As described in my recently released 2012 Rating Report (get your copy here), I’ve extended my analysis to come up with ratings for each of the legs in a triathlon. As with the „total“ rating, the individual ratings account for conditions and a slow or fast course in order to compare results from different races and courses. As the data for each of the legs is not always available, I’ve relaxed the requirements for a valid rating a bit: Only two results are necessary for a rating in one of the disciplines. Still, one result in the last twelve months is required.
In this post you can find the best rated swimmers, bikers and runners. I’ve also updated my “TOP 10 Ratings” page (in the menu), which lists all results for these athletes.
TOP Swim-Rated Athletes
A lot of the names in the swim-ratings are not that well known: There are swim-specialists that do not play a major role for the rest of the race. But these athletes have a great potential: For example, Andy Potts has shown that a great swimmer can develop into a great Ironman athlete capable of winning races.
TOP 10 Swim-Rated Male Athletes
Rank | Name | Nation | Rating | Last Race | # Races |
1 | Andy Potts | USA | 00:45:16 | IM Hawaii on 2012-10-13 | 7 |
2 | Luiz Francisco Ferreira | BRA | 00:46:24 | IM Brasil on 2012-05-27 | 2 |
3 | Paul Matthews | AUS | 00:46:34 | IM Arizona on 2012-11-18 | 2 |
4 | Marko Albert | EST | 00:46:36 | IM Hawaii on 2012-10-13 | 4 |
5 | Greg Bennett | USA | 00:46:38 | IM Hawaii on 2012-10-13 | 2 |
6 | Stephane Poulat | FRA | 00:46:43 | IM Germany on 2012-07-08 | 2 |
7 | David Dellow | AUS | 00:46:48 | IM Hawaii on 2012-10-13 | 4 |
8 | Kieran Doe | NZL | 00:46:48 | Challenge Wanaka on 2012-01-21 | 8 |
9 | Benjamin Sanson | FRA | 00:46:58 | Challenge Roth on 2012-07-08 | 5 |
10 | Michael Raelert | GER | 00:46:58 | IM Hawaii on 2012-10-13 | 2 |
TOP 10 Swim-Rated Female Athletes
Rank | Name | Nation | Rating | Last Race | # Races |
1 | Amanda Stevens | USA | 00:48:27 | IM Hawaii on 2012-10-13 | 5 |
2 | Lucie Zelenkova | ZAF | 00:49:09 | Challenge Roth on 2012-07-08 | 7 |
3 | Dede Griesbauer | USA | 00:50:36 | IM New York on 2012-08-11 | 14 |
4 | Meredith Kessler | USA | 00:50:56 | IM Arizona on 2012-11-18 | 13 |
5 | Rachel Joyce | GBR | 00:50:56 | IM Hawaii on 2012-10-13 | 9 |
6 | Leanda Cave | GBR | 00:50:58 | IM Arizona on 2012-11-18 | 12 |
7 | Mary Beth Ellis | USA | 00:51:10 | IM Cozumel on 2012-11-25 | 8 |
8 | Simone Braendli | SWI | 00:51:13 | IM Hawaii on 2012-10-13 | 7 |
9 | Tami Ritchie | 00:51:27 | IM Texas on 2012-05-19 | 2 | |
10 | Anja Beranek | GER | 00:51:39 | IM Germany on 2012-07-08 | 2 |
TOP Bike-Rated Athletes
TOP 10 Bike-Rated Male Athletes
The names in the TOP 10 bike-ratings are much better known than the swimmers. After his fantastic races in Florida (posting a new world record for the bike leg) and Arizona Andy Starykowicz leads the ranking followed by Sebastian Kienle and Konstantin Bachor (who both posted really fast bike times in Roth). Jordan Rapp and Ben Hoffmann prove that the US has some pretty good bike riders, too. But all in all, the Europeans dominate this ranking.
Rank | Name | Nation | Rating | Last Race | # Races |
1 | Andrew Starykowicz | USA | 04:26:53 | IM Arizona on 2012-11-18 | 2 |
2 | Sebastian Kienle | GER | 04:30:13 | IM Hawaii on 2012-10-13 | 5 |
3 | Konstantin Bachor | GER | 04:30:55 | Challenge Roth on 2012-07-08 | 4 |
4 | Marino Vanhoenacker | BEL | 04:32:08 | IM Germany on 2012-07-08 | 12 |
5 | Maik Twelsiek | GER | 04:33:30 | IM New York on 2012-08-11 | 15 |
6 | Faris Al-Sultan | GER | 04:33:54 | IM Hawaii on 2012-10-13 | 13 |
7 | Jordan Rapp | USA | 04:35:23 | IM Hawaii on 2012-10-13 | 10 |
8 | Timo Bracht | GER | 04:35:23 | IM Hawaii on 2012-10-13 | 14 |
9 | Dirk Bockel | LUX | 04:35:33 | IM Cozumel on 2012-11-25 | 8 |
10 | Ben Hoffman | USA | 04:36:34 | IM Wisconsin on 2012-09-09 | 8 |
TOP 10 Bike-Rated Female Athletes
On the women’s side, we have a Swiss domination, even if Caroline Steffen and Natascha Badmann are from two different generations. As on the men’s side, there are some US athletes, but the Europeans dominate this ranking.
