Bart Aernouts of Belgium and Lucy Charles of Great Britain shut down their opposition at the 26th edition of the always hot, hard and epically challenging Ironman Lanzarote.

Aernouts, a duathlon champion, posted a decent 50:34 swim, then issued a race-best 4:48:23 bike that was a testament to Lanzarote’s brutal challenge, and finished off the day with a 2nd-fastest 2:48:29 marathon that brought him to the finish in 8:34:13 with a 9:10 margin of victory over Alessandro Degasperi of Italy and 14:49 over defending champion Jesse Thomas of the U.S.

Charles, who finished 3rd at this race last year with a time 35 minutes slower, put the women’s race out of reach early with a 47:30 swim that was faster than the first five men. She then turned on the jets with a by-far women’s best bike split of 5:23:30 that gave her a 17-minute lead at T2. Charles closed the deal with a 3rd-best 3:18:35 run that brought her to the finish in 9:35:40, 35 minutes slower than her 3rd place time last year. Still, it was enough for the victory and gave her an 8:49 margin of victory over countrywoman Corrine Abraham and 14:42 over Lucy Gossage – making a 1-2-3 sweep for the British women.

Ironman Lanzarote
Punta Del Carmen, Canarias Islands, Spain
May 20, 2017
S 2.4 mi. / B 112 mi. / R 26.2 mi.

Results

Men

1. Bart Aernouts (BEL) 8:34:13
2. Alessandro Degasperi (ITA) 8:43:23
3. Jesse Thomas (USA) 8:49:02
4. Peru Afaro (ESP) 8:52:10
5. Romain Guillaume (FRA) 8:57:01
6. Samuel Huerzeler (SUI) 8:59:07
7. Timothy Van Houten (BEL) 9:01:13
8. Cedric Lassonde (FRA) 9:14:50
9. Guillaume Lecallier (FRA) 9:15:46
10. Trevor Delsaut (FRA) 9:15:17

Women

1. Lucy Charles (GBR) 9:35:40
2. Corinne Abraham (GBR) 9:44:29
3. Lucy Gossage (GBR) 9:50:22
4. Jeanne Collonge (FRA) 10:04:46
5. Saleta Castro (ESP) 10:11:45
6. Kate Comber (GBR) 10:22:54
7. Pia Englyst (DEN)10:52:16
8. Kelly Fillnow (USA) 10:56:28
9. Kristin-Linst Schink (GER) 11:07:33
10. Patricia Bueno Perez (ESP) 11:38:09