Cyril Viennot of France won it on the run and Mary Beth Ellis of the United States prevailed in a photo finish at the line to win the men’s and women’s titles at Ironman 70.3 Pays d’Aix.

Viennot overcame a 2:48 deficit to rival Stephane Poulat at T2 with a race-best 1:14:29 half marathon run to finish in 4:01:00 with a 1:03 margin of victory over runner-up Poulat and a 2:41 advantage over 3rd-place Hervé Banti.

U.S. star Mary Beth Ellis, Jeanne Collonge of France, Sophie De Groote of Belgium and Delphine Pelletier of France arrived in T2 separated by just 19 seconds. On the run, Ellis and Collonge soon separated themselves and stayed in a desperately tight duel to the end. Ellis and Collonge hit the finish tape virtually simultaneously and were given equal 4:25:17 times. Race officials judged that Ellis won by a sliver after a race-best 1:21:11 run.

De Groote took 3rd in 4:29:26 and Pelletier was 4th in 4:30:32.

Ironman 70.3 Pays d’Aix
Pays d’Aix, France
September 23, 20`12
S 1.2 mi. / B 56 mi. / R 13.1 mi.

Results

Men

1. Cyril Viennot (FRA) 4:01:00
2. Stéphane Poulat (FRA) 4:02:03
3. Hervé Banti (FRA) 4:03:41
4. Swen Sundberg (GER) 4:04:00
5. David Dellow (AUS) 4:04:34
6. Hervé Faure (FRA) 4:04:53
7. Francois Chabaud (FRA) 4:05:30
8. Domenico Passuello (ITA) 4:06:38
9. Andreas Dreitz (GER) 4:08:24
10. Manuel Kung (SUI) 4:08:51

Women

1. Mary Beth Ellis (USA) 4:25:17
2. Jeanne Collonge (FRA) 4:25:17
3. Sophie De Groote (BEL) 4:29:26
4. Delphine Pelletier (FRA) 4:30:32
5. Lisa Hutthaler (AUT) 4:35:24
6. Tamsin Lewis (GBR) 4:36:02
7. Ruth Brennan Morey (USA) 4:44:37
8. Martina Dogana (ITA) 4:50:26
9. Rahel Kung (SUI) 4:50:31
10. Heidi Sessner (GER) 4:51:40