Oceanside 70.3 Gallery

Once again Oceanside 70.3 attracted strong professional fields and a large age group contingent.

The 2018 champions Jan Frodeno and Anne Haug declined to defend. Perennial top contender Lionel Sanders withdrew his entry due to an injured leg. Sam Appleton of Australia had a strong start cut short by a bike crash. Daniela Ryf of Switzerland showed yet again she is tops in the Ironman world with a women’s race record. And Ben Kanute won a shootout with fellow American Rudy Von Berg.

All photographs © Timothy Carlson

Ben Kanute took an early lead with a 2:11:31 bike split, surrendered it to Rudy Von Berg's faster transition, then finished the win with a 1:12:13 half marathon.

With a new swim course starting on the beach rather than on the boat ramp in the marina, the pro men ran into the surf.

A Jet ski patrols the surf to protect the swimmers.

After a swim north on the ocean, swimmers returned to the usual boat ramp exit.

Pro men ran their bikes from the rack to the start line.

Taylor Reid of Canada swam with the leaders, biked 2:14:37 and ran home in 1:13:42 to 4th place.

Sam Appleton of Australia worked with Ben Kanute on the bike to open an early lead, but a crash at Mile 24 ended his day.

Heather Jackson of Bend, Oregon biked 2:27:17, then ran a women’s-best 1:20:22 on her way to 5th place.

Daniela Ryf rocketed to an unassailable lead with a 2:18:10 bike split on her way to a new women’s race record 4:09:19.

Jason Pohl of Canada takes a slug of water on a downhill.

Rider passes a line of palms near the end of the 56-mile bike leg.

Holly Lawrence ran a women’s second-best 1:20:45 on her way to her second straight runner-up finish. Only this time, no broken foot.

Sarah True ran 1:23:58 on her way to 6th place.

Out and back on the run through a tunnel of palm trees.

Adam Bowden of Great Britain ran a race-best 1:11:56 on his way to 3rd place.

Ellie Salthouse of Australia ran a women’s 3rd-best 1:21:23 to take 3rd place.

Rudy Von Berg dropped 40 seconds behind Ben Kanute early on the run, but cut the deficit to 12 seconds at the finish with a 1:12:19 half marathon.

Runners could enjoy a surfer riding a head-high glassy wave

Juan Rocha of San Diego is in perfect form on the run, but he was clocked at over 25 mph on the speed limited downhill and was DQ'd.

2016 Olympian Ben Kanute combined a 25:21 swim, 2:11:321 bike split and 1:12:13 half marathon to win the day.