A day after admitting to us that he’s had the worst triathlon season of his career and has barely ridden his Scott tri bike, Jonny Brownlee has emerged as the winner of the Beijing International Triathlon in China.
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A day after admitting to us that he’s had the worst triathlon season of his career and has barely ridden his Scott tri bike, Jonny Brownlee has emerged as the winner of the Beijing International Triathlon in China.
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In breaking the tape, Jonny beat a host of non-drafting specialists (including American Cameron Dye), the Commonwealth Games champion Henri Schoeman as well as his brother Alistair, who came home in fourth.
Glorious if gusty conditions greeted the athletes at daybreak in the district of Fengtai, to the south west of Beijing, this morning, with a strong pro field battling for the $100,000 prize purse and leading out the age-groupers in the non-drafting Olympic-distance event.
The 1.5km swim took place in the choppy waters of the Garden Expo Lake, and South Africa’s Schoeman was first out of the water with Jonny and U.S. athlete Ben Kanute in hot pursuit. Alistair was back in sixth.
Onto the 40km bike and, after some swift TT action on the closed highways of the city’s outskirts, Kanute led Jonny and Cameron Dye to the top of the Qianling Mountain, the area’s highest peak. That would change by T2 after Norway’s Kristian Blummenfelt and Schoeman edged past Kanute, before Jonny pushed the pace to take the lead at the 2km stage.
At 4km arrived the course’s biggest challenge: the 280 step ascent of the Garden Expo Park. Yet Jonny continued to seize the initiative over the reigning Beijing champ Schoeman and led to the finish line after 1:51:37 of racing, just nine seconds ahead of Blummentfelt and 21secs ahead of Schoeman.
The result marks an upturn in fortunes for the younger Brownlee, who’s witnessed Schoeman win Commonwealth Games gold and Mario Mola take ITU WTS glory in 2018.
Alistair, meanwhile, would finish fourth and would admit after the race that he ‘had to dig in as he hasn’t felt like himself for the last few weeks’ following his epic Ironman 70.3 Worlds showdown with Jan Frodeno.
GENTLE ON A ROLL
The women’s event was won by Australia’s Ashleigh Gentle just a week after her enthralling victory over Vicky Holland at the ITU Grand Final in the Gold Coast.
Gentle was led out of the water by the Brit pair of Lucy Hall and Non Stanford, and that trio would continue to dominate the race throughout over a field that included the 2012 Olympic Games silver medallist Lisa Norden, former ITU World Champ Paula Findlay, as well as ITU veterans Andrea Hewitt and Barbara Riveros Diaz.
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Gentle would take control on the run, winning in 2:05:55 ahead of Stanford (2:07:52) and Lucy Hall (2:09:12) who ensured that the Brit racers occupied three of the top six podium places.
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The 2018 Ironman World Championship men’s race is arguably the most anticipated yet. Even after the late withdrawal of hotly-tipped two-time winner Jan Frodeno with a stress fracture, there are many intriguing questions to be answered once racing gets underway on Saturday, October 13.
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Can Patrick Lange deliver another remarkable run performance to defend his crown? Will the crosswinds blow and the biking talent of Sebastian Kienle prevail? Will Lionel Sanders go one better than 2017 and prevent five straight years of German rule? What of the global superstar Javier Gomez, who races on the Big Island for the first time? And will conditions and intense competition align so the magical 8hr mark is finally broken?
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The field is so stacked, plenty of big names are absent from our predicted top 10. There is no place for 2013 champion Freddie van Lierde, or Canadian Brent McMahon, who has five times finished an Ironman under 8hrs. Consistent all-rounders Tim O’Donnell, Ben Hoffman and James Cunnama also don’t make the list. Neither do express runners such as Matt Hanson and Ivan Tutukin, or biking heavyweights Cameron Wurf, Andrew Starykowicz, Michael Weiss and Andreas Dreitz.
And there’s not even a patriotic punt for the Brits either, as we’ve rejected Joe Skipper and Will Clarke and dismissed a romantic finale to cap the heroic comeback of The Man with the Halo and 220 contributor, Tim Don.
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But if those names don’t get the nod, just who does? Read on for our predicted Ironman World Championship top 10…
10. Bart Aernouts, Belgium
A longstanding member of the BMC-Vfit Sport team, the Belgian has progressed from being one of the best duathletes in the world and now has six years’ worth of Kona experience to his benefit.
Aernouts record in Hawaii reads 11th, eighth, ninth, DNF, and 12th, with a bike split best of 4:32:34 last year and a top marathon of 2:44:03 from 2013. It shows the 34-year-old knows his way around the challenging course, and while the swim remains a weakness, it’s his experience and consistency that gives him the edge over similar fleet-footed competitors such as Ivan Tututkin, Matt Hanson and Britain’s Will Clarke.
Having won Ironman Lanzarote and Challenge Roth in 2017, Aernouts was back on top of the podium this year in Hamburg. It was a race that played into his hands after the swim was cancelled, but to close with a 2:39:51 marathon – having already run 6km at the start of the day – shows he’s in shape to again finish in the top 10.
9. Braden Currie, New Zealand
A three-time winner of New Zealand’s Coast to Coast championship, the Kiwi is a multisport thoroughbred, and to prove the point plans to race the XTERRA World Championship a fortnight after Kona on the nearby island of Maui.
