The Weekend Box Jul 20 2014

While Timo Bracht and Mirinda Carfrae starred at Roth, there were several other stories worthy of your consideration in the lightly clad sport known formally as triathlon. We present a Canadian who could play the part of a comic book superhero known as The Flash prevailing in Racine. We inform you about a British physician winning her very first Ironman on home soil. Below you will find a veteran Olympic medalist and a young U.S. woman winning her first international race in Switzerland. And there is age group run-bike-run action in Minnesota and 5i50 derring-do in Kansas.

Cyril Viennot and Tamsin Lewis win Ironman UK

Six months after a serious training accident threatened his career, Cyril Viennot recovered well enough to score his first ever Ironman victory on the famously challenging course at Ironman UK. On the women's side, medical doctor Tamsin Lewis of Great Britain won in dominating fashion in her very first test at the Ironman distance.

“It was revenge because I had a big accident in January,” said Viennot after scoring a 4 minutes 2 seconds margin of victory over Joe Skipper of Great Britain. “I could have died then and I had to stop training. This was the first year I was a [full time] professional triathlete – the year before I was working as a sports teacher and I was very disappointed” at the interruption.

Viennot started his day with a 10th place swim – 4:24 behind Harry Wiltshire and 2 seconds ahead of top runner and eventual top rival Joe Skipper. Halfway through the notoriously rugged bike course, Viennot was in second position, 5:18 behind leading cyclist Axel Zeebroek of Belgium. By the end of the bike leg, Viennot’s race-best 4:50:48 bike split cut Zeebroek’s lead to 1:43 while the rest of the field was out of the picture more than 10 minutes behind.

Zeebroek started the run aggressively and increased his lead to 2:24 after 15 kilometers. “I knew I had to be patient,” said Viennot. “At the half marathon point you know the race isn’t over, so I waited for my time.”

Sure enough, Viennot seized the lead just after the halfway point of the marathon and built a 26-seconds lead by kilometer 24. By the 37-kilometer mark, Viennot’s lead was 4:23 over Great Britain’s Joe Skipper, who passed Zeebroek on his way to a race-best 2:48:20 marathon. While Viennot was headed to a decidedly more conservative 2:57:35 run, Skipper’s surge was spent and the Frenchman cruised to a 4:02 margin of victory in 8:44:10. Kirill Kotsegarov of Estonia took 3rd in 8:51:01 and Zeebroek, who faded with a 3:08:55 run, finished 4th in 8:53:37.

Tamsin Lewis joined Melissa Hauschildt in winning her 2014 Ironman debut at the 10th anniversary Ironman UK.

Lewis started 3:50 down to swim leader Katja Konschak of Germany’s race-best 51:17 split, then roared to the front on her way to a race-best 5:33:14 bike split which was 9 minutes better than Joanna Carritt of Great Britain, 10 minutes better than Carla Rooijen of the Netherlands and a whopping 25 minutes better than Konschak.

Lewis then wrapped up the victory with a 2nd-best 3:18:04 marathon which gave back 3:30 to Konschak but left the physician with a 19:13 margin of victory at the finish. Carritt faded to a 3:33:35 marathon but it was enough to take the final spot on the podium, 9:49 behind Konschak.

“I loved the spectators in Bolton,” said Lewis, who was inspired by her home country crowd. “They were amazing and I was nearly in tears.”

Ironman UK
Bolton, United Kingdom
July 20, 2014
S 2.4 mi. / B 112 mi. / R 26.2 mi.

Results

Men

1. Cyril Viennot (FRA) 8:44:10
2. Joe Skipper ( GBR) 8:48:12
3. Kirill Kotsegarov (EST) 8:51:01
4. Axel Zeebroek (BEL) 8:53:37
5. Joerie Vansteelant (BEL) 8:58:06

Women

1. Tamsin Lewis (GBR) 9:52:12
2. Katja Konschak (GER) 10:11:25
3. Joanna Carritt (GBR) 10:21:14
4. Carla Rooijen (NED) 10:22:58 *F40-44
5. Vicky Gill (GBR) 10:29:10 *F30-34

Lionel Sanders and Melissa Hauschildt win Racine 70.3

For the second week in a row, the Canadian with the fleet feet of the Roman god Mercury overcame the U.S. star with the hell on wheels bike prowess to take the men’s crown while the current Ironman 70.3 world champion Australian won the women’s title at Ironman 70.3 Racine.

Canadian Lionel Sanders is making it a habit to erase big deficits with his sizzling fast runs. Sunday, he did it again at Ironman 70.3 Racine as he wiped out Andrew Starykowicz’s 7:59 lead after a smoking hot 2:00:43 bike split with an equally fiery 1:09:36 run. When the smoke cleared, Sanders finished in 3:45:55 with a 42 seconds margin of victory over Starykowicz (1:18:13 run) and 5:46 over the 3rd-place finisher, 3-time ITU Olympic distance World Champion Peter Robertson of Australia (1:14:49 run).

