May 29, 2001, Lanzarote, Gran Canarias, Spain (www.slowtwitch.com):
Denmark's Peter Sandvang scored a dominating win at Ironman Lanzarote on Saturday, biking nearly nine minutes faster than all other contenders on the twisting, steep and windy slopes of the volcanic island and then hanging on with a steady marathon to come home the winner.
Sandvang spent valuable training time on Lanzarote this year and recently clocked a personal best up the Tabayesco individual time trial, a notorious 9.6k grind that features a 540-meter climb. Sandvang climbed it in 23:30. Holzner, second last year, was runner-up for the third year in a row, with 2000 champion Dirk van Gossum in third.
The women's race went to a member of Spain's Olympic triathlon team, Maribel Blanco, a short-course specialist mixing some long distances into her racing in recent years. Blanco, a fixture on the ITU circuit, may be a relative newcomer to the long-course world, but she does have a few good results in long-distance racing to her name as well: a fifth at Powerman Zofingen last year, a seventh at Ironman South Africa and a sixth at the Nice Triathlon in 1999.
(RESULTS)
-----
Mauch, Bieger take Lanzarote
May 26, 2001, Lanzarote, Gran Canarias, Spain (www.slowtwitch.com):
The self-proclaimed "world's toughest" Ironman triathlon was not kind to its defending champions on Saturday.
Swiss Ironman vet Christoph Mauch took the top prize at Ironman Lanzarote, while defending champion Dirk van Gossum of Belgium was relegated to fifth.
Mauch, who came in at 9:01, also turned in the fastest bike split of the day, a 5:10 over the grueling volcanic peaks that make up much of the island. He also proved that winter triathlon doesn't have to hurt your swim/bike/run splits: Mauch raced through much of this winter on the European winter tri circuit, ultimately placing second in the European championships of the run/mountain bike/cross-country ski event.
Behind Mauch was Estonian Kirill Litovtsenko, at 9:10, with Frank Heldoorn of Holland in third with a 9:12. Litovtsenko was third at Ironman Florida last year and sixth at Ironman Lanzarote. Iron-distance veteran Heldoorn was third at the long-course Triathlon Almere last year and fourth at Strongman Japan.
In fourth, with a 9:15, was Finn Anssi Lehtinen, who also posted the fastest marathon of the day, a 2:53:02. Lehtinen came seventh in the race last year. Van Gossum came home fifth in 9:15, nearly half an hour off of his winning time last year of 8:47.
And age-grouper Tom Soderdahl (25-29) of Finland turned in a 3:03 marathon, on top of a 48-minute swim split, to vault himself into seventh place overall, in 9:33.
While we have no word yet on the conditions of the race, a comparison between last year's results and this year's offers some hint at what it must have been like on the course. Last year, the top five men all finished under the nine-hour mark; this year no one did.
In the women's race, two-time champion Lena Wahlqvist of Sweden was denied a three-peat by German Laura Bieger. Bieger, who came home in 10:41, produced the fastest marathon of the day, a 3:20, to close the gap on Wahlqvist, whose bike split of 6:10 was good enough for fastest split on the day. Wahlqvist was just four minutes behind, in 10:44. Bieger is no stranger to the course at Lanzarote—she finished fifth in 1999 and fourth in '98.
In third was Dane Lisbeth Kristensen, in 10:54. Kristensen, a new pro, took top honors at the Ironman-distance Triathlon Almere in the Netherlands last year, and was the winner of the ITU Age Group World Championships in Perth.
Fourth was Canadian Lori-Lynn Leach, in 10:55, with German Silvia Vaupel coming home in fifth at 11:04. Leach was third at both Ironman Canada and Ironman Austria last year, while Vaupel's background includes Powerman races mixed in with a fifth at Ironman Austria last year.
(RESULTS)
-----
Van Gossum tops the Germans in Lanzarote
May 22, Lanzarote, Gran Canarias, Spain (www.slowtwitch.com):
Ironman Lanzarote, conducted on the same day as the higher-profile Ironman California, actually turned out to be the faster, more competitive Ironman. It was largely an all-European affair for the men's top-10, although for once, the Germans didn't win. This time, it was the little-considered Belgian, Dirk van Gossum.
