Great Britain’s Holly Lawrence put in a superb shift on the bike to go into the run in first place at Ironman 70.3 California last weekend, before being caught out by eventual winner Heather Jackson (USA) and second-placed Heather Wurtele (CAN).
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…well that f**cking HURT!!
— Holly Lawrence (@Holly_Lawrence_) March 28, 2015
Jackson and men’s winner Jan Frodeno (GER) used blistering run splits to capture wins, crossing the finish line in 4:14:47 and 3:47:08 respectively.
Frodeno, Germany’s 2008 gold medallist, earned his second consecutive win in Oceanside while Heather Jackson earned her second win in three years.
>>> Jan Frodeno’s top 10 tips for stepping up to Iron distance
One of nearly 80 events in the global Ironman 70.3 Series, Ironman 70.3 California led athletes along a 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21.1km run on a course that utilised Oceanside’s beachfront scenery.
Athletes began their day with a single-loop swim in the calm and protected waters of Oceanside Harbour. Once out of the water, participants embarked upon a single-loop bike course along the California coastline to San Clemente before dropping down into the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and then swinging back to Oceanside Pier.
The double-loop run course continued along the Oceanside Pier and then out to Oceanside’s flat beachfront path known as “The Strand,” where kilometres of sandy beaches provide beautiful views.
>>> Wimbleball 2015 beckons for Holly Lawrence
Men’s Race
Five-time Ironman 70.3 California champion Andy Potts (USA) led a strong men’s field out of the water with his 22:44 swim time. Following closely was last year’s winner in Oceanside, Jan Frodeno (GER), while the rest of the contenders were looking at one to two and half minute deficits as they ran into transition.
Once on the bike, a large pack consisting of Maik Twelsiek (GER), Ronnie Schildknecht (CHE), Brent McMahon (CAN), Jesse Thomas (USA) and Lionel Sanders (CAN) joined Potts and Frodeno at the front of the race.
After the lead was exchanged a number of times in the closing half of the bike, it was Sanders who dismounted his bike first, towing in Twelsiek, Frodeno, McMahon, Potts and Thomas, all within 16 seconds.
The race continued to be tight early on in the run as Sanders and Frodeno ran shoulder to shoulder, with McMahon, Potts and Thomas just 13 to 20 seconds off the pace. Frodeno edged away from Sanders after 5km and held a tentative 36-second lead at the 10km marker.
Your 2015 #IM703Cali champion (again)…Jan Frodeno! pic.twitter.com/cToq91U7hJ
— IRONMAN Triathlon (@IRONMANtri) March 28, 2015
The second half of the run was a different story as Frodeno pulled away from the pack and Potts mounted a hard push from behind to pass Sanders. On the strength of the race-best run of 1:10:48, Frodeno captured the 2015 Ironman 70.3 California title in 3:47:08.
Potts’ hard work on the run was rewarded with a second-place finish (3:48:43), while Sanders (3:49:19) hung on to grab the final podium spot.
Top 5 professional men’s results:
1. Jan Frodeno (GER) – 03:47:08 2. Andy Potts (USA) – 03:48:43 3. Lionel Sanders (CAN) – 03:49:19 4. Brent McMahon (CAN) – 03:51:07 5. Jesse Thomas (USA) – 03:52:52
Women’s Race
Exiting the water first for the women was Jen Spieldenner (USA) followed closely by a group that included Holly Lawrence (GBR) and Alicia Kaye (USA).
Race favourites Magali Tisseyre (CAN), Wurtele (CAN) and Michelle Vesterby (DNK) were over a minute down, while Heather Jackson (USA), Rachel McBride (CAN) and Angela Naeth (CAN) found themselves over two minutes off the pace.
Lawrence put her head down on the bike and powered away from the women’s field to take an early lead that carried all the way to the completion of the 90km bike. Naeth and Jackson rode in second and third as Wurtele forged her way into fourth.
>>> Jodie Swallow leads British domination at Ironman South Africa
On the run, Lawrence’s lead held steady in the opening kilometres, but by the 5km mark it was evident that her pace was dropping. With 11km left in the run Jackson and Wurtele reduced Lawrence’s lead to 50 and 90 seconds respectfully.
Both stormed past the leader over the second half of the run, with Jackson maintaining a minute lead on Wurtele as Lawrence slipped to third.
