Andy Potts and Leanda Cave won the Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon Sunday.

Potts combined a tied for race-best 27:10 swim, a race-best 45:41 bike split, and a 4th-best 45:37 run to finish in 2:03:17 to earn a 36-seconds margin of victory over runner-up and Australian Olympian Courtney Atkinson and 1:15 over New Zealand Olympian and 3rd place finisher Bevan Docherty.

Dustin McLarty led the men out of the water in 26:49, with Potts and Francesc Godoy of Spain tied for the next-best swim in 27:10. Atkinson and Jon Bird of Canada were next in 27:13, followed by Canadian Andrew McCartney (27:17) and New Zealander Bevan Docherty (27:37).

Potts then asserted his mastery of the tough, hilly 18-mile bike course with a 45:41 clocking which was 33 seconds better than Docherty, 1:54 better than Atkinson, 2:44 better than Bird and 4:39 better than Godoy.

On the run, Potts’ 45:37 split surrendered 1:12 to runner-up Atkinson but was 29 seconds faster than 3rd-place Docherty, and 6 seconds faster than 4th place Godoy.

Potts’ time was 3:32 slower than his 2011 winning time but good enough to win his 5th Escape From Alcatraz title.

Cave combined a 4th-best 29:23 swim with a race-best 51:27 bike and race-best 52:10 run to finish in 2:18:17 with a 2:44 margin of victory over runner-up Annabel Luxford of Australia and 5:15 over third place Jenna Parker of the U.S.

Lauren Brandon led the women out of the water with a 28:49 swim, followed by Sara McLarty (28:52), Luxford (29:22), Cave (29:23), Becky Lavelle (30:04), Emily Cocks (30:20), Jenna Parker (30:23), Ericka Erickson (31:50) and Jenny Fletcher (31:56).

Cave took control with a race-best 51:27 bike that gave her a 35-seconds lead over Annabel Luxford (52:03 bike) and 2:55 over Jenna Parker (30:23 swim and 3rd-best 53:22 bike) at T2.

On the run, Cave’s 52:10 run added 1:43 to her lead on Luxford and 2:07 on Parker.

Cave’s victory was her 4th Escape From Alcatraz title, adding to her wins in 2007, 2008 and 2010.

Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon
San Francisco, California
June 10, 2012
S 1.5 mi. / B 18 mi. / R 8 mi.

Results

Men

1. Andy Potts (USA) 2:03:17
2. Courtney Atkinson (AUS) 2:03:53
3. Bevan Docherty (NZL) 2:04:32
4. Francesc Godoy (ESP) 2:08:03
5. Jon Bird (CAN) 2:08:18
6. Andrew Russell (CAN) 2:08:32
7. Jason Pederson (NA) 2:09:42
8. Dustin McLarty (USA) 2:10:00
9. Brian Fleischmann (USA) 2:11:38
10. Ken Rakestraw (USA) 2:11:51

Women

1. Leanda Cave (GBR) 2:18:17
2. Annabel Luxford (AUS) 2:21:01
3. Jenna Parker (USA) 2:23:32
4. Emily Cocks (USA) 2:26:56
5. Becky Lavelle (USA) 2:27:09
6. Sara McLarty (USA) 2:29:50
7. Alexis Smith (USA) 2:29:55
8. Jenny Fletcher (USA) 2:30:17
9. Christie Farson (USA) 2:30:46
10. Ericka Erickson (USA) 2:31:20