishes. At the 2022 Ironman World Championship, he produced a remarkable 7:54:04 to finish fifth against the world’s best.
His rise began in 2011 when he claimed the British Middle Distance Championship, then turned professional. Two years later he finished on the podium in his debut at Ironman UK, which he would later go on to win in 2018 and 2021.
In 2016, Skipper became the first British man to break the eight-hour barrier over the full distance, taking silver at Challenge Roth and announcing himself as one of the world’s premier long-course athletes.
Skipper rightfully earned a reputation as one of triathlon’s strongest bike-runners and most fearless competitors. In 2019 at Ironman Florida, he set what was then the world’s fastest Ironman time on land with his speedy combined bike and run times. He won the 2017 European Long Distance Championship, took bronze at the 2015 ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championship, became the second-fastest British athlete over the Ironman distance, and set the British 12-hour cycling time trial record in 2020 with an astonishing 325.55 miles.
From 2022 to 2024, Skipper was a valued member of Bahrain Victorious, joining the sport’s most accomplished professional team through a partnership brokered by Mana. Racing alongside legends including Jan Frodeno, Daniela Ryf, and Alistair Brownlee, he played an important role during a successful era for the team while continuing to produce some of the finest performances of his career.
One of those defining moments came in 2022 when, with just eight days’ notice, Skipper accepted the call to compete in the groundbreaking Pho3nix Sub7 Project, Powered by Zwift. Rising to the challenge, he became only the second man in history to complete a full-distance triathlon in under seven hours, stopping the clock at an astonishing 6:47:36.
Joe Skipper at the Pho3nix Sub7 Project, powered by Zwift. (photo credit: James Mitchell/Sub7Sub8)
Skipper also earned the admiration of fans through his authenticity, humour, and willingness to share both the highs and lows of professional sport. Through the Junkyard Dogs podcast and his YouTube channel, he gave audiences an honest yet still inspiring look behind the scenes of elite racing.
As he steps away from professional racing, Joe begins a new chapter with his wife, Laura, and their daughter, Arabella.
He states, “When I started this journey, I simply wanted to see how good I could become. Looking back now, I can honestly say I gave everything I had. The support I received from my family, friends, sponsors, and partners has been incredible, and I certainly wouldn’t have achieved what I did without them. Mana has been with me through some of the biggest moments of my career, creating opportunities, offering unwavering support, and always believing in me. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together.”
Everyone at Mana Sport & Entertainment Group congratulates Joe on an extraordinary career and is proud to have been part of his journey. He redefined what British athletes could achieve over the Ironman distance and leaves the sport as one of its toughest, most authentic, and most respected competitors.
