Bernhard, Zinkand take IM Switzerland
July 23, 2002, Zürich, Switzerland
Switzerland’s Olivier Bernhard made it three wins at Ironman Switzerland while American Beth Zinkand took the first Ironman win of her career Sunday at Ironman Switzerland.
Bernhard used his trademark blazing run speed to seal victory, his third at Ironman Switzerland.
Switzerland's Christoph Mauch was the first pro out of the water, with defending champion Peter Kropko of Hungary on his heels, according to the account of the race on Ironmanlive.com.
On a bike ride that included rain and hail and wind gusts up to 35 mph, it was Switzerland's Philippe Achleitner, France's Charly Loisel and Italy's Gianpietro De Favri off the front, with the remainder of the favorites not far back by the close of the ride. Switzerland's Stefan Riesen, second in the tough Ironman France last month, charged to the fore in the last 25k of the ride, only to crash and finish the day in an ambulance.
Mauch and Bernhard were off of the bike together, but Bernhard pulled ahead within the first 3k. Kropko, 11th off the bike, ran the day's fastest marathon (a 2:52:28 compared to Bernhard's second fastest 2:52:31) to move into fourth place. Bernhard also had the day's fastest bike split, a 4:42:12.
The women's race saw young Aussie Jane Fardell charge to the front on the swim, then work hard to stay off the front on the bike, a lead that she surrendered on the first lap to Germany's Ute Schafer, with Zinkand in second. Schafer went on to set a new bike course record, in 5:08:34, putting a 12-minute gap up on Zinkand by T2. But it was a gap Zinkand was able to close as Schafer faltered on the run, eventually DNF'ing.
Behind Zinkand, Fardell was running a blazing marathon of 3:03:50 but Zinkand's bike had put a big enough gap into Fardell so that she was unable to overcome the deficit. Switzerland's Ariane Gutknecht was third, with defending champ Silvia Vaupel of Germany fourth.
(RESULTS)
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Kropko runs to victory in Switzerland
August 6, 2001, Zürich, Switzerland
The home crowd at Ironman Switzerland had hoped for a head-to-head battle Saturday between countrymen Olivier Bernhard, the defending champion, and Christoph Mauch, champion of Ironman Lanzarote this year, sixth in Kona last year and a winner at winter triathlon to boot.
In the end, though, it was Hungarian Peter Kropko, he of the blazing-fast run speed, who ran away for the win in 8:29:43, with Mauch following in 8:33:15. Bernhard, also the winner in Zurich in 1998, was forced to drop out of the race early in the run due to cramps and linGering stomach problems that had dogged him most of the week.
Kropko, a popular figure at Ironman Switzerland and a champion in 1999, passed Mauch at the 30-kilometer mark and never looked back. His 2:43 marathon was the day's fastest.
Also notable was Czech Jan Rehula's placement—fifth in his debut over the Ironman distance. Rehula, bronze medalist at the Sydney Olympics last year, suffered serious injuries in a horrific bike crash earlier this year while training in Australia. He has made a remarkable recovery and has now moved up to lonGer-distance racing. As evidence of his return to form, he led the second lap of the bike ride and hung on for fifth in 8:51 while also posting the day's fastest swim, a 49:12.
The day's fastest bike split was posted by Swiss Bruno von Flüe, in 4:46. He finished fourth overall on the day, in 8:42 on the strength of a 3:01 marathon. In third was Swiss Stefan Riesen, in 8:40.
The women's race was close at the finish, with just three minutes separating the top three women.
Germany's Silvia Vaupel posted a 3:22 marathon to run into the lead, finishing in 9:55:44. In second was Austrian Angela Milne, whose day's-best bike split of 5:28 wasn't enough to stave off Vaupel's charge. She fininished two minutes back, in 9:57:46, with Swiss Ariane Gutknecht, fresh off of a third-place finish at Ironman Austria just three weeks ago, less than a minute back in 9:58:27. Gutknecht also clocked the day's fastest marathon, a 3:21. And her marathon at Austria was just two minutes faster—a 3:19.
Germany's Annette Mack was fourth in 10:07, and Argentina's long distance up-and-comer Barbara Buenahora came home fifth in 10:14.