Unlike most of the top 10 who have shown they can perform on the Big Island, the 32-year-old’s inclusion is largely based on one standout performance in 2018. The stats show he won the Asia-Pacific regional championship in Cairns in June with a course record 7:54:58 that included a 2:39:59 marathon. But more noteworthy is that he became the party-pooper for the Iron debut of Spain’s Javier Gomez, running side-by-side with the five-time ITU world champion for much of the 26.2 miles before dropping him in the closing stages.
While it might seem logical that anyone getting the better of Gomez should be more highly-fancied, Currie first has to dispel the memories of his Kona debut last year when he struggled to finish 30th.
The Kiwi was also brought down to earth in the 70.3 worlds in South Africa where despite a fast swim, he lost almost 5mins on the bike as Jan Frodeno, Alistair Brownlee and Ben Kanute led the charge up front, before running through for eighth.
8. Andy Potts, USA
Having suggested age might finally take its toll and left the American out of our predictions last year, Potts had us eating humble pie by responding to finish seventh and running the third fastest marathon of any of the leading contenders.
Albeit on a day made for fast times, it was also the quickest he’d gone on the Big Island in nine attempts, suggesting the 2004 Olympian and 2007 Ironman 70.3 world champion is far from finished.
Potts has placed six times in the top 10 in Kona in nine appearances, marking him as one of the most experienced and consistently high-level performers on the island. The dad-of-two is renowned for doing much of his bike prep on the indoor trainer and racing primarily in the USA, although this season has seen excursions to Taiwan, Peru and even Dún Laoghaire in Ireland for 70.3s, and Ironman Austria, where he finished third.
Despite being 41, Potts is far from the eldest statesman in the race. That honour falls to New Zealand’s Cameron Brown, who returns aged 46, having made his debut in Hawaii in 2000. By that measure, Potts still has years left.
7. Boris Stein, Germany
Hailing from the nation that produces by far the greatest depth in long distance triathlon talent is of mixed blessings. Stein is the first of a trio of Germans predicted to finish in the prize-money and the domestic standard has no doubt contributed to the 33-year-old’s development as a triathlete.
The highlights are Ironman victories in Switzerland in 2014 and France a year later, yet he remains low profile when compared to more illustrious compatriots Patrick Lange, Jan Frodeno and Sebastian Kienle.
Approaching his peak in terms of athletic prowess, Stein looks the part in Hawaii and has finished 10th, seventh and 10th following his Kona debut placing of 20th in 2014. Has biked 4:23 on his last two visits to the Big Island – putting him within 10mins of Kienle – and while he doesn’t have a fast enough marathon to push for a podium, if he can improve on his run split of 3:00:02 from last year, he should be well placed to match his Kona-best of seventh from 2016.
6. Patrik Nilsson, Sweden
The second member of the BMC-Vifit professional triathlon team predicted a top 10 finish, the Swede has just turned 27 but already has four Ironman titles to his credit including a lightning quick 7:49:18 finish from Ironman Copenhagen in 2016.
An inconsistent performer over the 70.3 distance where he has failed to finish in five of his last six races, Nilsson seems more at home in Ironman. Competed in Hawaii for the first time last year and produced an accomplished debut, keeping pace with training partner Patrick Lange until the marathon, before running 2:55:51 to finish eighth.
This year Nilsson overtook Lange in the final kilometres of the Ironman European Championship in Frankfurt to finish runner-up to Jan Frodeno, and with the two-time champion German absent, Nilsson will hope for a repeat of 2017’s benign conditions so the gaps don’t become too large on the bike and he’s in with a chance on the run.
5. Lionel Sanders, Canada
Anyone watching Sanders’ reaction to finishing runner-up last year could be forgiven for instantly installing him as the favourite for 2018. Simultaneously both a breakthrough result and frustrating in being run down by Patrick Lange in the closing miles, the Canadian has both the encouragement and motivation to go one better this time around.
He looked the part as he won Ironman 70.3 St George in May, regained his Challenge Championship crown when defeating Sebastian Kienle over the middle distance in Slovakia in June, and three weeks later backed it up with more success at Mont Tremblant 70.3.
But while Sander’s swimming is vastly improved to go with his powerhouse biking and running, he was beaten by Cody Beals at Ironman Mont Tremblant in what was by his own admission a “humbling” experience in August.
Yet despite having already validated his spot at Arizona last November, he didn’t regret the decision to race, terming it an invaluable learning experience having made some broader dietary changes.
Whether a sub-par Sanders will be revived for Hawaii, remains to be seen. But having already shown he can be a competitor on the Big Island in calm conditions, if the wind blows and it becomes even more attritional, expect him to challenge for the win once more.
4. David McNamee, Great Britain
Last year’s third-place finisher is again Britain’s best hope for a podium spot. While Lionel Sanders, Andrew Starykowicz, Cameron Wurf and Sebastian Kienle will be jousting up front trying to split the race up, expect the Scot to calmly plug away and try to reach T2 with limited losses, before coming through strongly on the run.
