Jason West avenged last year’s runner-up finish with a come-from-behind effort topped off with a slashing, personal best 1:07:24 half marathon to win the 2022 IRONMAN 70.3 Augusta. West’s sizzling run brought him back from 7th place and 22 seconds back after the bike leg to finish in 3:35:18 with a 47 seconds margin over fellow U.S. competitor Trevor Foley and 5:01 over third place Justin Metzler.
“I was second here last year and it’s great to go one better,” West told 247 online magazine at the finish. “It was a battle out there but that’s what you want. I was pushed to the limit today.”
Grace Alexander came back from a 2:30 deficit to Dede Griesbauer after the bike leg with a women’s 3rd-fastest 1:24:42 half marathon that propelled her to finish Ironman 70.3 Augusta in 4:12:28. Alexander’s run gave her a 1:04 margin on Lotte Lucas of the United Arab Emirates and 4:04 on third place finisher Sarah Bishop of the U.S.
Speaking to media afterwards, Alexander said: “It’s incredible. The past two years as a pro have been tough but I’m so happy to put a race together today."
While this may have been the highlight of her pro career so far, she made a big splash in 2020 when she won the Gulf Coast 70.3 race outright - including the men.
Men's Race Recap
West started his day with a 21:14 swim that was second best to the man who beat him for the overall crown at this race last year – Filipe Azevedo of Portugal – and a second ahead of today’s eventual third-place finisher, Justin Metzler of the U.S.
The second act of today’s drama belonged to the man who took to the front with a 2:01:21 split – Kennett Peterson. Metzler, on the strength of a 4th-best 2:03:20 bike split, advanced to second place, 6 seconds behind Peterson. West, who posted a middling 2:03:35 cycling leg, fell to 7th place, 22 seconds behind the leader. Right in the mix, Trevor Foley of the U.S. posted a race-best 2:01:20 bike split to take 5th place. 12 seconds behind the leader.
On the run, Foley took an early lead but West began a relentless charge to the front. Halfway through, West took charge but Foley remained in touch. Foley posted a second-fastest 1:08:22 half marathon but West removed all doubts with a scintillating 1:07:24.
Women's Race Recap
While other women made inroads at various points, this race boiled down to a duel between Alexander and Lotte Lucas of the UAE.
On the swim, Alexander was first out of the water with a 21:45 split that gave her a 2 seconds on Lucas, 3 seconds on Emily Tato and 2:10 on Dede Griesbauer.
On the bike, Griesbauer celebrated her 52nd birthday by hitting the afterburners on her way to a women’s-best 2:17:06 split that gave her a 2:30 lead on Alexander, 2:41 on Lucas, and 4:22 on Sarah Bishop.
Griesbauer’s notable lead held until halfway through the run when Alexander and Lucas passed the birthday celebrating Griesbauer. Alexander wound up holding a 30 seconds lead on her UAE rival.
At the end, Alexander finished in 4:12:28 with a 64-second margin on Lucas and 4:05 on Sarah Bishop.
Mollie Hebda of the U.S. crossed the line in third, but was disqualified for not serving a bike penalty in full at T2.
Ironman 70.3 Augusta
Augusta, Georgia
September 25, 2022
S 1.2 mi. / B 56 mi. / R 13.1 mi.
Men's Results
1. Jason West (USA) S 21:14 T1 1:51 B 2:03:35 T2 1:17 R 1:07:24 TOT 3:35:18
2. Trevor Foley (USA) S 23:04 T1 2:04 B 2:01:20 T2 1:18 R 1:08:22 TOT 3:36:05
3. Justin Metzler (USA) S 21:14 T1 1:50 B 2:03:20 T2 1:24 R 1:12:34 TOT 3:40:19
4. Filipe Azevedo (POR) S 21:12 T1 1:57 B 2:03:25 T2 1:20 R 1:13:12 TOT 3:41:04
5. Martin Ulloa (CHL) S 21:16 T1 1:57 B 2:03:13 T2 1:21 R 1:15:21 TOT 3:43:05
6. Kennett Peterson (USA) S 22:50 T1 2:06 B 2:01:21 T2 1:40 R 1:16:16 TOT 3:44:12
7. Dylan Gillespie (USA) S 21:17 T1 1:48 B 2:03:20 T2 1:23 R 1:19:42 TOT 3:47:28
8. Marty Andrie (USA) S 21:17 T1 1:48 B 2:07:55 T2 1:29 R 1:16:32 TOT 3:49:00
9. Nicolas Gilbert (CAN) S 22:45 T1 2:18 B 2:05:50 T2 1:19 R 1:17:39 TOT 3:49:49
10. Marek Bialkowski (CAN) S 22:50 T1 2:01 B 2:08:34 T2 1:11 R 1:16:49 TOT 3:51:22
Women
1. Grace Alexander (USA) S 21:45 T1 2:22 B 2:22:01 T2 1:38 R 1:24:42 TOT 4:12:27
2. Lotte Lucas (UAE) S 21:47 T1 2:20 B 2:22:13 T2 1:47 R 1:25:27 TOT 4:13:31
3. Sarah Bishop (USA) S 27:18 T1 2:28 B 2:18:16 T2 1:44 R 1:26:50 TOT 4:16:33
4. Dede Griesbauer (USA) S 23:57 T12:37 B 2:17:06 T2 1:52 R 1:32:21 TOT 4:17:50
5. Alycia Hill (USA) S 24:20 T1 2:12 B 2:27:49 T2 1:44 R 1:23:07 TOT 4:19:10
6. Ai Ueda (JPN) S 24:19 T1 2:15 B 2:28:59 T2 1:29 R 1:22:57 TOT 4:19:58
7. Laura Matthews (USA) S 24:27 T1 2:53 B 2:28:51 T2 2:03 R 1:27:23 TOT 4:25:35
8. Haley Koop (USA) S 26:52 T1 2:09 B 2:27:42 T2 1:37 R 1:34:02 TOT 4:32:20
9. Jenna Horner (USA) S 26:58 T1 2:16 B 2:27:23 T2 1:31 R 1:40:00 TOT 4:38:07
10. Holli Finneren (USA) S 30:00 T1 3:11 B 2:32:28 T2 2:25 R 1:46:57 TOT 4:54:59
