On a rainy day in Florianopolis, Brazil, Brent McMahon of Canada and Liz Lyles of the U.S. broke the course records and set spectacular times to win $30,000 top prizes at the Ironman South American Championship.
Men
McMahon started with a 3rd-best 47:47 swim that left him with a 28 seconds deficit, roared to a by-far race-fastest 4:11:54 bike split that gave him a 10:12 lead over Tim Don at T2, them closed the deal with a sizzling 2:42:52 marathon that brought him to the finish with an 18:05 margin of victory over Don and 18:48 over 3rd-place finisher Kevin Collington of the U.S.
McMahon’s 7:46:10 finish was the third fastest men’s Ironman-distance time in history, falling 4:37 behind Andreas Raelert’s 2011 mark at Challenge Roth and 21 seconds behind Marino Vanhoenacker’s 2011 mark at Ironman Austria.
McMahon, 35, a two-time Olympian, also broke Vanhoenacker’s 2015 Ironman Brazil course record by 7:34 and topped his own previous Ironman PR set at Arizona in 2014 by 9:48.
Women
Lyles started her day with a women’s 5th-fastest 56:52 swim that left her with a 2:41 deficit to Lucie Zelenkova and just 9 seconds behind the next best effort by Laurel Wassner of the U.S.
On her way to a women's-best 4:48:37 bike split, Lyles passed Zelenkova for the lead at the 35km mark. By T2, Lyles had a 7:36 lead on Mareen Hufe of Germany (women’s 2nd-best 4:51:32 bike split) and 16:52 on Gurutze Frades of Spain.
After her women's–best 3:03:48 marathon, Lyles finished in 8:54:10 with a 15:26 margin of victory over Huff and 21:42 over 3rd-place finisher Frades.
Defending champion Ariane Monticeli of Brazil made up a lot of ground with a 2nd-fastest 3:03:55 marathon to finish 4th, 5:26 behind Frades.
Lyles broke Canadian Sara Gross’ women’s 2014 Ironman Brazil course record 8:56:34 by 2:14. Lyles’ 8:54:10 time was the women’s 62nd-fastest Ironman-distance effort in history. She also topped her 2014 Ironman Frankfurt 2nd-place finish of 8:56:36 and her 2013 Ironman Western Australia winning time of 8:59:44.
Lyles came to Ironman Brazil a few weeks after her 2nd straight Wildflower long course victory.
Ironman Brazil
Florianopolis, Brazil
May 29, 2016
S 2.4 mi. / B 112 mi. / R 26.2 mi.
Results
Men
1. Brent McMahon (CAN) 7:46:10
2. Tim Don (GBR) 8:04:15
3. Kevin Collington (USA) 8:04:58
4. Paul Matthews (AUS) 8:08:57
5. Pedro Gomes (POR) 8:16:42
6. Fabio Carvalho (BRA) 8:19:07
7. Ronnie Schildknecht (SUI) 8:19:59
8. Frank Silvestrin (BRA) 8:20:31
9. Mario De Elias (ARG) 8:21:37
10. Luis Henrique Ohde (BRA) 8:27:32
Women
1. Liz Lyles (USA) 8:54:10
2. Mareen Hufe (GER) 9:09:36
3. Gurutze Frades (ESP) 9:15:52
4. Ariane Monticeli (BRA) 9:21:18
5. Kristin Moller (GER) 9:29:36
6. Mariana Borges de Andrade (BRA) 9:34:01
7. Caitlin Snow (USA) 9:35:13
8. Laurel Wassner (USA) 9:38:45
9. Karina Ottosen (DEN) 9:44:17
10. Lucie Zelenkova (CZE) 9:54:05