McNamee, who has never been beaten by a fellow Brit at Ironman, is certainly not over-raced in 2018. He won Ironman 70.3 Marbella in April and was second to Javier Gomez at Barcelona 70.3 in May. But he was sick before Oceanside 70.3 and didn’t make the start, ill again at Ironman Austria – where he gamely stuck to the task to validate – and then cycled into an errant concrete block to put paid to his efforts while leading Ironman 70.3 Vichy in September.
Having won Ironman UK in 2015, McNamee, who is based in Girona, made large strides last year when training with then-Ironman world champion Jan Frodeno, and it all came together in Hawaii where his third-placed finish of 8:07:11 was also the seventh fastest time ever recorded in Kona. This race remains the key focus and given his ability to judge his effort to perfection, there’s every chance he’ll go well again.
3. Sebastian Kienle, Germany
Of all the triathletes that could benefit most from Jan Frodeno’s withdrawal with a stress fracture, it’s his compatriot and 2014 Ironman world champion, Kienle. The 34-year-old has had to live with Frodeno, twice, and then Patrick Lange retain his nation’s stranglehold on the men’s Kona crown. But with Frodeno absent, Kienle knows that alongside Lionel Sanders he’s the most fleet-footed of the uber-bikers, as emphasised by his 2:47:45 marathon in winning Challenge Roth in an impressive 7:46:23 in July.
Kienle was beaten twice by Sanders over the middle distance earlier in the year, but has since racked up three 70.3 victories in low profile races, while deciding to opt out of the 70.3 World Championship in South Africa to keep his powder dry for Kona.
As a two-time world champion at that distance, he’ll hope it’s a sacrifice worth making and it’s a Hawaii-focused strategy that also included him validating his spot in Cozumel last November. Having only once being outside the top four in six appearances in Hawaii, expect Kienle to be in the mix for a podium once more.
2. Javier Gomez, Spain
Perhaps the most surprising element of the Spaniard’s conversion to long course racing is that he didn’t win on his much-anticipated Ironman debut – finishing runner-up to Braden Currie in the Asia-Pacific Championship in Cairns. Not that the five-time ITU world champion performed badly, clocking 7:56:38 with a 2:41:02 marathon.
The conditions – if not the bike course in Hawaii – will suit Gomez. He’s traditionally performs well in the heat and took the XTERRA world title on the neighbouring island of Maui in a rare appearance at the discipline in 2012. Gomez also has the running pedigree to match, or even surpass, defending champion Patrick Lange, although, importantly, it’s yet to be proven here.
While Gomez might be the most talented all-rounder on show, it’s also worth noting how few triathletes ever win on debut. To find the last male to do so, you have to go back to Belgian Luc van Lierde in 1996. Often a lesser podium finish predicates a win in the men’s race, as has been the case for a generation, but if any triathlete can buck that trend, it’s also likely to be Gomez
1. Patrick Lange, Germany
The defending champion takes our top spot for a number of reasons. If you’re a betting person, then opting for a ‘runner’ over a ‘biker’ is the safe play in Kona. While the winds can be notorious, recent years have been relatively benign and only Sebastian Kienle in 2014 has biked off the front to win since Normann Stadler in 2006.
The ever-increasing strength in depth of the men’s field also means that Lange can tuck into a paceline on the bike and is less likely to be isolated for enough time on the Queen K to cost him too much time.
But most important of all is his ability to run on the Big Island better than anyone has seen before. If the sight of the German emerging from the natural energy lab ticking off 6min/miles was a surprise in 2016, then it was a case of deja vu last year when he ran just 14sec slower than his course run record 2:39:45 split from the year before. The marathon charge was good enough for third place on Lange’s debut, but took him to the top of the podium in a course record 8:01:40 last time out.
As with last year much of the 32-year-old’s build-up has been low-key. He was third in Challenge Gran Canaria in April and second at 70. Kraichgau in June, before validating his Kona spot with third behind Jan Frodeno at Ironman Germany in July – a race he finished a lowly sixth at in 2017.
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If the crosswinds blow and the likes of Lionel Sanders and Kienle can get away on the bike, even Lange’s sub 2.40 marathon exploits might not be enough. But if it remains calm and the humidity is up on the run, the German coached by 2005 winner Faris Al-Sultan, has proven he can make up the places to take the tape – although this time he might have to duck under 8hrs to do it.
As Ironman celebrates its 40th year, the best long course triathletes on the planet line up for another shot at world title glory in Hawaii. Switzerland’s Daniela Ryf returns as a three-time defending champion and red-hot favourite, but there is increasing depth in the women’s professional field with multiple challengers eyeing a podium spot.
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Such is this strength that some of the biggest names in the sport don’t make our predicted top 10. Those to miss out include triathletes who have consistently been in the prize-money on past visits such as Michelle Vesterby, Sarah Piampiano and Carrie Lester. There’s also no place for Helle Frederiksen, who has the fastest middle distance time on record and makes her first start.
Britain’s Susie Cheetham, who has twice finished sixth in Hawaii, isn’t on the list either, and nor are fellow Brits, Laura Siddall – who has won three iron-distance races in 2018 – and debutant Emma Pallant.
But if these omissions raise a few eyebrows, we’ll go on to explain why the women who do make the top 10, all have the experience, talent or potential to make a big impact on the Big Island this year.
