On a rainy, windy day over a 171.4 mile bike leg from Volcanoes National Monument to the northern tip of the Big Island of Hawaii, Canadians Jordan Bryden and Tara Norton held their leads on Day 2 of the 35th Ultraman World Championship.
Bryden posted the third-best 8:06:38 bike split which includes 8,883 feet of climbing, surrendering 3:35 of his 14:20 Day 1 lead to second place South African born, U.S. resident Rob Gray of South Africa, who posted the second-fastest bike split of 8:02:03. Arnaud Selukov of France, who at age 50 is 17 years older than Bryden and 7 years older than Gray, advanced from 5th place to 3rd with a race-best 7:56:49 bike split that left him 42:59 behind Bryden and 33:15 behind Gray.
Gray won this race in 2017 and placed second in 2016 and 2018, while Selukov finished 3rd at this race in 2017.
Defending Ultraman women’s champion Norton solidified her Day 1 lead over 2002 Ultraman women’s champion Conny Dauben of Germany with a women’s-best 9:30:33 bike split which was 23:25 faster than Dauben’s effort. Going into Sunday’s 52.4-mile concluding run, the 48-year-old Norton holds a 1:24:42 lead on Dauben, who is four years younger than her rival.
Norton issued a Facebook post that underlined how ultra tough the conditions were: "Day 2 done. What a day. As my coach Scott Molina says: 'They don’t call it EasyMan!' Rain and more rain, climbing and more climbing, and wind and more crazy wind - and it’s finally done! I’ve ridden to Hawi at least 25 times and this tops as one of probably two of the windiest conditions! Congrats to all the racers on one TOUGH ASS DAY! Let’s go for a little double marathon jog tomorrow..."
Ultraman World Championship
The Big Island of Hawaii
November 29-December 1, 2019
S 10k / B 261.4 / R 52.4 mi.
Day Two B 171.4 mi.
Results
Men
1. Jordan Bryden (CAN) age 33 S 2:40:49 B1 5:16:30 Day 1 7:57:19 B2 8:06:38 TOT 16:03:58
2. Rob Gray (RSA/USA) age 43 S 2:59:10 B1 5:12:29 Day 1 8:11:39 B2 8:03:03 TOT 16:13:42
3. Arnaud Selukov (FRA) age 50 S 3:20:24 B1 5:29:44 Day 1 8:50:08 B2 7:56:49 TOT 16:56:47
4. Marc Puig Amiel (ESP) age 32 S 3:29:48 B1 5:11:07 Day 1 8:40:55 B2 8:06:56 TOT 16:47:51
5. Travis (Trout) Wayth (AUS) age 49 S 3:18:07 B1 5:28:54 Day 1 8:47:01 B2 8:47:01 TOT 17:55:05
6. Josef Ajram (ESP) Age 41 S 3:33:08 B1 6:03:11 Day 1 9:36:19 B2 9:03:07 TOT 18:39:06
7. Ryan Toner (USA) age 37 S 2:56:37 B1 6:13:24 Day 1 9:10:01 B2 9:58:16 TOT 19:08:17
8. Kurt Madden (USA) age 64 S 3:06:06 B1 6:11:20 Day 1 9:17:26 B2 9:52:09 TOT 19:10:25
9. Adrian Whittaker (AUS) age 40 S 4:11:36 B1 6:03:11 Day 1 10:14:47 B2 9:35:40 TOT 19:50:27
10. William Rickards (USA) age 47 S 3:56:39 B1 6:38:21 Day 1 10:35:00 B2 10:20:22 TOT 20:55:22
Women
1. Tara Norton (CAN) age 48 S 3:17:25 B1 6:00:18 Day 1 9:17:43 B2 9:30:33 TOT 18:48:16
2. Conny Dauben (GER) age 44 S 3:48:42 B1 6:30:28 Day 1 10:19:00 B2 9:53:48 TOT 20:12:58
Dayna Latham (USA) age 35 S 4:38:02 B1 DNF
