Emma Bilham
Visit ProfileEmma Bilham
One look at the home page of Emma Bilham’s website and you know you have found a triathlete with a sense of humour.
Describing herself as “a professional triathlete - racing up and down hills on short legs”, she adds that she is also “an entrepreneur, a mountain lover and a rebel”.
“Life is too short to stay in one place, drink bad wine and ride flat roads,” she explains.
That has certainly been the case for the Swiss competitor with “British blood”, as she puts it, who turned to triathlon after becoming “bored” with swimming.
“I have a love-hate relationship with swimming because it's the original Emma, but I've done too many lengths to really enjoy it any more,” she says.
“I can't get enough of cycling now because you can go so far and see so much.”
It has certainly proved a wise switch, as her maiden 70.3 IRONMAN victory in 2015 in Putrajaya, Malaysia was followed by first places in Barcelona (2016) and Pays d’Aix, France (2017). Then in 2019 Emma won her first full IRONMAN in Ireland.
In addition to these victories, she also registered triumphs at Challenge Gran Canaria and Challenge Galway in 2016, the Alpe d’Huez and Natureman triathlon events in France in 2018 and the Gérardmer Triathlon in 2019.
Emma’s love of hills was also emphasised by her victory at the Cannes International Triathlon in 2017. But that Alpe d'Huez success remains her most painful in triathlon.
“I went out too fast and bonked at the start of the last (massive) climb,” she recalls.
“I didn't know how I was going to get to the top. I still don't know how I did.”
Tripping over the finishing line at the 70.3 World Championship and almost knocking herself out was another memorable moment for Emma, albeit one she counts as her most embarrassing. But she is proud “to have kept fighting to be a triathlete despite a lot of setbacks”.
Despite all of those setbacks, Emma says she is proud to have hung in there and found a work-tri-life balance which allows her to keep pushing and living for the sport she loves.
Bonus +5%
* New PTO World Ranking System implemented.
Results
2024
Date | # | Tier | Race | Swim | Bike | Run | Overall | SOF The Strength Of Field (SOF) score is calculated based on the average PTO World Ranking points of the top five ranked athletes who start the race. | Pts | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
15 Aug | 1 | Silver | Embrun | --:-- | --:-- | --:-- | 10:54:44 75.51 | 62.67 | 75.51 | ||
| |||||||||||
26 May | 8 | Silver | Ironman 70.3 Kraichgau | 27:30 | 2:36:40 | 1:23:36 | 4:32:34 55.45 | 74.99 | 55.45 | ||
| |||||||||||
19 May | 14 | Gold | Challenge "The Championship" Samorin | 26:11 | 2:17:20 | 1:24:59 | 4:13:33 59.98 | 84.57 | 59.98 | ||
| |||||||||||
21 Apr | 7 | Gold | Ironman South Africa | 57:12 | 5:22:47 | 3:08:49 | 9:34:59 69.34 | 77.78 | 69.34 | ||
|
2023
Date | # | Tier | Race | Swim | Bike | Run | Overall | SOF The Strength Of Field (SOF) score is calculated based on the average PTO World Ranking points of the top five ranked athletes who start the race. | Pts | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
21 Oct | 4 | Silver | Ironman Portugal | 50:17 | 5:06:13 | 3:00:51 | 9:05:21 69.9 | 77.23 | 69.90 | ||
| |||||||||||
02 Sep | 5 | Silver | Gerardmer XL | 26:55 | 3:05:25 | 1:29:04 | 5:05:36 63.47 | 75.01 | 63.47 | ||
| |||||||||||
15 Aug | 2 | Silver | Embrun | --:-- | --:-- | --:-- | 11:18:57 61.98 | 56.42 | 61.98 | ||
| |||||||||||
11 Jun | 2 | Silver | Challenge Geraardsbergen | 26:57 | 2:36:17 | 1:27:55 | 4:34:28 71.85 | 66.29 | 71.85 | ||
|
2022