Agree or disagree, let us know in the comments… or on social media
10. Lisa Huetthaler, Austria
More pariah than popular due to a past doping infraction, trying to bribe the testing laboratory, and, on returning from the ban, allegations of drafting with a male partner during a race.
Controversy seems to follow the Austrian like a wheel-sucking drafter. Even her domestic Ironman in Klagenfurt this year had added spice when Britain’s Susie Cheetham lodged a post-race complaint about moto-pacing on the bike – Huetthaler had the joint-fastest bike split and would hold on for second place.
But while her reputation precedes her, she has proved a masterful exponent of the 70.3 distance with multiple victories throughout Europe. This has yet to translate into Ironman success, but finishing runner-up in her last four outings more than justifies a spot on the start-list.
It’s hard to predict how she’ll go. Now 35 years old, Huetthaler’s strength is on the bike, and the rolling course should be suited to her ability to generate big watts and cope with the crosswinds. Whether she’s as equipped for the humidity on the run here is more questionable, and given it’s her debut in Hawaii, a top 10 result would be a successful return.
9. Sarah True, USA
After a distinguished ITU career that included twice winning on the World Triathlon Series in Stockholm and placing fourth in the London 2012 Olympics, True finally made the switch to non-drafting racing last year and even picked up a couple of wins over the 70.3 distance in Augusta and Austin.
This season witnessed her Ironman debut, where she ran a rapid 2:54:58 marathon in the European Championship in Frankfurt to finish second behind a dominant Daniela Ryf. True was disappointed to finish 10th in the Ironman 70.3 worlds in South Africa at the start of September, but was thwarted by a flat tyre and could take some solace from recovering to run a 1:17:58 half-marathon.
Formerly Sarah Groff before marrying US elite endurance runner Ben True in 2014, she has the all-round ability and pedigree to match up against her rivals, and despite this being her first year on the Big Island, a top 10 finish is the minimum she’ll expect.
8. Liz Blatchford, Australia
It will be one last hurrah for Blatchford, 38, who recently announced she will retire from triathlon after Kona this year, marking an end to 18 impressive years in the sport.
The former British ITU racer turned back to her Aussie roots when she stepped up to Ironman in 2013 and enjoyed instant success, but although she has twice finished third on the Big Island, she’s also been absent in Hawaii for the past two years, due to the birth of daughter Mahli in 2017.
As efficient a racer as there is, Blatchford will swim comfortably with the main pack and sit in on the bike, allowing others to do the pressing, before picking off challengers as they wilt on the run.
She’s already won two Ironman races this year, with the second coming at Mont Tremblant in a three-way battle with Lauren Brandon and Meredith Kessler. That clinched her Kona qualification and although an August race might seem later than ideal, it has been a tried and tested path. She raced there in both 2013 and 2015 and went on to make the podium in Hawaii both times.
7. Kaisa Sali
It’s testament to the quality of the field that the Finnish star could produce the best performance of her Ironman career yet we still predict her to come a career-low seventh.
In eight Ironmans Sali has never finished lower than fifth. That’s happened twice, both times in Hawaii, and, also showing remarkable consistency, her marathon has only fluctuated from 2.59 to 3.08, with similarly level bike splits.
Low profile, Sali will start un-fancied but full of confidence because this year has arguably been her best to date. A morale-boosting 70.3 win in Monterrey was followed by a third place in Roth with a personal best time of 8:46:49 and then a win at Ironman Switzerland in July.
With sights now set on the Big Island, she’s refining the details – saddle, helmet choice, aerobar extensions, position of drinks bottles – that could make a telling difference come race day. Unlikely to falter, if those ahead of her do, she could be a podium contender.
6. Heather Jackson, USA
The American makes a fourth trip to the Big Island having fallen in love with the place and gained rich rewards in return. Aged 34, she seems to have the physique and attitude to embrace its challenges, with finishes of fifth, third and fourth on her previous appearances.
Jackson has long been an impressive 70.3 triathlete and added to her multiple success over the distance by winning at Chattanooga in May. Not the most talented of swimmers, she proves strong on the bike and is consistently below 3:10 on the run, despite not yet having broken 3:05.
With the ability to deliver a measured performance and come through at the business end of races, this year she’s been back on top of the podium at Ironman Lake Placid. It mirrored her victory from 2016, where she went on to finish third in Kona and is a good omen as she prepares to take on the best once more.
5. Sarah Crowley, Australia
After finishing third in Hawaii last year, the Australian has backed it up with an impressive 2018 that bodes well for similar fortune this time around. There was no shame in finishing third behind Daniela Ryf and Sarah True in trying to defend her European title at Frankfurt, although it will have been disappointing to have biked 25mins slower than both Ryf and the time Crowley had achieved a year earlier.
But she righted any wrongs by returning to Germany for Ironman Hamburg in August and won a 6km run, 180km bike, 42.2km run duathlon after the swim was cancelled due to blue-green algae.
A model of consistency on foot, her last five marathons times have been spread by just 85secs around the 3:05:00 mark. More recently she’s taken top honours at Santa Cruz 70.3 as part of her Hawaii build-up, and under coach Cam Watt, a Brett Sutton protege, is learning and improving in the mould of Chrissie Wellington, Ryf and a string of successful predecessors. Will be primed once again for the main event.