The course is considered the toughest Ironman around, even more difficult than the Kona course (although California's debut may have now replaced it as the most demanding Ironman course). But the weather must have been conducive, because van Gossum managed a winning time -- 8:47:10 -- that was faster than his counterpart, Chris Legh, in California. For women, Sweden's Lena Wahlquist (10:15:19) won for the second year in a row.
There were 539 Ironman starting, and the very well-known Frenchman, Yves Cordier (49:11) led the swim, as did the lesser-known Swiss woman, Jris Wyss (52:42). On the bike, the German Stefan Holzner pushed the pace for the fastest split, 5:52:07. But Gossum (5:55:19) stayed closed, as did Cordier (5:55:27).
For women, Canada's Lori-Lynn Leach (6:52:33) led the bike splits, but was later an unfortunate DNF. Wahlquist's 6:54:10 gave her an advantage when USA's Beth Zinkand (7:01:28) had a slower split.
(RESULTS)
------
Belfield drops from Lanzarote list
May 12, Lanzarote, Gran Canarias, Spain (www.slowtwitch.com):
England's Matt Belfield, winner of the 1999 Ironman Lanzarote, has dropped off the list of starters for the next race on May 20.
Organizers were told by Belfield earlier this week only that he is "not ready" to defend his title. By not starting, he comes up on a full year since his last credible Ironman performance. Winning Lanzarote was his international breakthrough. However, he failed to finish either Ironman Switzerland in August or the Hawaii Ironman in October because of mechanical problems on the bike.
Both Finland's Anssi Lehtinen, the runner-up to Belfield last year, and USA's popular Chuckie V, the third-place finisher, are returning to the race.
But they face Lanzarote's toughest field ever, even without Belfield. The international field includes Germany's Rainer Mueller-Horner and Stefan Holzner, and Belgium's Dirk Van Gossum.
The women's field includes Sweden's Lena Wahlquist, last year's winner, and co-favorites Beth Zinkand of the USA and Robyn Roocke of Australia.
Here are the Lanzarote lineups, one week in advance of the race:
Men - Ted Aas (SWE), Bent Andersen (DEN), Marc Becker (CAN), Cristian
Bustos (CHI), Guy Claes (BEL), Yves Cordier (FRA), Dan Dethier (LUX), Bert
Flier (NED), Harald Funk (GER), Hubert Hammerl (AUT), Joel Hennings (USA),
Ingo Herzog (GER), Stefan Holzner (GER), Charles Hunley (USA), Sascha
Kruecke (GER), Rolf Lautenbacher (GER), Anssi Lehtinen (FIN), Kirill
Litovtsenko (EST), Eric Millard (FRA), Jean Moureau (BEL), Rainer
Mueller-Horner (GER), Luis Francisco Perdomo Morales (ESP-Lanzarote),
Patrick Pfister (SUI), Michal Pilousek (CZE), Ingo Sabatschus (GER), Marcus
Thim (SWE), Dirk Van Gossum (BEL), Chuckie Veylupek (USA), Grzegorz
Zgliczynski (POL).
Women - Pamela Ens (CAN), Cordula Gruber (GER), Lori-Lynn Leach (CAN),
Robyn Roocke (AUS), Lena Wahlquist (SWE), Beth Zinkand (USA).
------
Mueller-Horner for Ironman Lanzarote
April 13, Lanzarote, Gran Canarias, Spain (www.slowtwitch.com):
Germany’s Rainer Mueller-Horner, runner-up in the Nice Triathlon last September, has now committed to racing Ironman Lanzarote on May 20.
It will be his first race in Lanzarote, where two other Germans, Stefan Holzner and 1998 winner Rolf Lautenbacher, have already declared their entries.
Also announced as entering this week, by race organizer Isabelle Janssens, is Germany’s Ingo Herzog, France’s Yves Cordier and the Czech Republic’s Michal Pilousek. They face a field with defending champ Matt Belfield (England) and the USA’s Chuck Veylupek as the favorites, along with Holzner.
