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Ryf swam a 6th-fastest 26:35 split against a mild current on the Tennessee River and overcame a 1:12 deficit to take a 56 seconds lead after a steep climb 8 miles into the bike course. She then crushed all opposition with a 2:20:21 bike split - 5:25 better than the next best effort of Laura Philipp of Germany - that gave her an 8:42 lead at T2. Ryf then cruised to a third-fastest 1:22:06 half marathon to finish in 4:11:59 with a 6:37 margin of victory over Emma Pallant of Great Britain and 7:41 over 3rd place finisher Laura Philipp of Germany.
Pallant came back from 7th place and an 8:54 deficit after the bike with a race-best 1:19:52 run that advanced her to 2nd place. Philipp came back from a 4:33 deficit after the swim with a tied-for-2nd-best 2:25:46 bike split that put her in 2nd place at T2. Philipp then closed with a 1:21:17 run that surrendered second place to Pallant but gave her the final spot on the podium.
This victory gave Ryf redemption after a disappointing 4th place finish at this 70.3 World Championship last year in Australia, and added to her Ironman 70.3 World Championship golds in 2014 and 2015.
Pallant came back from 7th place and an 8:54 deficit after the bike with a race-best 1:19:52 run that advanced her to 2nd place. Philipp came back from a 4:33 deficit after the swim with a tied-for-2nd-best 2:25:46 bike split that put her in 2nd place at T2. Philipp then closed with a 1:21:17 run that surrendered second place to Pallant but gave her the final spot on the podium.
This victory gave Ryf redemption after a disappointing 4th place finish at this 70.3 World Championship last year in Australia, and added to her Ironman 70.3 World Championship golds in 2014 and 2015.
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Six miles into the run, Pallant made inroads, but Ryf still commanded a 6:30 lead. With that cushion, Ryf could give up 1 minute a mile to Pallant and still win.
Fighting for the last spot on the podium were Philipp (+7:49), Frederiksen (+8:15), True (+8:38), Luxford (+9:09), and Wurtele (+9:57). With an up and down hilly course, strength runners had the best chance.
After 7 miles, Pallant sliced another 11 seconds from Ryf and increased her advantage to 1:30 over Philipp, 1:57 on Frederiksen and 2:21 on True.
By Mile 9.4, Ryf stopped the bleeding of her lead, maintaining a 6:16 lead on Pallant. Fighting for the bronze, 3rd through 6th place, were Philipp, Frederiksen, True, and Luxford - 90 seconds apart.
At 11 miles, Sarah True surged past Helle Frederiksen for 4th place but Philipp remained 90 seconds ahead of True in 3rd place.
After a 1:22:06 run, Ryf finished in 4:11:59 with a 6:37 margin of victory over Pallant (race-best 1:19:52 run), 7:41 over 3rd place Philipp (1:21:17 run), 9:41 over 4th place True (1:22:46 run), and 10:13 ahead of 5th place Frederiksen (1:23:42 run).
Fighting for the last spot on the podium were Philipp (+7:49), Frederiksen (+8:15), True (+8:38), Luxford (+9:09), and Wurtele (+9:57). With an up and down hilly course, strength runners had the best chance.
After 7 miles, Pallant sliced another 11 seconds from Ryf and increased her advantage to 1:30 over Philipp, 1:57 on Frederiksen and 2:21 on True.
By Mile 9.4, Ryf stopped the bleeding of her lead, maintaining a 6:16 lead on Pallant. Fighting for the bronze, 3rd through 6th place, were Philipp, Frederiksen, True, and Luxford - 90 seconds apart.
At 11 miles, Sarah True surged past Helle Frederiksen for 4th place but Philipp remained 90 seconds ahead of True in 3rd place.
After a 1:22:06 run, Ryf finished in 4:11:59 with a 6:37 margin of victory over Pallant (race-best 1:19:52 run), 7:41 over 3rd place Philipp (1:21:17 run), 9:41 over 4th place True (1:22:46 run), and 10:13 ahead of 5th place Frederiksen (1:23:42 run).