4. Mirinda Carfrae, Australia
The Australian is the only woman to have beaten Daniela Ryf over Ironman when the Swiss has completed the course (Ryf dropped out of Ironman Germany in 2016 early on the bike). But that was when Carfrae ran her down with a course record marathon of 2:50:26 in Hawaii to win a third world title in 2014 – and a lot has changed in those four years.
Carfrae’s defence of that crown ended in a DNF after she failed to recover sufficiently from a pre-race bike crash to mount a challenge, but she did return to finish runner-up in 2016, although it was more than 23mins behind her Swiss conqueror.
Having had a year out to be a mother to baby Izzy, this season she’s won 70.3 Santa Rosa and Augusta and validated her Kona spot with second-place at Ironman Cairns behind Kiwi Teresa Adam.
A warm-up race in Poland saw Ryf turn up and again beat her by 23mins – this time over half the distance. So while Carfrae is unlikely to be fazed, has a wealth of experienced, and knows perfectly how to plan the year to peak for Kona, there’s a lot to claw back if she’s to be challenging for to spot once again.
3. Anne Haug, Germany
The most intriguing of a string of debutants that also include USA’s Sarah True, Britain’s Emma Pallant and Denmark’s Helle Frederiksen, and it’s largely because the German’s marathon potential looks of the calibre to rival a free-flowing Mirinda Carfrae in her pomp.
Haug came to prominence at ITU racing, with her highlight being World Triathlon Series Grand Final success in Auckland in 2012. But the 35-year-old was always hampered by a comparatively weaker swim, which contributed to her two Olympic outings, in London (11th) and Rio (36th), ending in disappointment.
Since stepping up to non-drafting racing post the 2016 Games, the swim plays less of pivotal role and Haug has looked impressive in winning in Lanzarote and Dubai in 2017 and California this year over the half-distance.
Haug’s Ironman debut came in Frankfurt in July where she sealed her Kona berth with fourth place and standing just 5ft 4, her physique looks perfect to succeed in the heat and humidity of Hawaii.
As long as she can hack the non-wetsuit nature of the Kona swim, and has built on her bike strength in the past few months, it’s just a case of turning her footspeed from the half-marathon – as shown by a recent 1:15:11 run at the Ironman 70.3 worlds – to the full 26.2miles. Perhaps easier said than done, but with the German men so strong, Haug might feel it’s time the women got involved with the honours too.
2. Lucy Charles, Great Britain
After a breakthrough performance in Hawaii last year to finish runner-up – and in the absence of Mirinda Carfrae through pregnancy – the Brit has cemented her position as the main challenger to the Swiss dominance of Daniela Ryf.
The 25-year-old has moved way beyond just taking plaudits alongside USA’s Lauren Brandon for being the best swimmer on show, and last year’s performance makes her one of only three women in the field – alongside Ryf and Carfrae – to have ducked under 9hrs on the Big Island.
The Essex triathlete won Ironman South Africa in April and backed that up with a personal best 8:43:51 to finish second to Germany’s Daniela Sammler in Challenge Roth by just 9sec. Other notable results include retaining her Challenge Championship crown in Slovakia and finishing second to Ryf in the Ironman 70.3 worlds, where she kept pace on the bike into T2.
Once again, she will lead from the front and try and stay there as long as possible. Last year Ryf caught her in the last 20km of the bike leg. For Charles to have a chance of victory in 2018, she’ll need to retain the lead coming into T2.
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1. Daniela Ryf, Switzerland
No surprises for the No 1 slot. As we’ve counted down the top 10, Ryf has often been mentioned in despatches for one world-beating performance or another. The question is not whether the Swiss is the best female triathlete in the race, but whether a fourth consecutive victory will make her the greatest of all-time.
Everything points in that direction. She has looked almost indomitable in 2018, as she has done virtually every year since stepping up to long course racing in 2014, and starts as a heavy odds-on favourite for the Ironman world title double after taking the 70.3 crown in South Africa at the start of September.
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A lot can happen in almost nine hours of racing, so the result is not a formality, but having set a new course record of 8:38:44 in Ironman Germany, an Ironman 70.3 best time of 3:57:47 in Poland and dominated a strong field in the 70.3 worlds in South Africa, given good conditions, her own course record of 8:46:46 could be under threat.
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It’s beautiful, atmospheric and up there as one of our favourite races. But now the Slateman Triathlon has got even tougher for next year with the edition of a middle-distance option on 19 May 2019. And entries are now open for the new 70.1 Legend Distance here.
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The new Legend distance consists of a 1.9km swim in the chilly waters of Llyn Padarn, a 90km bike route through the heart of the Snowdonia National Park and the unique 21km run on Llanberis’ slate quarry trails and Padarn Country Park.
The 2019 edition of the Slateman is expected to draw over 1,500 triathletes to Snowdonia in May, with over 5,000 spectators likely to descend on the event village and surrounding routes.
The Slateman Sprint and Duathlon will take place on the Saturday, with the Classic Slateman and Legend on the Sunday. There’s also the Slateman Savage option of doing the Sprint on the Saturday and the Classic on the Sunday.
The Slateman will kick off the Always Aim High 2019 Adventure Triathlon Series 2019, followed by the HIGH5 Snowman from 27-28 July, and the Superfeet Sandman from 14-15 September.