Mueller-Horner was an unfortunate DNF in Hawaii last October after his promising race at Nice. He was ninth in Hawaii in 1998. His fastest Ironman performance is 8:19:43 from a fourth-place finish in the 1998 Ironman Europe race.
Herzog, fifth in Ironman Lanzarote in 1997, was 34th in Ironman Europe (9:08:02) last July. And Cordier, the established Frenchman known best for winning the Embrunman in 1998, finished fourth (9:06:00) on a very tough course at Ironman South Africa in February. Pilousek, a DNF in Lanzarote last year, went 8:53:23 in Ironman Austria (for 23rd) last July.
------
Zinkand, Holzner join the Lanzarote lineup
April 3, Lanzarote, Gran Canarias, Spain (www.slowtwitch.com):
By winning the Bay of Huatulco Half-Ironman in Mexico on Saturday, Beth Zinkand landed a qualifying place in the May 20 Ironman California. Not that she would actually need it, because the first-year Ironman Cal event would welcome her -- the fifth-place finisher in the 1999 Hawaii Ironman -- to its race anytime she just picked up the phone.
Formalities aside, though, this Californian is bypassing Ironman California altogether. Instead, she will lineup on the same day - May 20 - in the Ironman Lanzarote. She is the latest “name” to sign up since the list of pros was last updated by race organizers on March 10.
Zinkand is one of the freshest faces in Ironman racing. Out of the Davis area, she first drew attention to herself last May, when she took second to Heather Fuhr in the Wildflower Half-Ironman -- a local race for her. She really turned heads when she took second (to Wendy Ingraham) in Ironman Austria in July, followed by a fifth place in the Hawaii Ironman last October.
Now no longer a novice, she started off this year with a win -- this time beating Ingraham and Paula Newby-Fraser -- in the Mexican half-Ironman last weekend.
Although Sweden’s Lena Wahlquist, the 1999 winner in Lanzarote, is returning there, Zinkand’s credentials suggest that she would line up as the favorite in Lanzarote. Other women in the field include:
- Australia’s Robyn Roocke (3rd at Ironman New Zealand in March, with a 9:13 best from winning Almere in 1998);
- Switzerland’s Ariane Gutknecht (9:49 best from 2nd at Ironman Switzerland in ‘98);
- Canada’s Jodi Cross (10th at Ironman Europe last year in 10:02;
- Germany’s Beate Kleindienst (10:20 best from 17th in Ironman Europe last year);
- Germany’s Cordula Gruber (13th at Lanzarote last year).
The men’s field is also shaping up, with defending champ Matt Belfield of England returning for more. Previously-announced challengers include the USA’s Chuck Veylupek (third last year); Germany’s Rolf Lautenbacher (1998 Lanzarote winner); Chile’s Cristian Bustos (a sentimental Ironman favorite wherever he races); Belgium’s Jean Moureau (ninth at Ironman Australia last year); and Canada’s Marc Becker (eighth at Ironman Canada last year).
But on the basis of sheer speed, Germany’s Stefan Holzner -- a new name to the field -- may go in as race favorite among the men. His 8:09:29, for third place in Ironman Austria last July, is a stellar credential. He is seeking another strong race after his last two disappointments, a DNF at the Hawaii Ironman in October and another DNF at Ironman South Africa in February.
Also racing:
- Belgium’s Dirk Van Gossum, who has an 8:06:47 (fourth place) from the very flat Almere course last September;
- Belgium’s Guy Claes;
- Netherlands’ Bert Flier;
- Switzerland’s Patrick Pfister and Christian Schmidt;
- United States’ Joel Hennings.
-------
Ironman Lanzarote champs return for 2000
March 10, Lanzarote, Spain (www.slowtwitch.com):
England’s Matt Belfield and Sweden’s Lena Wahlquist, the 1999 winners at Ironman Lanzarote, are both returning for the May 20 race.
So will strong fields to challenge them. The other pro men include USA’s Chuck Veylupek (third last year); Germany’s Rolf Lautenbacher (1998 Lanzarote winner); Chile’s Cristian Bustos; Belgium’s Jean Moureau; and Canada’s Marc Becker.