Jackson’s gutsy run garnered the American her second Ironman 70.3 California title with a winning time of 4:14:47. Wurtele was next across the line in 4:16:07, while Lawrence rounded out the podium with her 4:16:59 finish time.
The event offered a total professional prize purse of $60,000 and also awarded 30 coveted age-group slots to the 2015 Ironman 70.3 World Championship, taking place in Zell am See-Kaprun, SalzburgerLand, Austria on August 30, 2015.
Visit www.ironman.com/california70.3 for event information and full official results.
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Were you racing at Ironman 70.3 California? Let us know how you got on in the comments!
Great Britain’s Holly Lawrence put in a superb shift on the bike to go into the run in first place at Ironman 70.3 California last weekend, before being caught out by eventual winner Heather Jackson (USA) and second-placed Heather Wurtele (CAN).
Advertisement
…well that f**cking HURT!!
— Holly Lawrence (@Holly_Lawrence_) March 28, 2015
Jackson and men’s winner Jan Frodeno (GER) used blistering run splits to capture wins, crossing the finish line in 4:14:47 and 3:47:08 respectively.
Frodeno, Germany’s 2008 gold medallist, earned his second consecutive win in Oceanside while Heather Jackson earned her second win in three years.
>>> Jan Frodeno’s top 10 tips for stepping up to Iron distance
One of nearly 80 events in the global Ironman 70.3 Series, Ironman 70.3 California led athletes along a 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21.1km run on a course that utilised Oceanside’s beachfront scenery.
Athletes began their day with a single-loop swim in the calm and protected waters of Oceanside Harbour. Once out of the water, participants embarked upon a single-loop bike course along the California coastline to San Clemente before dropping down into the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and then swinging back to Oceanside Pier.
The double-loop run course continued along the Oceanside Pier and then out to Oceanside’s flat beachfront path known as “The Strand,” where kilometres of sandy beaches provide beautiful views.
>>> Wimbleball 2015 beckons for Holly Lawrence
Men’s Race
Five-time Ironman 70.3 California champion Andy Potts (USA) led a strong men’s field out of the water with his 22:44 swim time. Following closely was last year’s winner in Oceanside, Jan Frodeno (GER), while the rest of the contenders were looking at one to two and half minute deficits as they ran into transition.
Once on the bike, a large pack consisting of Maik Twelsiek (GER), Ronnie Schildknecht (CHE), Brent McMahon (CAN), Jesse Thomas (USA) and Lionel Sanders (CAN) joined Potts and Frodeno at the front of the race.
After the lead was exchanged a number of times in the closing half of the bike, it was Sanders who dismounted his bike first, towing in Twelsiek, Frodeno, McMahon, Potts and Thomas, all within 16 seconds.
The race continued to be tight early on in the run as Sanders and Frodeno ran shoulder to shoulder, with McMahon, Potts and Thomas just 13 to 20 seconds off the pace. Frodeno edged away from Sanders after 5km and held a tentative 36-second lead at the 10km marker.
Your 2015 #IM703Cali champion (again)…Jan Frodeno! pic.twitter.com/cToq91U7hJ
— IRONMAN Triathlon (@IRONMANtri) March 28, 2015
The second half of the run was a different story as Frodeno pulled away from the pack and Potts mounted a hard push from behind to pass Sanders. On the strength of the race-best run of 1:10:48, Frodeno captured the 2015 Ironman 70.3 California title in 3:47:08.
Potts’ hard work on the run was rewarded with a second-place finish (3:48:43), while Sanders (3:49:19) hung on to grab the final podium spot.
Top 5 professional men’s results:
1. Jan Frodeno (GER) – 03:47:08 2. Andy Potts (USA) – 03:48:43 3. Lionel Sanders (CAN) – 03:49:19 4. Brent McMahon (CAN) – 03:51:07 5. Jesse Thomas (USA) – 03:52:52
Women’s Race
Exiting the water first for the women was Jen Spieldenner (USA) followed closely by a group that included Holly Lawrence (GBR) and Alicia Kaye (USA).
Race favourites Magali Tisseyre (CAN), Wurtele (CAN) and Michelle Vesterby (DNK) were over a minute down, while Heather Jackson (USA), Rachel McBride (CAN) and Angela Naeth (CAN) found themselves over two minutes off the pace.