Date | # | Tier | Race | Swim | Bike | Run | Overall | SOF The Strength Of Field (SOF) score is calculated based on the average PTO World Ranking points of the top five ranked athletes who start the race. | Pts | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
25 Nov | 8 | Silver | Ironman Israel | 58:57 | 4:51:21 | 3:13:21 | 9:11:16 56.78 | 74.83 | 56.78 | ||
| |||||||||||
25 Sep | 1 | Silver | Challenge San Remo | 25:55 | 2:56:59 | 1:25:56 | 4:50:10 71.23 | 57.56 | 71.23 | ||
| |||||||||||
11 Jun | 4 | Bronze | Zarauzko Triathlon | 44:25 | 2:27:09 | 1:24:23 | 4:38:09 46.48 | 45.34 | 46.48 | ||
| |||||||||||
21 May | DNF | Bronze | Ironman Lanzarote | --:-- | --:-- | --:-- | --:-- | 57.75 | - | ||
| |||||||||||
01 May | 1 | Bronze | No Limits Triathlon | 26:57 | 2:16:31 | 1:22:43 | 4:08:19 58.28 | 43.95 | 58.28 | ||
| |||||||||||
03 Apr | 7 | Gold | Ironman South Africa | 9:59 | 5:25:01 | 3:10:03 | 8:50:00 60.02 | 59.1 | 60.02 | ||
|
2021
Date | # | Race | Swim | Bike | Run | Overall | AIT The Strength Of Field (SOF) score is calculated based on the average PTO World Ranking points of the top five ranked athletes who start the race. | Pts | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 Oct | 2 | Challenge Budva | 27:05 | 2:28:19 | 1:21:35 | 4:19:23 65.82 | 04:06:44 | 65.82 | |||
| |||||||||||
03 Oct | 4 | Challenge Salou | 16:14 | 2:16:23 | 1:24:48 | 4:00:22 60.9513 | 03:47:04 | 60.95 | |||
| |||||||||||
12 Sep | 7 | Ironman 70.3 Nice | 27:48 | 2:50:08 | 1:23:48 | 4:48:29 47.5259 | 04:27:26 | 47.53 | |||
| |||||||||||
29 Jul | 1 | Alpe D'Huez L | 32:35 | 4:28:01 | 1:25:49 | 6:29:39 77.1122 | 06:16:43 | 77.11 | |||
| |||||||||||
04 Jul | 3 | Ironman 70.3 Andorra | 27:51 | 3:10:27 | 1:29:30 | 5:13:40 71.6375 | 05:00:52 | 71.64 | |||
| |||||||||||
30 May | 1 | TradeInn Full International Triathlon | 56:56 | 5:30:06 | 2:58:22 | 9:32:11 88.3225 | 09:22:20 | 88.32 | |||
|
2020
Date | # | Race | Swim | Bike | Run | Overall | AIT The Strength Of Field (SOF) score is calculated based on the average PTO World Ranking points of the top five ranked athletes who start the race. | Pts | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
06 Dec | 25 | Challenge Daytona | 26:23 | 1:59:01 | 1:12:49 | 3:40:59 58.7838 | 03:28:07 | 58.78 | |||
| |||||||||||
16 Oct | 2 | TriGames Mandelieu | 33:16 | 3:03:36 | 1:24:04 | 5:05:36 44.208 | 04:42:00 | 44.21 | |||
|
2019
Date | # | Race | Swim | Bike | Run | Overall | AIT The Strength Of Field (SOF) score is calculated based on the average PTO World Ranking points of the top five ranked athletes who start the race. | Pts | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
12 Oct | DNF | Ironman Hawaii | --:-- | --:-- | --:-- | --:-- | 09:01:46 | - | |||
| |||||||||||
07 Sep | 1 | Gerardmer XL | 25:42 | 2:59:58 | 1:33:42 | 5:03:43 52.1653 | 04:43:23 | 52.17 | |||
| |||||||||||
15 Aug | 5 | Embrun | 56:49 | 6:49:49 | 3:22:55 | 11:15:20 63.1944 | 10:40:00 | 63.19 | |||
| |||||||||||
23 Jun | 1 | Ironman Ireland | --:-- | 5:30:30 | 3:16:16 | 8:50:18 66.3002 | 08:24:47 | 66.30 | |||
| |||||||||||
04 May | 6 | ITU Long Distance | 25:00 | 3:16:38 | 2:10:54 | 5:57:51 67.2628 | 05:41:06 | 67.26 | |||
| |||||||||||
21 Apr | 5 | Cannes Triathlon | 23:26 | 3:30:48 | 1:08:36 | 5:06:10 51.6164 | 04:45:27 | 51.62 | |||
|
2018
Date | # | Race | Swim | Bike | Run | Overall | AIT The Strength Of Field (SOF) score is calculated based on the average PTO World Ranking points of the top five ranked athletes who start the race. | Pts | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
02 Aug | 1 | Alpe D'Huez L | 32:26 | 4:41:28 | 1:34:40 | 6:51:21 81.0833 | 06:40:00 | 81.08 | |||
|
2017