For women, Walhquist’s biggest competition should be Australia’s Robyn Roocke, although she is also tentatively pencilled in to race the Ironman Australia on April 9. She is also just coming off an uplifting third-place effort in the Ironman New Zealand on March 4.
Belfield, too, will be racing Ironman Australia on April 9 -- just six weeks before the more-punishing Lanzarote.
Race organizers have announced one formal change to the qualifying procedures for the Hawaii Ironman. There are 60 qualifying slots for 2000, the same as last year out of Lanzarote. The minor difference is that the 60 slots in Lanzarote went across all the age-groups, with no specific allowances for pros (the first in an age-group, whether pro or age-grouper, got the slot).
For this year, there will be 10 slots designated just for pros: seven for men and three for women.
The remaining 50 slots will be distributed over the age groups, according to the number of participants in each group. There will be at least one slot per age group, guaranteed, but the actual slot distribution will not be known until the day after the race.
------
Ironman Lanzarote bike: Details revealed
March 3, Lanzarote, Grand Canaries, Spain (www.slowtwitch.com)
The Ironman Lanzarote organizers promised a “safer” and somewhat flatter bike route for the 2000 race on May 20, and that much it will be.
“For those people who don't know the island of Lanzarote, or did not know the previous Ironman Lanzarote course, we can say this about our changed bike course: It does not change a lot,” said Isabelle Janssens.
“The main points are that the hills are to be climbed a little earlier (approximately 16 kilometres earlier), and that the road after the hills will be flatter (overall - though it does include hilly parts). We would say that, if you look at the change generally, the course should be a little faster this year (if weather conditions are normal).
“We have neither cut any hills, nor included any new ones. But this time, we simply have no out-and-back road. We also avoid the roads with the highest traffic (the highways) and the surroundings of the capital Arrecife.”
For those who DO know the bike course, here’s how the new one will go (capitals used for emphasis on changes), according to Janssens:
“The first part remains the same, which is: Start from Puerto del Carmen to Yaiza, El Golfo, through the National Park of
Timanfaya (also called Firemountains), Tinajo, La Santa, Teguis - and HERE IS THE FIRST CHANGE: Instead of going back to the Monumento al Campesino and again to Teguise, the bikers will go FROM TEGUISE STRAIGHT TO THE MIRADORS, upwards, so - Los Valles, Mirador de Haria, Mirador del Rio.
“HERE AGAIN ARE CHANGES: Instead of cycling from Mirador del Rio to the South, the cyclists first go to ORZOLA. From there they go southward, along the white beaches and the ROAD OF LOS JAMEOS DEL AGUA, THROUGH PUNTA MUJERES, Mala, Guatiza and Tahiche.
“Then, again, HERE ARE CHANGES: NORTHWARDS TO NAZARET, MOZAGA, MONUMENTO AL CAMPESINO, SAN BARTOLOME, TIAS then Puerto del Carmen.”
Got all that? --KW
------
Bike-course change for Ironman Lanzarote
March 2, Lanzarote, Gran Canarias, Spain (www.slowtwitch.com):
No one ever said the bike course at the Ironman Lanzarote was easy. But now organizers are saying, "It will be easier!"
Ironman Lanzarote's Isabelle Janssens de Varebeke announced that a new bike course has been approved for the May 20 race. No details yet, but it promises to take some of the challenge out of the tremendously hilly previous course.
"We can forward the map to whomever requests it, either by e-mail, fax (+34 928 599-991) or phone (+34 928 599-995, ext 4003)," Janssens de Varebeke said.
It will also be available from next Monday, 6 March, on the race's website.
 |
 |
 |
• Sandvang, Blanco gana the 2002 race
• Mauch, Bieger take Lanzarote
• Van Gossum tops the Germans in Lanzarote
• Belfield drops from Lanzarote list
• Mueller-Horner for Ironman Lanzarote
• Zinkand, Holzner join the Lanzarote lineup
• Ironman Lanzarote Champs return for 2000
• Lanzarote bike course changes
• Lanzarote bike course changes revealed