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Michael Raelert was a dark horse who shocked the field and Julie Dibens was the favorite everyone saw coming. Some reflections by the winners and hosannas from the conquered after the fourth Ironman 70.3 World Champions were crowned.

We are in the middle of the 2009/2010 cross season and today we are featuring mostly cross bikes / frames we have recently noticed. Enjoy the Giant Composite Cross, Cannondale Cyclocross 6, Scott Addict CX RC, Stevens Carbon Team and the Workerman Peace Wheel.

Michael Raelert won the 2009 Foster Grant World Championships with a superb performance, a 1:09:06 half marathon and a final time of 3:34:04. In the women's race, Julie Dibens went sub 4 hours and took the title in 3:59:33.

Relentless northerly winds force Ironman 70.3 World Championship race officials to switch swim from ocean to inland harbor; Reed, Dibens, Bozzone, Bennetts, Zeiger confident on eve of battle in Clearwater

In a time when many companies cut budgets and take away perks, the Rev3 group is stepping up to the plate in a different way. They announced $125,000 of additional prize money for the 3 Rev3 events.

WTC requires pros to pay $750 annual fee which will ensure complimentary entries to regular Ironman ($550) and Ironman 70.3 ($300) events in 2010, puts members on list for random drug testing, sets time standards for Ironman qualifying and prize money.

US National Champion Matt Chrabot won his first ITU World Cup with a kamikaze charge on brutally hot and hilly bike course in Huatulco, Mexico. Japan’s Ai Ueda took the title in the women's race.

Kirill Kotshegarov, 23-year-old Estonian, takes lead with race-best 4:28:03 bike and hangs on to win in 8:24:29; Belgian Sofie Goos combines 2nd-best 4:52:24 bike and 3:11:29 run to win Ironman Florida in 9:08:38.

IMG announces new race director Bill Burke for May 30 Escape from Alcatraz, former Escape RD Terry Davis and Tri-California start up new Alcatraz Triathlon August 29, and Dave Horning sails ahead with 30th Annual Ultimate Escape on June 20.

For a couple months now there have been rumors about a new triathlon in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and today the race was finally unveiled. Race date is March 13, 2010 and two unique distances can be conquered on that day in a very unique location.

Courtney Atkinson defended his title and teenager Emma Jackson won her first major victory over more experienced rivals at the famed Noosa Triathlon in Australia.

Desiree Ficker, 2006 Ironman Hawaii runner-up, is 10th overall woman, 2nd American woman; Meb Keflezighi first US men’s winner in 27 years at NYC Marathon.

Today What We Have Noticed a popular applesauce from Europe, running shoes from Rockport, a race repair kit from Vittoria, and a statement t-shirt from Typetees.

Eneko Llanos avenged his somewhat disappointing Ironman Hawaii performance with a superb win at the 2009 XTERRA World Championships in Maui. Julie Dibens captured her third title in a row with a dominating performance in the women's race.

The USA’s Timothy O’Donnell trumped his big win at St. Croix 70.3 with gold at ITU Long Distance World Championship at Perth; Great Britain’s Jodie Swallow smashes the field by 11 minutes as Rebekah Keat takes silver.

Joanna Zeiger, the 2008 Ironman 70.3 World Champion, comes back from baffling mid-season dizziness syndrome to win Longhorn Ironman 70.3 Austin in impressive time. Aussie Richie Cunningham defends title with a 1:48 margin over Brian Fleischmann.

What kind of bikes were the top 15 pro women riding at the 2009 Ford Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii? Slowtwitch has images and details of the women and their machines. Well, we have pictures and data of the top 10 and information but no pics for 11-15.

After an exciting first year of their new World Championship Series, the ITU adds Sydney, Seoul and Budapest, but drops Washington DC and leaves North and South America off the seven-race 2010 schedule.

Today slowtwitch.com looked closer at the top 15 male runners at the 2009 Ford Ironman World Championships. Check out the running shoes and strides of these amazing athletes.

Last year's look at the running shoes of the top 10 finishers was quite popular, and thus we decided to make it about the top 15 athletes this time around. Money stops at the 10th spot, but there is no reason for us to stop there.

We looked closer at the bikes of the top 15 finishers at the 2009 Ford Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. Brands and details of frames, wheels, aero bars, saddles and more.

Matty Reed again showed that when he's fresh and ready, he's very tough to beat in a no-draft oly-distance race. Lisa Norden bested Sarah Haskins for the women's title

The Slowtwitch Ice Cream Truck was in Dallas for the fifth Toyota Cup stop of the season. This was the series finale, here's how we called it.

Wellington takes down Paula Newby-Fraser's 17-year race record with a dominating 8:54:02; runner-up Carfrae breaks CW's run record with a 2:56:51; Alexander outduels a gutsy, brilliant effort by Chris Lieto on a red-hot letter day on the Queen K.

What are Chrissie Wellington, Yvonne Van Vlerken, Catriona Morrison, Michellie Jones and Mirinda Carfrae thinking on the eve of battle at the 2009 Ford Ironman World Championships?