Date | # | Race | Swim | Bike | Run | Overall | AIT The Strength Of Field (SOF) score is calculated based on the average PTO World Ranking points of the top five ranked athletes who start the race. | Pts | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
11 Jun | 2 | Ironman 70.3 Switzerland | 26:55 | 2:31:24 | 1:25:26 | 4:27:17 58.256 | 04:11:32 | 58.26 | |||
| |||||||||||
21 May | 2 | Bilbao Triathlon | 28:40 | 2:41:08 | 1:28:49 | 4:38:37 0 | - | - | |||
| |||||||||||
14 May | 1 | Ironman 70.3 Pays d'Aix | 26:05 | 2:36:34 | 1:21:52 | 4:29:36 60.3528 | 04:14:28 | 60.35 | |||
| |||||||||||
04 Mar | 5 | Ironman New Zealand | 59:15 | 5:37:26 | 3:10:35 | 9:52:33 46.0221 | 09:08:10 | 46.02 | |||
| |||||||||||
18 Feb | 3 | Challenge Wanaka | 54:22 | 5:19:34 | 3:12:07 | 9:30:39 63.8957 | 09:01:20 | 63.90 | |||
| |||||||||||
27 Jan | 12 | Ironman 70.3 Dubai | 28:27 | 2:24:31 | 1:23:02 | 4:20:16 48.442 | 04:01:35 | 48.44 | |||
|
2016
Date | # | Race | Swim | Bike | Run | Overall | AIT The Strength Of Field (SOF) score is calculated based on the average PTO World Ranking points of the top five ranked athletes who start the race. | Pts | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
16 Oct | 7 | Challenge Peguera Mallorca | 28:24 | 2:39:06 | 1:31:09 | 4:41:26 39.3078 | 04:17:57 | 39.31 | |||
| |||||||||||
24 Sep | DNF | Ironman Mallorca | --:-- | --:-- | --:-- | --:-- | 08:56:45 | - | |||
| |||||||||||
17 Sep | 1 | Challenge Gran Canaria | --:-- | --:-- | --:-- | 4:42:30 63.5806 | 04:27:52 | 63.58 | |||
| |||||||||||
04 Sep | 2 | Gerardmer XL | --:-- | --:-- | --:-- | 5:01:10 54.3941 | 04:41:53 | 54.39 | |||
| |||||||||||
24 Jul | 2 | Ironman Switzerland | 57:41 | 5:03:58 | 3:16:36 | 9:21:48 75.2418 | 09:01:41 | 75.24 | |||
| |||||||||||
10 Jul | 4 | Ironman 70.3 Sweden | 26:12 | 2:33:27 | 1:21:35 | 4:26:21 51.6331 | 04:08:20 | 51.63 | |||
| |||||||||||
24 Jun | 1 | Challenge Galway Half | --:-- | --:-- | --:-- | 4:16:35 72.2598 | 04:06:20 | 72.26 | |||
| |||||||||||
05 Jun | 2 | Ironman Nice | 53:17 | 5:21:30 | 3:07:19 | 9:28:55 67.7733 | 09:02:41 | 67.77 | |||
| |||||||||||
22 May | 1 | Ironman 70.3 Barcelona | 27:35 | 2:40:55 | 1:25:39 | 4:38:42 61.989 | 04:23:40 | 61.99 | |||
| |||||||||||
23 Apr | 2 | Challenge Fuerteventura | --:-- | --:-- | --:-- | 4:30:59 62.3107 | 04:16:29 | 62.31 | |||
|
2015
Date | # | Race | Swim | Bike | Run | Overall | AIT The Strength Of Field (SOF) score is calculated based on the average PTO World Ranking points of the top five ranked athletes who start the race. | Pts | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
30 Aug | 10 | Ironman 70.3 World Championship | 24:52 | 2:32:38 | 1:30:24 | 4:31:47 64.1572 | 04:17:55 | 64.16 | |||
| |||||||||||
09 Aug | 4 | Ironman 70.3 Dublin | 31:22 | 2:35:25 | 1:28:15 | 4:40:10 27.4406 | 04:12:40 | 27.44 | |||
| |||||||||||
05 Apr | 1 | Ironman 70.3 Putrajaya | 26:54 | 2:22:16 | 1:32:53 | 4:24:48 74.2433 | 04:14:57 | 74.24 | |||
| |||||||||||
08 Mar | 4 | Ironman 70.3 Subic Bay | 25:17 | 2:30:22 | 1:38:43 | 4:37:39 25.0306 | 04:09:35 | 25.03 | |||
| |||||||||||
25 Jan | 4 | Ironman 70.3 South Africa | 26:41 | 2:46:25 | 1:37:24 | 4:55:31 17.1 | 04:22:50 | 17.10 | |||
|
2014
Date | # | Race | Swim | Bike | Run | Overall | AIT The Strength Of Field (SOF) score is calculated based on the average PTO World Ranking points of the top five ranked athletes who start the race. | Pts | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
15 Jun | 8 | Ironman 70.3 Kraichgau | 25:16 | 2:41:53 | 1:31:41 | 4:41:56 21.3535 | 04:12:11 | 21.35 | |||
| |||||||||||
01 Jun | 3 | Ironman 70.3 Italy | 18:05 | 2:39:34 | 1:28:27 | 4:31:54 21.8372 | 04:03:22 | 21.84 | |||
| |||||||||||
18 May | 6 | Ironman 70.3 Pays d'Aix | 25:31 | 2:44:27 | 1:26:41 | 4:42:04 26.7712 | 04:14:09 | 26.77 | |||
|