On a typically torridly hot and humid day in Cebu, Timothy Reed of Australia eked out a narrow victory over Mike Phillips of New Zealand and Caroline Steffen of Switzerland smashed the women's field at Ironman 70.3 Philippines.

Men

Reed surged to a 6-minute lead after a race-best 2:06:28 bike split, then hung on for dear life through late race cramps with a 1:26:27 run split that surrendered 5:14 to hard-charging Mike Phillips of New Zealand who posted a race-best 1:21:13 half marathon. Reed finished in 4:01:19 which gave him a 49 seconds margin of victory over Phillips and 1:52 over fellow Aussie Tim Van Berkel, who rounded out the podium.

Defending champion Mauricio Mendez of Mexico struggled in an off day and did not finish.

Reed thus added a 4th Cebu triumph to previous victories in 2015, 2016 and 2017. As a measure of brutal conditions this day, in 2015 he won with a bike split that was 3 minutes faster and a run that was 10 minutes quicker. In 2016, his bike was 3 minutes faster and his run was 6 minutes quicker. In 2017, his bike split was 4 minutes better and his run was 5 minutes faster.

Women

Steffen led the swim by 3 seconds over Courtney Gilfillan of Australia, then turned on the jets with a by-far women’s-best 2:17:20 bike slit which was 6:51 better than nearest pursuer Gilfillan. As a measure of how dreadfully hot and sticky the heat, Steffen’s 1:34:55 half marathon was 2:04 better than the next-best effort by Dimity Lee Duke of Australia and brought the Swiss star to the finish in 4:24:08 with a 12:39 margin of victory over Duke and 14:10 over 3rd place Gilfillan, who soldiered home with a 1:39:28 run split.

While she may have come from the land of the Alps, Steffen thrives in the heat. Twenty months after the birth of her son Xander, and at the age of 40, Steffen took her 6th 70.3 win at this venue. Steffen won previous 70.3 distance races at Cebu in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Ironman 70.3 Philippines
Cebu, Philippines
August 11, 2019
S 1.2 mi. / B 56 mi. / R 13.1 mi.

Results

Men

1. Timothy Reed (AUS) 4:01:19 S 24:16 T1 2:13 B 2:06:28 T2 1:57 R 1:26:27
2. Mike Phillips (NZL) 4:02:08 S 24:16 T1 2:10 B 2:12:34 T2 1:57 R 1:21:13
3. Tim Van Berkel (AUS) 4:03:11 S 24:18 T1 2:14 B 2:12:27 T2 1:56 R 1:22:18
4. Jakub Langhammer (CZE) 4:03:17 S 24:37 T1 2:17 B 2:12:09 T2 1:56 R 1:22:20
5. Terenzo Bozzone (NZL) 4:05:59 S 24:19 T1 2:23 B 2:12:20 T2 1:54 R 1:25:06

Women

1. Caroline Steffen (SUI) 4:24:08 S 27:05 T1 2:25 B 2:17:20 T2 2:26 R 1:34:55
2. Dimity Lee Duke (AUS) 4:36:47 S 30”34 T1 2:53 B 2:24:11 T2 2:12 R 1:36:59
3. Courtney Gilfillan (AUS) 4:38:18 S 27:06 T1 2:26 B 2:28:11 T2 2:08 R 1:39:28
4. Beth McKenzie (USA) 4:54:53 S 34:35 T1 2:50 B 2:37:21 T2 2:20 R 1:37:39
5. Alexandra Ganzon (PHL) 5:43:29 S 34:43 T1 2:47 B 3:11:25 T2 2:28 R 1:52:09