By now Sanders is a certified scary-fast 70.3 run sensation. It all started with a 1:10:58 run split to win Ironman 70.3 Muskoka last year and continued with a 1:09:56 and a 1:09:55 run splits to place second at Raleigh and Syracuse 70.3s this year. Just last week, Sanders added to his legend with a come-from-behind 1:10:54 run split to win Muncie 70.3.

After taking a rare loss at the 70.3 distance to Meredith Kessler last week at Vineman 70.3, Melissa Hauschildt roared back to the top of the 70.3 podium at Racine with a comfortable margin of victory over highly regarded Danish opponent Helle Frederiksen.

As usual, super-runner/excellent-cyclist Hauschildt started her day 2:33 down to Frederiksen’s women's–best 28:11 swim. After the cycling leg, Hauschildt’s women's-best 2:20:08 split took back precisely 2:33 from Frederiksen. After a superior transition, Hauschildt started the run with a 17 seconds advantage, while Lauren Barnett, Laura Siddall, Christine Hammond and Valentina Carvallo were all out of contention, 5 to 9 minutes arrears.

Within 3.4 miles Hauschildt had stretched her lead to 1:15 over Frederiksen. By the finish her race-best 1:20:04 run split added 4:15 to her winning margin while Lauren Barnett’s 2nd-best 1:22:52 run advance her to the final slot on the podium.

Ironman 70.3 Racine
Racine, Wisconsin
July 20, 2014
S 1.2 mi. / B 56 mi. / R 13.1 mi.

Results

Men

1. Lionel Sanders (CAN) 3:45:55
2. Andrew Starykowicz (USA) 3:46:37
3. Peter Robertson (AUS) 3:51:41
4. Kevin Collington (USA) 3:52:01
5. Daniel Fontana (ITA) 3:53:16

Women

1. Melissa Hauschildt (AUS) 4:11:51
2. Helle Frederiksen (DNK) 4:16:22
3. Lauren Barnett (USA) 4:19:34
4. Laura Siddall (GBR) 4:23:49
5. Christine Hammond (USA) 4:27:31

Sven Riederer and rising U.S. star Lindsey Jerdonek win Geneva European Cup

Sven Riederer, the 2004 Olympic bronze medalist, edged fellow Swiss Olympian Ruedi Wild in a tight duel and Lindsey Jerdonek of the U.S. dominated the elite women's field for a breakthrough victory at the Geneva ETU Triathlon European Cup.

Riederer started 44 seconds back of swim leader Anthony Pujades of France, 41 seconds back of Olympic veteran Frederick Belaubre of France and 17 seconds ahead of countryman Ruedi Wild amidst a typically tight pack of swimmers. Riederer and Wild worked together to edge to the front on the bike as their 1:06:44 and 1:06:26 splits gave them a 15 seconds edge on dangerous runner Belaubre and half a minute on Pujades starting the run.

The run immediately turned into a flat out drag race between Riederer, Wild and Belaubre that wasn't decided until the finish straight. While Belaubre turned on all the jets with a race-fastest 31:24 10k run, it was not quite enough to erase his deficit to the Swiss duo. Riederer ran 31:39 – 4 seconds faster than Wild – and it was just enough to finish in 1:58:44 with a 4 seconds margin of victory over Wild and an 8 seconds cushion over 3rd place finisher Belaubre.

Jerdonek, coming off an encouraging 14th place finish at the prestigious Hamburg World Triathlon Series race, showed her 2014 stint with coach Darren Smith’s squad was paying off with a dominating victory at the Geneva European Cup.

Jerdonek started with a 3rd-best 21:53 swim that was 48 seconds behind Celine Scharer of Switzerland and Jessie Learmonth of Great Britain. Jerdonek (1:14:07 bike split) then teamed up with Margie Santimaria of Italy (1:14:04) and Danne Botenbrood of the Netherlands (1:13:59 split) to ride to the front.

The 29-year-old American then put the pedal to the metal with a second-fastest 35:40 run that brought her to the finish in 2:12:26 with a 2:18 margin of victory over runner-up Melinda Vernon of Australia (35:33 run) and 2:36 over 3rd place finisher Emma Pallant of Great Britain.