Rank | Name | Nation | Rating | Last Race | # Races |
1 | Caroline Steffen | SUI | 05:00:32 | IM Hawaii on 2012-10-13 | 11 |
2 | Natascha Badmann | SWI | 05:03:44 | IM Hawaii on 2012-10-13 | 7 |
3 | Yvonne Van Vlerken | AUT | 05:04:05 | IM Florida on 2012-11-03 | 7 |
4 | Amy Marsh | USA | 05:06:08 | IM Hawaii on 2012-10-13 | 7 |
5 | Sophie De Groote | BEL | 05:06:56 | IM Cozumel on 2012-11-25 | 2 |
6 | Diana Riesler | GER | 05:07:25 | IM South Africa on 2012-04-22 | 4 |
7 | Tine Deckers | BEL | 05:08:10 | IM Hawaii on 2012-10-13 | 11 |
8 | Mary Beth Ellis | USA | 05:08:30 | IM Cozumel on 2012-11-25 | 8 |
9 | Rachel Joyce | GBR | 05:08:33 | IM Hawaii on 2012-10-13 | 9 |
10 | Anja Beranek | GER | 05:09:35 | IM Germany on 2012-07-08 | 2 |
TOP Run-Rated Athletes
The run is where races are decided, so it is not surprising to see that IM winners dominate this ranking.
TOP 10 Run-Rated Male Athletes
Bart Aernouts from Belgium is the surprise leader in the men’s run rating. He has posted a 2:42 in Melbourne and a 2:47 in Kona – if his swim and bike improve a bit further, he can certainly win a smaller IM race. If it weren’t for his 3h-run in Kona, Crowie would have lead this ranking. He also posted the fastest run-split of 2012 with a 2:38:46 in Melbourne.
Rank | Name | Nation | Rating | Last Race | # Races |
1 | Bart Aernouts | BEL | 02:47:49 | IM Hawaii on 2012-10-13 | 2 |
2 | Craig Alexander | AUS | 02:48:51 | IM Hawaii on 2012-10-13 | 9 |
3 | Clemente Alonso-McKernan | ESP | 02:49:44 | IM Germany on 2012-07-08 | 5 |
4 | Eneko Llanos | ESP | 02:51:24 | IM Melbourne on 2012-03-24 | 14 |
5 | Marino Vanhoenacker | BEL | 02:51:48 | IM Germany on 2012-07-08 | 12 |
6 | Paul Matthews | AUS | 02:51:53 | IM Arizona on 2012-11-18 | 2 |
7 | Timo Bracht | GER | 02:52:48 | IM Hawaii on 2012-10-13 | 14 |
8 | Chris McCormack | AUS | 02:53:27 | IM Cairns on 2012-06-02 | 13 |
9 | Hans Nilsson | DEN | 02:53:44 | Challenge Roth on 2012-07-08 | 2 |
10 | Cameron Brown | NZL | 02:53:48 | Challenge Roth on 2012-07-08 | 16 |
TOP 10 Run-Rated Female Athletes
On the women’s side, Rinnie still has the best run in the scene – and by quite a large margin. Cait Snow is another great runner – she’s had the fastest 2012 run with a 2:51:46 in Texas. Similar to Sonja Tajsich, she is usually too far back after the bike to win big races. There are a lot of younger athletes that are still improving, so I expect to see a lot of change in the next years in this ranking.
Rank | Name | Nation | Rating | Last Race | # Races |
1 | Mirinda Carfrae | AUS | 03:00:53 | IM Florida on 2012-11-03 | 7 |
2 | Caitlin Snow | USA | 03:03:49 | IM Hawaii on 2012-10-13 | 13 |
3 | Sonja Tajsich | GER | 03:06:59 | IM Cozumel on 2012-11-25 | 12 |
4 | Beth Walsh | USA | 03:07:21 | IM Cozumel on 2012-11-25 | 3 |
5 | Kristin Moeller | GER | 03:08:55 | IM Hawaii on 2012-10-13 | 7 |
6 | Elizabeth Lyles | USA | 03:08:56 | IM Cozumel on 2012-11-25 | 2 |
7 | Yvonne Van Vlerken | AUT | 03:09:12 | IM Florida on 2012-11-03 | 7 |
8 | Linsey Corbin | USA | 03:10:59 | IM Arizona on 2012-11-18 | 14 |
9 | Kelly Williamson | USA | 03:11:21 | IM Hawaii on 2012-10-13 | 7 |
10 | Erika Csomor | HUN | 03:12:33 | IM Switzerland on 2012-07-15 | 18 |