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Entries for the 2019 Slateman Sprint, Classic, Savage, and Legend distances are now open. More info on booking your place are here.
Another year, another formidable performance from Daniela Ryf at the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. The Swiss star made it four consecutive wins in Kona today and, in doing so, matched Chrissie Wellington’s victory count in Hawaii and smashed the course record. And this included a nasty jellyfish sting on the swim that made her consider quitting after the swim leg.
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After breaking the swim course record, Britain’s Lucy Charles would finish second once again, and in doing so would produce the second-fastest time in women’s Hawaii history.
CHARLES STRIKES FIRST
British interest in the women’s professional event was largely centred on rising superstar Lucy Charles (head here for the elite men’s race report featuring David McNamee, Tim Don and Joe Skipper), with the Essex athlete targeting a victory over three-time champ Daniela Ryf after her second place Kona elite breakthough in 2017.
And Charles would prove utterly dominant in the swim leg of the women’s race, with the British athlete leading from the start and all by herself for much of the duration.
She’d exit in 48:13mins, under the course record of 48:43 from 1999 (and in the overall top ten fastest elite times of the day), and hit the bike with a 2min margin over the chasing field and around 10mins to Ryf, who was stung by a jellyfish in the swim under the arm. A message to the three-time Kona champion had been delivered by Charles.
#IMWC @LucyAnneCharles out of the water in with the lead followed by @lb_brandon +2:53, @TeresaJAdam), +3:45, Hele @helle_f +3:48, @sgroffy +3:52, @Liz_Blatchford +3:55, @Rachel_McB +5:50, @JoceMcCauley +5:58 and and @mbkessler +5:59. pic.twitter.com/dxG3wDll2j
— IRONMANLive (@IRONMANLive) October 13, 2018
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By the 90km stage of the bike, Charles’ lead over Ryf was 8mins, with the Swiss athlete having risen through the field to second place. Brit Corinne Abraham was in fourth. Some 20km later and Ryf had chiselled Charles’ advantage down to 7mins, and this theme would continue for the duration of the bike course.
Update: @danielaryf Has again brought down the gap. It’s now just 3.03 just pass Mauna Lani in the QK heading back to town.
Additional notes by Bryan Rose
The WWE has not yet announced this, but John Laurinaitis has been put back in the position of Head of Talent Relations, reporting to WWE Executive Vice President of Operations Brad Blum.
Laurinaitis replaced Jim Ross as head of talent relations in 2004, when Ross stepped down from his executive roles within the company. Laurinaitis remained in that position until 2012, when he resigned. He has since returned to working as a producer/road agent, the role he entered WWE with in 2001 when WCW went out of business.
The talent relations department is being split into talent management and talent branding. The latter of which will be the idea of a talent agency looking to book WWE talent for appearances, television commercials, movies, and other third party engagements.
Laurinatis’ new role will be General Manager, Talent, which he starts immediately.
Aside from his backstage role, Laurinaits was an on-air personality from 2011-12, and has made sporadic appearances on WWE television since then.
Daniela Ryf’s record breaking performance saw her take victory for the fourth year running, proving herself to be one of, if not the greatest female triathlete of all time, while Patrick Lange smashed the 8 hour barrier, winning in a record time of 07:52:39.
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Kona 2018: How all the emotion and action was captured on social media
Ironman World Champs 2018: Patrick Lange is the King of Kona
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Ironman World Champs: Daniela Ryf smashes Kona record
Launch Gallery
1. 1st male overall was Patrick Lange (GER) in a time of 7:52:39, who broke his own course best set in 2017 of 8:01:40.
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2. 1st female overall was Daniela Ryf (SUI) in a time of 8:26:16: swim 57:26 (struggled with a jelly fish sting), bike 4:26:07 and run 2:57:05, breaking her own course best set in 2016 of 8:46:46.
3. The fastest male swimmer was age-grouper Jan Sibbersen in a time of 46:29, breaking the previous men’s record in Kona of 46:41 that had stood for 20 years, held by Lars Jorgensen. Jan’s bike split was 5:12:51, his run 4:26:24, for a total time of 10:37:33.
4. The fastest female swimmer was GB’s Lucy Charles in a time of 48:13. She averaged 1:15mins per 100m and in doing so set a new female course record, beating Jodi Jackson’s 1991 record of 48:43. She also finished in the overall top-10 fastest elite swim times of the day.
5. Fastest male bike split of the day was set by Cameron Wurf (AUS), a former pro cyclist and rower turned Ironman competitor. He improved his Kona record to 4:09:06 (26.98mph) from the 4:12:54 he set in 2017. His other splits were: swim 50:51; run 3:06:18, for a total time of 8:10:32.
6. Fastest female bike split of the day was set by Daniela Ryf in 4:26:07 (25:39mph), another new Kona record. The previous best time was 4:44:19, set by former time-trial specialist Karin Thürig in 2001.
7. Fastest male marathon run leg of the day came courtesy of Patrick Lange with a 2:41:32.
8. Fastest female marathon run leg of the day was set by Anne Haug 02:55:20.
9. For the first time in Kona history, the 8hr barrier was broken! Twice! First by Lange (7:52:39) and then by runner-up Bart Aernouts (BEL) in 7:56:41. His splits were: swim 54:07; bike 4:12:26; run 2:45:42.