(RESULTS)
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Bernard regains Ironman Switzerland title
August 7, 2000, Zurich, Switzerland (from correspondent Reinhard Standke for www.slowtwitch.com):
Swiss Olivier Bernhard and Kiwi Tara-Lee Marshall scored clear wins at the sixth Ironman Switzerland in Zurich, both with new race records on Sunday. With about 1,150 participiants, a new competitor-record was also set. With Rina Hill (AUS), Daniel Heckenblaicker (AUT), Marc Bamert (SUI), Thorsten Frahm Ger and Carsten Hahn Ger, a group of five were the top swimmers. Last year's winner, Peter Kropko (HUN), was 28 seconds back and Bernhard (1st in 1998, 2nd in 1999) was 2:30 behind.
On the bike race the lead changed from Bamert to Kropko and Heckenblaicker, but finally Bernhard took the lead after 45 km. Further back, excellent biker Bruno von Flüe (SUI) moved into second with Kropko behind him -- and that's how they came into the second transition.
On the marathon, Kropko started off in second some four minutes behind Bernhard, but when a heavy rain started his muscles became stiff (he later explained), so he couldn't follow the pace set by Bernhard. The 32-year-old Swiss clocked a new course record in 8:12:27. Kropko came in 8;38 behind; Germany's Paul Kemper, a 26-year-old student (and 6th in Ironman Canada 1999) made it surprising third.
In the women's race, Robyn Roocke (AUS) took over the lead from Rina Hill (AUS) but was quickly joined by Marshall, only was 30 seconds back into the second transition. Third and fourth to start the marathon were Katja Schumacher Ger and Ariane Gutknecht (SUI). Finally Marshall moved into lead to win, 10:20 ahead of Roocke for her first-ever Ironman win. The Kiwi scored a new race record in 9:15:44. In third place came Gutknecht, now three times second here and also third in Ironman Lanzarote.
Course records had been expected after the bike course had been changed with only 750m climb, instead of the former 1700m climb. But the times were still a bit disappointing due to the extremely wet conditions on the marathon.
(RESULTS)
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Bernhard, Kropko lead Ironman Switzerland field
July 27, Zurich, Switzerland (www.slowtwitch.com):
All Ironman eyes are focused this weekend on Ironman USA at Lake Placid. But a week from now, the international attention all turns to Ironman Switzerland, where still a virtually all-European pro field will race on August 6.
Save for Kiwi Rina Hill, a newcomer; Kiwi Tara-Lee Marshall, who was second last year, and American Alison Hayes, who was fourth, both the men's and women's fields are purely European. They are chasing three slots for men, and two for women, for places in the Hawaii Ironman on October 14.
Here is how the lineup looks, as of July 27:
- Men from Austria: Daniel Hechenblaickner
- Men from Belgium: Eric De Beuckelaer
- Men from Czech Republic: Tomas Pavel
- Men from France: Florian Balluais, Christophe Bastie, Clement Lacaille
- Men from Germany: Markus Forster, Paul Kemper, Alexander Taubert, Falk
Zielisch
- Men from Hungary: Peter Kropko
- Men from Italy: Werner Überbacher
- Men from Poland: Bogumil Gluszkowski
- Men from Sweden: Patrik Tjärdal
- Men from Switzerland: Marc Bamert, Olivier Bernhard, Pierre-Alain
Burgdorfer, Roger Fischlin, Sebastien Gonzalez, Olivier Häner
- Women from Germany: Nicole Best, Melanie Hohenester, Ute Mückel, Katja
Schumacher
- Women from New Zealand: Rina Hill, Tara-Lee Marshall
- Women from Netherlands: Mariska Kramer
- Women from Poland: Elzbieta Krakowiak
- Women from Slovenia: Linda Kosovska
- Women from Switzerland: Ariane Gutknecht, Karin Schuch
- Women from USA: Alison Hayden
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IronmAn Switzerland for Rina Hill's debut
June 6, Zurich, Switzerland (www.slowtwitch.com):
Australia's Rina Hill - whose failed bid for New Zealand citizenship spoiled her Olympic dreams - is turning to the Ironman.