Lawrence put her head down on the bike and powered away from the women’s field to take an early lead that carried all the way to the completion of the 90km bike. Naeth and Jackson rode in second and third as Wurtele forged her way into fourth.
>>> Jodie Swallow leads British domination at Ironman South Africa
On the run, Lawrence’s lead held steady in the opening kilometres, but by the 5km mark it was evident that her pace was dropping. With 11km left in the run Jackson and Wurtele reduced Lawrence’s lead to 50 and 90 seconds respectfully.
Both stormed past the leader over the second half of the run, with Jackson maintaining a minute lead on Wurtele as Lawrence slipped to third.
Jackson’s gutsy run garnered the American her second Ironman 70.3 California title with a winning time of 4:14:47. Wurtele was next across the line in 4:16:07, while Lawrence rounded out the podium with her 4:16:59 finish time.
The event offered a total professional prize purse of $60,000 and also awarded 30 coveted age-group slots to the 2015 Ironman 70.3 World Championship, taking place in Zell am See-Kaprun, SalzburgerLand, Austria on August 30, 2015.
Visit www.ironman.com/california70.3 for event information and full official results.
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Were you racing at Ironman 70.3 California? Let us know how you got on in the comments!
Tired of time-consuming transitions? Want to take part in what could be the UK’s biggest ever gathering of naked people? Then good news! The first Human Race Naked Triathlon will debut on Saturday 4 July for all triathletes aged 18+, involving a 500m swim, a saddle-sore inducing 16k cycle, and a 5k run to finish.
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All of the events will take place at Dorney Lake in Buckinghamshire. If the winner of any event is caught wearing shoes, underwear or clothing or any type they are expected to be ‘stripped’ of their title.
Speaking about the event, triathlon official Richard Burvill said “The rules are quite strict regarding clothing worn, but we have made a special exception for this event. I would ask though that everyone taking part is careful with where they put their limbs when performing swimming strokes.”
Plenty of helmets will be on show, as cyclists will be asked to wear them as a safety measure. Anybody who completes a ‘winning streak’ of all three events will take home their weight in nuts thanks to a generous sponsor.
For those who want to bare all, the organisers are running a 24 hour flash sale on April 1st to encourage participants to enter early. Visit www.humanrace.co.uk today to ensure you don’t get a bum deal.
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Will you be racing in the buff? Let us know in the comments below!
Tired of time-consuming transitions? Want to take part in what could be the UK’s biggest ever gathering of naked people? Then good news! The first Human Race Naked Triathlon will debut on Saturday 4 July for all triathletes aged 18+, involving a 500m swim, a saddle-sore inducing 16k cycle, and a 5k run to finish.
Advertisement
All of the events will take place at Dorney Lake in Buckinghamshire. If the winner of any event is caught wearing shoes, underwear or clothing or any type they are expected to be ‘stripped’ of their title.
Speaking about the event, triathlon official Richard Burvill said “The rules are quite strict regarding clothing worn, but we have made a special exception for this event. I would ask though that everyone taking part is careful with where they put their limbs when performing swimming strokes.”
Plenty of helmets will be on show, as cyclists will be asked to wear them as a safety measure. Anybody who completes a ‘winning streak’ of all three events will take home their weight in nuts thanks to a generous sponsor.
For those who want to bare all, the organisers are running a 24 hour flash sale on April 1st to encourage participants to enter early. Visit www.humanrace.co.uk today to ensure you don’t get a bum deal.
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Will you be racing in the buff? Let us know in the comments below!
Entries are now open for the Lakesman, a new long-distance triathlon set to take place in Cumbria on Sunday 19 June, 2016.
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The event will comprise of a 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and a full marathon at 42km and is expected to be completed in around 9.5 hours by elite athletes or under 17.5 hours by less experienced competitors.
It will be hosted in the heart of the Lake District in West Cumbria taking participants through stunning scenery and along the coast.
The course will provide competitors with good surfaces and fairly flat terrain on the bike and run legs while the swim will take place in the still and picturesque Derwent Water.
Event organiser Marie Whitehead, of CN Events, said: “It’s fantastic that we can finally reveal the secret we’ve been planning for so long and officially launch the Lakesman. We’re so excited to finally bring this type of event to Cumbria – and we’re in the ideal location to do it.
“We reckon this could be the most scenic, one of the fastest, and the most enticing long-distance triathlon events in the country.”
