Our featured stories covered the cancellation in Tahoe and championships in Idaho and China, but the Weekend Box is still rich in interest with a sprint in France, 70.3s in Cozumel and Lanzarote, a pro-free Ironman in Maryland, Paratriathlon Nationals in Tempe, the true story of a Maxim Hot 100 legit Swiss triathlete and a sad and terrifying accident in Maui.

Will Clarke and Helle Frederiksen win Ironman 70.3 Lanzarote

Will Clarke of Great Britain held off a late surge by Victor Del Corral of Spain on the run and Helle Frederiksen of Denmark smashed the women's field from start to finish to win the elite titles at Ironman 70.3 Lanzarote Saturday.

Men

Axel Zeebroek of Belgium led the swim in 22:02 followed by ITU veteran Will Clarke and six other men under 23 minutes – with the dangerous runner Victor Del Corral of Spain lingering 4 minutes back as they started the bike leg.

The slight of frame but powerful cyclist Romain Guillaume of France, one of the fast swimmers, took charge on the 56-mile bike leg with a race-best 2:20:24 split that gave him a 3:04 lead on Evert Scheltinga, 4:10 on Zeebroek, 4:27 on Clarke and 5:20 on Del Corral.

That swift swim and bike was the last gasp of Scheltinga, who fell back to 7th with a 1:19:06 run and Zeebroek fell off the map to 9th with a 1:24:04 half marathon.

With one lap left on the run, Guillaume still held a 10 seconds lead on Clarke and Del Corral another 30 seconds arrears. At the turn, Clarke held a 1 minute lead on Del Corral and 2 minutes on Guillaume. At the finish, Del Corral’s race-best 1:14:09 run fell just 6 seconds short of Clarke (1:14:50 run) for the win, and Guillaume’s 1:21:54 run left him 3rd, 2:37 back of the winner.

Women

Frederiksen did not allow such dramatics as her race-best 22:56 swim, race-best 2:38:08 bike leg and race-best 1:26:44 run brought her to the finish in 4:29:58 with a 20 minute 6 seconds margin of victory over Lucy Gossage of Great Britain and 33:26 over 3rd-place Nicole Woysch of Germany.

Ironman 70.3 Lanzarote
Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain
September 20, 2014
S 1.2 mi. / B 56 mi. / R 13.1 mi

Results

Men

1. Will Clarke (GBR) 4:04:16
2. Victor Del Corral (ESP) 4:04:22
3. Romain Guillaume (FRA) 4:06:53
4. Pieter Heemeryck (BEL) 4:07:16
5. Marko Albert (EST) 4:08:18

Women

1. Helle Frederiksen (DEN) 4:29:58
2. Lucy Gossage (GBR) 4:50:04
3. Nicole Woysch (GER) 5:03:28
4. Anke Karen Hennecke (GER) 5:06:14
5. Mary Close (BEL) 5:07:49

Todd Skipworth and Leanda Cave dominate Ironman 70.3 Cozumel

Todd Skipworth, a 2012 Olympic rower turned triathlete under the direction of famed tri coach Brett Sutton, proved he was no fluke with a win at the Alpe d’Huez triathlon this summer and underlined that promise with a dominant win at Ironman 70.3 Cozumel.

Leanda Cave, the 2012 Ironman and Ironman 70.3 World Champion who suffered through an injury-plagued 2013 season before rallying this year under the direction of coach Cliff English, stayed on track with her 2nd at Wiesbaden 70.3 and 8:56:50 victory at Ironman Sweden with a large margin of victory at Cozumel 70.3.

Skipworth combined a race-best 24:32 swim, 3rd-fastest 2:08:35 bike leg and men’s 4th-best 1:26:25 run to finish in 4:02:41 with a 55 seconds margin of victory over Cedric Boily of Canada and 5:03 over 3rd place finisher Raul Tejada of Guatemala.

Cave led start to finish with all three race-best legs – a 25:42 swim, 2:22:02 bike leg and 1:19:49 run – that brought her to the finish in 4:21:03 with a 12:26 margin of victory over Valentina Carvallo of Chile and 16:50 over 3rd place finisher Corrie Kristick of the U.S.

Ironman 70.3 Cozumel
Cozumel, Mexico
September 21, 2014
S 1.2 mi. / B 56 mi. / R 13.1 mi.

Results

Men

1. Todd Skipworth (AUS) 4:02:41
2. Raul Tejada (GTM) 4:07:44
3. Steven Zawaski (USA) 4:07:54
4. Chris Leiferman (USA) 4:09:00
5. Arturo Garza (MEX) 4:12:02

Women

1. Leanda Cave (GBR) 4:21:03
2. Valentina Carvallo (CHL) 4:33:29
3. Corrie Kristick (USA) 4:37:53
4. Brooke Brown (CAN) 4:39:23
5. Ruth Nivon Machoud (MEX) 4:48:23

Rachel Klamer prevails at gender-handicapped sprint in La Baule

ITU stars Rachel Klamer of the Netherlands and Emmie Charayron of France made excellent use of a 7-minute head start afforded the elite women to take the top two spots at Triathlon Audencia sprint at the French western resort of La Baule. Vincent Luis of France was the first male pro and took the final slot on the podium.