Five weeks before the rest of the world's best short-course triathletes race the Olympic triathlon, Hill will be testing herself in the Ironman Switzerland on August 6.
Hill's move to the longer race is likely to be a trend this year and next among many of triathlon's short-distance stars. Ironman fields worldwide are expected to brim in 2001 with new, short-distance talent who move up -- either after they race the Olympics, or after they've missed out on their Olympic dream.
She and Joanne King, winner of Ironman Europe (Germany) in 1999, add a bit of Down Under sparkle to the field, which also includes New Zealand's Tara-Lee Marshall.
Hill spent most of the last two years focusing on Olympic-distance racing that boosted her world ranking to No. 6. But getting left off the Australian team for the ITU Triathlon World Championships last September stirred her to apply for New Zealand citizenship in a last-minute bid to make the Olympics, based on her marriage to a Kiwi. That was delayed, and Triathlon New Zealand's appeals to immigration officials earlier this spring, on her behalf, fell short.
Though she is new to the Ironman distance, Hill isn't new to long-distance racing. In fact, she won the ITU World Long-Distance Championships, over 3k run, 136k bike and 28k run, in Japan in September, 1998.
She also won, in June, 1998, the City of Cairns Half-Ironman. Her time, 4:30:37, was 11 minutes faster than the runner-up -- one Joanne King.
Here are the confirmed starters for Ironman Switzerland, as of today:
- Men from Belgium: Eric De Beuckalaer - Men from France: Christophe Bastie - Men from Germany: Markus Forster, Paul Kemper, Rainer Schniertschauser, Normann Stadler, Falk Zielisch - Men from Hungary: Peter Kropko - Men from Italy: Werner Überbacher - Men from Switzerland: Marc Bamert, Olivier Bernhard, Roger Fischlin, Olivier Häner, Winfield Tuck
- Women from Australia: Rina Hill, Joanne King - Women from Germany: Nicole Best, Katja Schumacher - Women from Netherlands: Mariska Kramer - Women from New Zealand: Tara-Lee Marshall - Women from Slovenia: Linda Kosovska - Women from Switzerland: Ariane Gutknecht, Karin Schuch
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Course changes for Ironman Switzerland
December 3, Zurich, Switzerland (www.slowtwitch.com) -- Martin Koller, race director of Ironman Switzerland, has a few changes up his sleeve for the 2000 race.
The Ironman Switzerland triathlon on August 6 will include a new, very fast bike circuit. It will feature fewer corners and longer, flatter sections -- and no more steep climbs. The run circuit is changed as well: It will continue to be on the flat, but competitors will now run only two laps instead of last year's three.
The circuit profile and plans are now available on the race's website.
New in 2000 is also the increased number of Hawaii start slots - 80 instead of 75 in 1999. However, the number of starters in Ironman Switzerland remains limited to maximum 1,200 athletes.
On the day before the big race, around 1,500 triathletes are expected to start in the popular Züri - and Kids - triathlons on Saturday, August 5. These will be "hobby triathletes" who are likely to stay around and cheer on Sunday's Ironmen and women. For more information:
IRONMAN Switzerland, Martin Koller, President of Organizing Committee
Tel: 052 - 355 10 00 /Fax: 052 - 355 10 01
Mobile: 079 - 646 76 66
E-Mail: BKsport@effinet.ch
Internet: http://www.ironman.ch
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Former winners Bernhard, King commit to Ironman Switzerland 2000
August 25, Zurich, Switzerland (www.slowtwitch.com) -- Two former winners, Switzerland's Olivier Bernhard (1998) and Australia's Joanne King (1999) have committed to racing the 2000 Ironman Switzerland event.
This is announced on the race's website.
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• Bernhard, Zinkand take IM Switzerland
• Kropko runs to victory in Switzerland
• Bernard regains Ironman Switzerland title
• Bernhard, Kropko lead IM Swiss field
• Ironman Switzerland for Rina Hill's debut
• Course changes for Ironman Switzerland
• Former winners Bernhard, King commit to Ironman Switzerland 2000