The race is expected to attract 750 endurance athletes with 50 places being sold in the opening 24 hours.
To enter the Lakesman or for more information head to www.thelakesman.com.
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Does the Lakesman sound like an event you’d like to take on? Let us know in the comments below!
Entries are now open for the Lakesman, a new long-distance triathlon set to take place in Cumbria on Sunday 19 June, 2016.
Advertisement
The event will comprise of a 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and a full marathon at 42km and is expected to be completed in around 9.5 hours by elite athletes or under 17.5 hours by less experienced competitors.
It will be hosted in the heart of the Lake District in West Cumbria taking participants through stunning scenery and along the coast.
The course will provide competitors with good surfaces and fairly flat terrain on the bike and run legs while the swim will take place in the still and picturesque Derwent Water.
Event organiser Marie Whitehead, of CN Events, said: “It’s fantastic that we can finally reveal the secret we’ve been planning for so long and officially launch the Lakesman. We’re so excited to finally bring this type of event to Cumbria – and we’re in the ideal location to do it.
“We reckon this could be the most scenic, one of the fastest, and the most enticing long-distance triathlon events in the country.”
The race is expected to attract 750 endurance athletes with 50 places being sold in the opening 24 hours.
To enter the Lakesman or for more information head to www.thelakesman.com.
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Does the Lakesman sound like an event you’d like to take on? Let us know in the comments below!
Great Britain’s Jacqui Slack came home in first place at Xterra Saipan on the weekend as Ben Allen (AUS) won the men’s race for the fourth year running.
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Both athletes led from start to finish in wet conditions that threatened to make the already challenging course all the more difficult.
“[They were] some of the worst conditions I’ve ever raced in. The rain didn’t let up and it made for super slippery conditions,” explained Allen.
Men’s race
As one of the sport’s best swimmers, it was not surprising to see Allen open a 1min lead over Bradley Weiss (RSA) during the swim.
He then went on to record the fastest bike and run splits of the day to win in 2:40:25, 6mins ahead of second placed Weiss who finished in 2:46:45.
Weiss, who currently leads the Xterra Asian Tour with 190 points, had missed a chunk of his training due to an injured iliotibial band but is still remaining positive for the year ahead.
“Obviously I am far from my best shape now but was still very excited for my trip out to the islands. My hopes are to finish well in the Xterra Asian Tour and take some momentum into the U.S. Tour,” he said.
Third place was taken by Takahiro Ogasawara (JPN) who finished a further 2mins behind in 2:48:19, while Austria’s Markus Benesch crossed the line in fourth with a time of 2:52:24.
Top 5 professional men’s results:
1. Ben Allen (AUS) – 2:40:25 2. Brad Weiss (RSA) – 2:46:45 3. Takahiro Ogasawara (JPN) – 2:48:19 4. Markus Benesch (AUT) – 2:52:24 5. Aleksandr Dorovskikh (RUS) – 2:55:51
Women’s race
Slack dominated the women’s race from the start and was the first elite woman out of the water. The British athlete also had the best bike split and finished in 3:02:01, a full 5mins ahead of second placed Carina Wasle (AUT) who crossed the line with a time of 3:07:33.
Speaking of her win, Slack said: “I thrive on the more challenging conditions. I love the added dimension the rain throws in, and always seem to perform well when it’s slick and muddy.
“My biggest challenge was myself today. I knew I was coming into the race fit but I was more concerned about being recovered from a 100km MTB race I did last weekend in Melbourne.”
>>> Jacqui Slack on the benefits of training off-road
Japan’s Mieko Carey crossed the line third in 3:20:45 and was closely followed by Renata Bucher (SUI) who finished with a time of 3:22:11.
Great Britain’s Daz Parker put in a solid effort to round out the top five in a time of 3:36:40.
The weekend’s results mean that Weiss leads the men’s series with an eight point buffer to Allen while Slack leads the women on 190 points following her second place in the Philippines.
In the amateur races, Chuck Fortier (CAN) claimed his third island win in a row while Kyoco Urashima (JAP) took the women’s title.
Tyce Mister (CNMI) managed to maintain his accomplishment of being the only athlete to have competed in all 14 Xterra Saipan races since its launch in 2002.
You can view the full race results here or head to www.xterraasia.com for more information on the 2015 Xterra Asian Tour.