10. Daniela Ryf came 25th overall beating 21 male pros; Lucy Charles came 35th overall.
11. Another Kona first saw the men’s winner propose to his girlfriend after crossing the finish line. Within a minute of finishing, Lange got down on one knee and proposed to Julia Hoffmann – she said yes!
12. Kyle and Brent Pease became the first push-assisted team of brothers to cross the finish line, and only the second pair in that category to complete the race. For the swim, Brent towed his brother in a boat, then completed the bike leg in a specially adapted bike before running with his brother in a specially adapted running chair. The last team to do so was father Dick and son Rick Hoyt in 1999. The Peases finished in a time of 14:29hrs.
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13. GB’s Liz McTernan became only the second female wheelchair participant to complete Kona, and now holds the course record of 14:21:12. McTernan competed in the ‘Physically Challenged’ or PC Division, using a hand bike for 180km and a racing wheelchair for the marathon.
Congratulations #TeamCAF athlete @lizmcternan! Liz crossedthe finish line at #IMKONA as the 2nd wheelchair woman to ever finish the @IRONMANtri World Championship. AND she now holds the course record for fastest time.
New Delhi — India’s Hindu-nationalist government revoked the special status of Indian administered Kashmir on Monday in a move that analysts say could cause unrest in the disputed Muslim-majority territory.
Kashmir borders both India and Pakistan, and both countries control parts of it but claim it in full. Kashmir was divided between India and Pakistan after the two countries fought a war over the territory in 1947. Article 370 of the Indian constitution formed the basis of Kashmir’s accession to India and gave the state of Jammu and Kashmir its own constitution and decision-making rights for everything apart from foreign affairs, communications, and defense. It also prevented Indians outside the state from permanently settling there and buying land.
Indian Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the measure to revoke Article 370 in parliament on Monday. Though it was debated, Shah said Indian President Ram Nath Kovind had already signed the order, bringing it into effect “at once.” The announcement was met with outrage by opposition politicians.The Indian government also said it would “reorganize” Jammu and Kashmir state into two Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The move would bring the whole region under the direct control of the Indian central government, though the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir would have a legislature with very limited powers. The revocation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the state is seen by some critics as an attempt by the Hindu-nationalist Indian government to shift the demographics of Muslim-majority Kashmir by allowing Hindu people to settle there. Troop build-up
Monday’s announcement followed a massive troop build-up in Kashmir, with India sending at least 35,000 additional paramilitary soldiers to the state over the last ten days.On Friday, the government cancelled a Hindu pilgrimage to a holy cave in the Himalayas, called the Amarnath Yatra, and asked all pilgrims and tourists in the state to leave “immediately.” Some people in Kashmir, fearing a government crackdown, began stockpiling food, medicine, and fuel.On Sunday night, the internet, TV, and phone lines were shut down in Kashmir, virtually cutting it off from the rest of the world. Restrictions on movement and assembly were put in place. Early Monday, at least 8,000 additional paramilitary soldiers were airlifted to the territory.
Kashmir remained on security and information lockdown on Monday after it was announced that Article 370 had been revoked. Paramilitary and other security forces were densely deployed in the area to deal with protests that were expected to erupt once the information blackout was lifted. Meanwhile, celebrations were reported around other parts of India, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to address the nation in the coming days. In a statement, Pakistan said that, “no unilateral step by the Government of India can change [Kashmir’s] disputed status… Pakistan will exercise all possible options to counter the illegal steps.” The former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, reacted to the news by tweeting that the decision marked “the darkest say in Indian democracy.”Later, he tweeted: “Already under house arrest & not allowed to have visitors either. Not sure how long I’ll be able to communicate. Is this the India we acceded to?”Another former chief minister, Omar Abdullah said, “the decisions will have far-reaching and dangerous consequences.” Both former chief ministers were arrested and taken to jail later on Monday.
The move is expected to further strain relations between nuclear neighbors India and Pakistan, who have fought three wars on the issue of Kashmir.
It’s not often swim, bike and run makes football play second fiddle, but there are more spectators here for the inaugural Dubrovnik Triathlon than attended the Croatia v England international – 400 miles north along the Adriatic coast in Rijeka – the previous evening. And given this is a football-obsessed nation whose national team reached the World Cup final, it’s a victory to be celebrated for multisport. (We can gloss over both who they beat in the semi-final and that this recent encounter was played behind closed doors.)
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Triathlon is a new sport in a city famed for its Old Town. Named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979, its siege by Serbian and Montenegrin soldiers became a focal point during the break-up of Yugoslavia in the early nineties, but having taken a pre-race trip inside the medieval bulwarks, I can report it’s now deluged by up to 10,000 tourists a day, disembarking cruise ships to roam its ramparts.
Part of the attraction is the baroque, renaissance and gothic architecture, but it’s also the phenomenon that is Game of Thrones, the fantasy television drama that was filmed here. Given I’ve never watched a second of the show, my pop culture references end here, but at least it’ll save you from laboured puns being crowbarred into the race report, such as Game of Triathlons (attempt a faux European accent and switch ‘ons’ for ‘owns’).