Geneva ETU Triathlon European Cup
Geneva, Switzerland
July 20, 2014
S 1.5k / B 40k / R 10k

Results

Men

1. Sven Riederer (SUI) 1:58:44
2. Ruedi Wild (SUI) 1:58:48
3. Frederic Belaubre (FRA) 1:58:52
4. Anthony Pujades (FRA) 1:59:06
5. Christopher Hettich (GER) 1:59:28
12. Rodolphe Von Berg (ITA) 2:00:13
14. Sean Jefferson (USA) 2:00:34

Women

1. Lindsey Jerdonek (USA) 2:12:26
2. Melinda Vernon (AUS) 2:14:44
3. Emma Pallant (ITU) 2:15:02
4. Anneke Jenkins (NZL) 2:15:17
5. Margie Santimaria (ITA) 2:15:18

Matthew Payne and Kirsten Sass win USA Triathlon Duathlon age group nationals

Matthew Payne of Columbia Heights, Minnesota and Kirsten Sass of McKenzie, Tennessee won the overall titles at the USA Triathlon age group Duathlon Nationals in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Payne earned the overall men’s championship as well as the men’s 35-39 age group title with a time of 1:16:25 over the 4.6 kilometer run, 31.2 kilometer bike leg and 4.4 kilometer run. Payne finished 21 seconds ahead of overall runner-up and men’s 40-44 winner Dave Slavinski of Point Pleasant, New Jersey. Thomas Woods of Lincoln, Nebraska took 3rd overall and second place in men’s 40-44 with a time of 1:17:35.

“I think we have the most competitive duathlon scene right here in Minnesota, said Payne. “I knew if I had a good race, I had a shot. Any time you get something like this in your back yard, you have to do it.”

Sass won the women's overall title as well as the female 35-39 crown with a time of 1:25:10. Dani Fischer of Wausau, Wisconsin finished second overall and won the female 25-29 category after a penalty pushed her finish time back to 1:26:06. Brenda Williams of Cornville, Arizona finished in 1:27:46 to place 3rd overall and first in the women’s 40-44 age group.

“I was hoping for a good day out there and just gave it what I had,” said Sass.

In the Sprint Distance national championships – 2.9k run, 20.8k bike, 2.7k run – Nathan Hoffman of South Haven, Minnesota won the overall title in a time of 50:40 and Patty Peoples-Resch of Redlands, California won the women's overall title in a time of 59:16.

Life Time USA Triathlon Duathlon National Championship
St. Paul, Minnesota
July 19, 2014
R 4.6k / B 31.2k / R 4.4k

Results

Overall men

1. Matthew Payne (Columbia Heights, MN) 1:16:25 * M35-39
2. Dave Slavinski (Point Pleasant, NJ) 1:16:46 * M40-44
3. Thomas Woods (Lincoln, NE) 1:17:35 * M40-44

Overall Women

1. Kirsten Sass (McKenzie, TN) 1:25:10 * F35-39
2. Dani Fischer (Wausau, WI) 1:26:06 * F25-29
3. Brenda Williams (Cornville, AZ) 1:27:46 * F40-44

Matt Chrabot and Mary Beth Ellis win Kansas 5i50

Matt Chrabot and Mary Beth Ellis earned $2,500 each for winning the Kansas 5i50 Triathlon Sunday.

Chrabot engaged in a tight duel with Australian Josh Amberger on the swim (18:09 and 18:10 splits) and the bike (58:17 and 58:16 splits) until Chrabot put the hammer down on the run. Chrabot, who won the Boulder Peak 5i50 the week before, ran 31:57 to finish in 1:49:34 and ice the win by a 2:11 margin over Amberger. Drew Scott finished 3rd, 5:30 behind the winner.

Taking a break from her pursuit of Ironman victories, Mary Beth Ellis did most of the damage on the bike leg to finish in 2:02:26 with a 44 seconds margin of victory over runner-up Lauren Goss and 1:58 over 3rd place finisher Jennifer Spieldenner.

Lauren Brandon led the swim in 18:53, 31 seconds ahead of Spieldenner, 34 seconds ahead of Ellis and 1:08 ahead of Goss. Ellis took control of the race with a 1:04:03 bike split that gave her a 1:15 advantage over Brandon, 2:19 over Spieldenner and 3:07 over Goss.

Goss posted a women’s race-fastest 35:29 run that gained 2:05 on Ellis but left her 44 seconds short of Ellis’ 2:02:26 winning time. Spieldenner ran 37:19 to take the final spot on the podium, 1:14 behind Goss.

Kansas 5i50
Lawrence, Kansas
July 20, 2014
S 1.5k / B 40k / R 10k

Results

Men

1. Matt Chrabot (USA) 1:49:34
2. Josh Amberger (AUS) 1:51:45
3. Drew Scott (USA) 1:55:04
4. Barrett Brandon (USA) 1:57:57
5. Sam Holmes (USA) 1:58:23

Women

1. Mary Beth Ellis (USA) 2:02:26
2. Lauren Goss (USA) 2:03:10
3. Jennifer Spieldenner (USA) 2:04:24
4. Lauren Brandon (USA) 2:06:00
5. Kelly Williamson (USA) 2:07:14