Marko Albert of Estonia and Jessica Jacobs of Green Bay, Wisconsin won the men’s and women’s titles at Ironman 70.3 Racine Sunday.

Albert combined a 3rd-best 23:04 swim, a 2nd-best 2:10:19 bike and 5th-best 1:22:35 run to finish in 3:59:23 with a 2:41 margin of victory over runner-up Paul Ambrose of Australia and 5:04 over 3rd-place Tim Reed of Australia.

The win is the highlight of Albert’s recent efforts, which include 8th at Syracuse 70.3, 9th at Ironman Melbourne, 6th at Taupo 70.3 and a 13th at Ironman Hawaii.

Ironman 70.3 and Ironman World Champion Craig Alexander had a decent 24:10 swim, lost 8 minutes on the bike and trotted home with a 1:30:33 run to finish 11th overall in 4:16:32.

Jessica Jacobs managed to overcome a 31:48 swim that gave Dede Griesbauer a 6:25 lead. Jacobs chopped 1:49 from that lead with a 2:22:46 bike leg. On the half marathon run, Jacobs’ 1:27:26 run sliced 10:15 more to give the 2011 Wisconsin and Florida Ironman champion a comfortable 6:02 margin of victory. Christie Sym of Australia was another 64 seconds back of Griesbauer in 3rd place.

The win adds to Jacobs’ excellent 2012 performances which include a win at Ironman 70.3 Florida, 7th at Ironman Melbourne, 4th at the Taupo half Ironman and 2nd at Buffalo Springs Lake 70.3

Ironman 70.3 Racine
Racine, Wisconsin
July 15, 2012
S 1.2 mi. / B 56 mi. / R 13.1 mi.

Results

Men

1. Marko Albert (EST) 3:59:23
2. Paul Ambrose (AUS) 4:02:04
3. Tim Reed (AUS) 4:04:27
4. Joseph Lampe (AUS) 4:04:54
5. Shannon Stallard (NZL) 4:06:48
6. Robert Wade (USA) 4:07:56
7. Ryan Fredrickson (USA) 4:09:28 * M18-24
8. Paul Eicher (USA) 4:11:29 * M18-24
9. Patrick Evoe (USA) 4:13:38
10. Blake Becker (USA) 4:14:55
11. Craig Alexander (AUS) 4:16:32

Women

1. Jessica Jacobs (USA) 4:26:04
2. Dede Griesbauer (USA) 4:32:06
3. Christie Sym (AUS) 4:33:10
4. Kristin Andrews (USA) 4:33:22
5. Jackie Arendt (USA) 4:33:53
6. Missy Kuck (USA) 4:36:19
7. Rachael Paxton (AUS) 4:47:12
8. Ariane Silveira (BRA) 4:51:00