(Images: Mark James)
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Are you taking part in any Xterra events this year? Let us know in the comments below!
Great Britain’s Jacqui Slack came home in first place at Xterra Saipan on the weekend as Ben Allen (AUS) won the men’s race for the fourth year running.
Advertisement
Both athletes led from start to finish in wet conditions that threatened to make the already challenging course all the more difficult.
“[They were] some of the worst conditions I’ve ever raced in. The rain didn’t let up and it made for super slippery conditions,” explained Allen.
Men’s race
As one of the sport’s best swimmers, it was not surprising to see Allen open a 1min lead over Bradley Weiss (RSA) during the swim.
He then went on to record the fastest bike and run splits of the day to win in 2:40:25, 6mins ahead of second placed Weiss who finished in 2:46:45.
Weiss, who currently leads the Xterra Asian Tour with 190 points, had missed a chunk of his training due to an injured iliotibial band but is still remaining positive for the year ahead.
“Obviously I am far from my best shape now but was still very excited for my trip out to the islands. My hopes are to finish well in the Xterra Asian Tour and take some momentum into the U.S. Tour,” he said.
Third place was taken by Takahiro Ogasawara (JPN) who finished a further 2mins behind in 2:48:19, while Austria’s Markus Benesch crossed the line in fourth with a time of 2:52:24.
Top 5 professional men’s results:
1. Ben Allen (AUS) – 2:40:25 2. Brad Weiss (RSA) – 2:46:45 3. Takahiro Ogasawara (JPN) – 2:48:19 4. Markus Benesch (AUT) – 2:52:24 5. Aleksandr Dorovskikh (RUS) – 2:55:51
Women’s race
Slack dominated the women’s race from the start and was the first elite woman out of the water. The British athlete also had the best bike split and finished in 3:02:01, a full 5mins ahead of second placed Carina Wasle (AUT) who crossed the line with a time of 3:07:33.
Speaking of her win, Slack said: “I thrive on the more challenging conditions. I love the added dimension the rain throws in, and always seem to perform well when it’s slick and muddy.
“My biggest challenge was myself today. I knew I was coming into the race fit but I was more concerned about being recovered from a 100km MTB race I did last weekend in Melbourne.”
>>> Jacqui Slack on the benefits of training off-road
Japan’s Mieko Carey crossed the line third in 3:20:45 and was closely followed by Renata Bucher (SUI) who finished with a time of 3:22:11.
Great Britain’s Daz Parker put in a solid effort to round out the top five in a time of 3:36:40.
The weekend’s results mean that Weiss leads the men’s series with an eight point buffer to Allen while Slack leads the women on 190 points following her second place in the Philippines.
In the amateur races, Chuck Fortier (CAN) claimed his third island win in a row while Kyoco Urashima (JAP) took the women’s title.
Tyce Mister (CNMI) managed to maintain his accomplishment of being the only athlete to have competed in all 14 Xterra Saipan races since its launch in 2002.
You can view the full race results here or head to www.xterraasia.com for more information on the 2015 Xterra Asian Tour.
(Images: Mark James)
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Are you taking part in any Xterra events this year? Let us know in the comments below!
The Cannes International Triathlon is due to sell out with only a limited number of spots still available for race day.
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The event, taking place on 19 April, is paying host to both a middle-distance (1km swim, 64km bike, 8km run) and a long-distance race (2km swim, 128km bike, 16km run).
Participants from all over the world will be coming to Cannes to compete with countries such as Australia, the United States, Germany and England all being represented.
One of the main talking points of the event will be the much-anticipated battle between triathlon giants Sebastian Kienle and Jan Frodeno, both of Germany.
The Cannes International Triathlon is due to sell out with only a limited number of spots still available for race day.
Advertisement
The event, taking place on 19 April, is paying host to both a middle-distance (1km swim, 64km bike, 8km run) and a long-distance race (2km swim, 128km bike, 16km run).
Participants from all over the world will be coming to Cannes to compete with countries such as Australia, the United States, Germany and England all being represented.
One of the main talking points of the event will be the much-anticipated battle between triathlon giants Sebastian Kienle and Jan Frodeno, both of Germany.
Race entries have already exceeded last year’s total with close to 1,500 participants already registered.
This year’s event will also feature a 10km race for running enthusiasts.