On to a less hectic affair than the Old Town – the race – and a sprint or standard distance option, starting from Gruz Harbour, with a transition zone neatly slotted between moored luxury yachts. It’s a 2pm start and the untriathlonly time is virtue of the organisers being given a one-hour window between the aforementioned hulking cruise liners docking and setting sail. After that strict deadline the port is back open for business, so there’s significant motivation to make the swim cut-off.
SCRIPTED DEBUT
The area is trying to carve its own niche in activity breaks. There’s a half-marathon here in April that finishes on the Stradun – Dubrovnik’s most famous limestone-paved street in the Old Town – and 60 miles away in Kotor, Montenegro, the Ocean Lava middle distance race takes place in May. It’s not a tricky place to get to and here we’ve 15 different nationalities, many from former Yugoslav republics, plus a scattering of Brits.
For a first-time event, it almost feels scripted. The weather is blissfully mid-20s, and the harbour water 21 degrees, making it just cool enough for novices (or those hellbent on winning) to wear a wetsuit. The bike course follows the coast to the small village of Komolac, and is both the prettiest dragstrip imaginable and seemingly the only flat stretch of road in the region. The run is out and back along the harbour edge where the most taxing element is keeping count of your laps.
As I’m about to plop in for the deep-water start, I try to recall the last time I undertook a standard-distance triathlon. My fumbling excuse is that my time has been better served agonising over topics for my 220 Triathlon column, although that’s probably best left for others to judge. Conclusion: “It’s been a while – and it’ll take a while.” And so it plays out.
The two-lap anticlockwise swim is rather too pleasant – not a jellyfish in sight (take note as an alternative race option for next year, Daniela Ryf). About 60 people have signed up for the standard distance, a similar number for the sprint, plus a handful of relay teams, and both the water and opposition are calmness personified. My only gripe is with the toddlers’ swim caps provided, as the silicon dome pings from my bonce about midway through the first lap, striking another blow to marine welfare.
Out on to the road bike (I’ve borrowed from the organisers) in 39mins (including T1, I’m sure it was long), I spend the majority of the four laps daydreaming at the scenery, reading the derrieres of tri-suits and wondering how they’re pronounced (my straw poll of waiters confirms the Croatian language is brutish to grasp), and hoping I’ll overtake someone who isn’t on a mountain bike. The tranquillity is occasionally broken when some lunatic on a TT bike and deep-dished wheels comes whooping past (my one piece of serious advice would be to pack a TT bike if you want to compete), but they pretty sharply bugger off into the distance anyway.
Returning 1:24hr later, I head out for a fairly uneventful run, where the sun beats down and I have to pass the finish gantry 11 times (yes, I just worked it out), before I can actually jog under the arch in 45mins for a less-than-competitive 2:49:32 and just sneak into the top 30.
CRUISES, COFFEE AND CRAP CANNONS
My race aside, the Dubrovnik Triathlon has a lot going for it. No matter how many risk assessments are undertaken, first-time events are fraught with the potential for unforeseen hiccups. It’s compounded when a venue is not au fait with triathlon, and judging by the motorists in the town, it will be a while before a cycling culture takes off.
Yet enthusiasm – and Dubrovnik has a two-year-old 20-strong tri club getting behind it – can go a long way. It also helps when you bring in John Lunt and Co, the team behind the successful Brighton and Hove Tri, with Lunt formerly triathlon course manager for the London 2012 Olympics. So, while I’m sure there are a few teething issues, they’re well-hidden and certainly no disasters.
It isn’t just the finishing chute where the red (ok, blue) carpet has been rolled out either. There’s a familiarisation swim at Banje Beach the morning before the race – the reward being free coffee and doughnuts bigger than lifebuoys – and a triathletes’ reception in Sponza Palace in the Old Town in the evening where a welcoming British consul informs us it’s British week in Dubrovnik, although the Beatles tribute act crooning in the main square in front of a London bus was already a slight giveaway.
Post-race there’s an awards party offering a bellyful of pasta and apple strudel, a few tunes and a live stream of the Ironman World Championship, jellyfish and all, on the big screen. Then it’s all aboard for a cruise around the bay at 9am the following morning in a replica 16th-century Karaka, which, for all intents and purposes is a pirate ship with crap cannons, air-conditioning and cappuccinos.
TICKS THE 2019 BOXES
Given there are so many options on the racing calendar, does Dubrovnik deserve its place on your itinerary next year? There are races that offer a calm wetsuit-optional sea swim, there are others that provide closed bike courses that are flat and safe for novices, and still more that provide a scenic backdrop.
You can also find affordable races (£65/£50 for the standard/sprint distance) within a two-hour EasyJet flight of the UK, where you have a choice of accommodation from luxury hotels to affordable AirBnBs, and some also offer plenty of cultural options when you strip off the Lycra. But a destination that ticks all those boxes is a challenge, and that’s where the Dubrovnik Triathlon wins out.
The late Lord Bryon called the city the Pearl of the Adriatic. It’s less known that he’s also credited for starting the modern age of open-water swimming in 1810. I’ve a feeling that if he were still alive today, the legendary poet would be first in the queue to slip on his race belt… because this is one event you Don Juan a miss.
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You can fly to Dubrovnik with Easy Jet