Triathlon Audencia / La Baule
La Baule-Escoublac, France
September 20, 2014
S 750m / B 20k / R 5k

Elite race – women get 7 minute head start

1. Rachel Klamer NED 58:22
2. Emmie Charayron FRA 58:53
3. Vincent Luis FRA 59:03
4. Etienne Diemunsch FRA 59:04
5. Richard Murray RSA 59:05

Amateurs Matthew Bach and Lauren Capone win Ironman Maryland

In another preview of Ironman races without professionals, 25-29 age grouper Matthew Bach won the men’s overall title in 8:51:19 and Lauren Capone won the women’s 25-29 age group and the overall women’s title in 9:26:02 at the inaugural Ironman Maryland.

Ironman Maryland
Cambridge, Maryland
September 20, 20l4
S 2.4 mi. / B 112 mi. / R 26.2 mi.

Results

Men

1. Matthew Bach (USA) 8:51:19 * M25-29
2. Nathan Rickman (USA) 8:56:21 * M35-39
3. Rafael Garcia (BRA) 9:07:45 * M30-34
4. Daniel Szajta (USA) 9:12:05 * M 25-29
5. David Sajner (CZE) 9:12:15 * M30-34

Women

1. Lauren Capone (USA) 9:26:02 * F25-29
2. Robyn Hardage (CAN) 9:35:28 * F30-34
3. Ann Hammer (USA) 9:58:24 * F30-34
4. Daniela Hafner (GER) 10:04:44 8 F30-34
5. Amari Holmes (USA) 10:06:48 * F30-34

Paratriathletes post strong performances at Paratriathlon Nationals in Tempe

Chris Hammer of Salt Lake City (Men’s PT4), Mark Barr of Houston Texas (Men’s PT2) Patricia Walsh of Austin Texas (Women's PT5), and Aaron Scheidies of Seattle, Washinbgton (Men’s PT5) defended their national titles at the USA Triathlon Paratriathlon National Championships in Tempe, Arizona. Barr and Walsh won for the third straight year.

“I feel like the U.S. is a really competitive nation in Paratriathlon and it is really awesome to be out here with a bunch of really good competitors,” said Hammer.

“I am so excited to be a national champion again,” said Walsh, who is blind. “It was a little tricky to come back from World Championships [in Edmonton] a few weeks ago, but my guide and I recovered. We were a little on the fence about coming but I’m so glad we did.”

USA Paratriathlon National Championship
Tempe, Arizona
September 21, 2014
S 750m / B 20k / R 5k

Winners by Category

Female PT1 Kendall Gretsch (Madison WI) 1:15:57
Male PT1 Zach Young (Jackson MO) 1:19:53
Female PT2 Sandra Dukat (Denver CO) 1:34:44
Male PT2 Mark Barr (Houston TX) 1:13:52
Female PT3 Alyssa Seely (Glendale AZ) 1:50:31
Male PT3 Mike Wong (Chicago IL) 1:20:10
Female PT4 Grace Norman (Jamestown OH) 1:17:15
Male PT4 Chris Hammer (Salt Lake City UT) 1:05:47
Female PT5 Patricia Walsh (Austin TX) 1:21:14
Male PT5 Aaron Scheidies (Seattle WA) 1:02:00

Swiss professional triathlete Céline Schärer selected to Maxim Germany’s Hot 100

Up and coming 24-year-old young Swiss professional triathlete Céline Schärer recently was selected for the second straight year to Maxim Germany magazine’s list the Hot 100 women – which is well deserved as apparent in this photo by Patrik Hänggi.

Lest anyone think Schärer is not a serious triathlete, she has raced a lot in the past two years with very promising results. In 2013, she raced 15 times including a 4th at Alpe d’Huez, a 2nd at Ironman Switzerland, 2nd at Embrunman, 4th at XL Gerardmer, 5th at Cozumel 70.3, and 4th at Ironman Cozumel. So far this year, despite injuries, she has raced 10 times and her results include 6th at Rapperswil 70.3, 4th at Luxembourg 70.3, and 6th at Ironman Switzerland. We have included a photo of Schärer in training to show she is not all about the glam.

A scary crash at the Maui Marathon

KHON 2 in Maui reported that a Kahului man drove through the Maui Marathon crowd. As the marathon crowds gathered near the Queen Kaahumanu Center, Rustyn Pajimola-Aiu was apparently driving his 2014 Acura 4-door
out of the Onehee Avenue and Wakea Avenue parking lot exit and the reportedly drove through the crowd where he struck a 53-year-old Kahului man and subsequently dragged him 30 feet. According to police the victim was not a marathon participant.

KHON 2 further reports that Pajimola-Aiu was arrested and charged for Operating a Motor Vehicle Under the Influence of an Intoxicant (Liquor) and for an outstanding bench warrant and the total bail was set at $1,200.