Race Conditions & Course Records

As always, IM Western Australia has been a fast course. Last year there was some wind that lead to a slower swim and a “less fast” bike, this year’s conditions were quick even for WA (adjustment of 17:32 leading to a new course rating of 13:57). Not surprisingly, we’ve seen a large number of fast results.

First of all, Terenzo Bozzone had a fantastic race and posted a new overall course record with a balanced race. He improved on Luke McKenzie’s time from last year, which was also the fastest Ironman on Australian soil. In addition, Terenzo improved on the Australian continental record (meaning Australia and New Zealand) – until today it was held by Chris McCormack (7:54 from Challenge Roth 2007). Andy Potts’ 7:55:12 finish was a new US fastest time, he improved 10 seconds on Andy Starykowicz’s 7:55:22 from IM Florida 2013.

The female side saw some fast times as well. After IM Arizona this was another race where the Top 3 women finished under 9 hours – for Melissa, Mareen and Sarah it was the first time they finished that quick. Melissa also improved Britta Martin’s 2014 overall course record, and Mareen’s bike time was faster than her own bike course record by almost three minutes.

Male Race Results

So far Terenzo’s Ironman results haven’t been quite up to his stellar 70.3 racing, but there can be no doubt that he absolutely nailed Ironman Western Australia. It wasn’t a surprise to see him come out of the water close to the lead, but then he posted a massive new personal bike best: His 4:10 was more 20 minutes faster than ever before and gave him a solid lead in T2. In addition he almost posted a marathon PR (his 2:50 was just a minute off his best time from his first race at IM New Zealand 2009) to win his first Ironman race.

After a somewhat disappointing 11th place in Kona, Andy Potts showed that you shouldn’t write him off for a Kona podium just yet: He biked and ran faster than ever before, improving on his IM PR (dating back to IM Cozumel 2010) by 20 minutes. Even with Terenzo’s fantastic performance, he was able to keep the race interesting with a 2:44 marathon, slowly eating into the lead and closing the gap to less than four minutes at the end.

Nick Kastelein showed that training with Jan Frodeno (and as far as I know Terenzo as well) helped him developed into a good Ironman athlete. In only his second IM-distance race he finished on the podium in front of a number of Kona caliber athletes. Jens Petersen-Bach finished 4th after his DNF in Kona, while 2014 winner Denis Chevrot took 5th place.

With his win (and points from 70.3 Champs) Terenzo is safe for a July slot. Andy Potts can also start to plan his 2017 season with a clear Kona focus. Nick Kastelein needs about another 500 points – a win in a P-500 70.3 is probably enough to qualify, but racing another Ironman race is likely a benefit if he want to go to Kona 2017.

Female Race Results

Just a minute behind after the swim Melissa Hauschildt quickly took the lead on the bike. Mareen Hufe exited the swim with an improved Sarah Piampiano and they rode together for some time before Mareen put down the hammer, gapped Sarah, closed the distance to Melissa and finally took the lead with a new bike course record time. But Melissa proved to be the better runner, re-taking the lead by the half marathon mark and winning in course record time – also improving her IM winning record to 4 wins and 1 DNF. Mareen kept the pressure up on the run, and she was less than three minutes behind in second place.

Even though she “only” finished third, Sarah is probably happy with her race: A good swim and the fastest run split gave her the first sub-9 finish of her career. At the end of the season Asa Lundstroem had another solid race, but she probably wasn’t fresh enough to finish higher up than in fourth place in the strong WA field. “Lisi” Gruber lost too much time on the bike to contend for more than fifth place.

With regards to Kona slots, Mel, Sarah and Asa should be safe for a July slot (being able to use Kona or 70.3 Champs points), while Mareen still needs another podium result in an IM.

Race Conditions

This year IM Cozumel had the fastest conditions ever for that course, mainly on the bike (maybe not too much wind?). Winner Frederik Van Lierde posted a new course record and got pretty close to breaking 8 hours, while female swim leader (and eventual second place finisher) Lauren Brandon posted a new swim course record, improving on Bree Wee’s 2009 time.

Male Race Results

Frederik Van Lierde was among the first in T1, then posted a strong bike to be within seconds of the lead in T2. He then went on to win the race by posting the strongest run of the bike leaders, winning with a new course record time. Matt Russell ran through the field by posting the second fastest marathon of the day and as last year finished in second place. After winning his first Ironman at Mont Tremblant, Chris Leiferman had another solid race and claimed the last spot on the podium.

Frederik Van Lierde validated his AQ Kona slot and is the first athlete to be a secure Kona 2017 Pro participant. In addition to him Matt Russell has enough points to be safe for a Kona slot.

Female Race Results

Lauren Brandon was leading after the swim by almost five minutes, posting a new swim course record. She reached T2 together with the “Danish Duo” of Michelle Vesterby and Camilla Pedersen. Camilla was leading the race for most of the run, but eventually faded at the end and finished in third place. In her first IM finish in Texas Lauren was also leading into T1 and T2 but the struggled on the run (3:56). In Cozumel she ran a steady 3:23 and was able to finish in second place. The win went to Michelle Vesterby who had the best run of the leaders into T2, ending her 2016 racing year with her third Ironman win. Last year’s winner Corinne Abraham finished fourth after a long injury break – she posted the best marathon of the day and without a double flat towards the end of the bike she could have finished on the podium. Rachel McBride had a solid day to finish fifth in her first full Ironman race.

After her 6th place in Kona Michelle Vesterby has enough points to be safe for a Kona slot. Camilla Pedersen is close but needs a few more points, she should be fine with two good 70.3 results.

Race Conditions

This year’s edition of IM Arizona has been another extremely fast race: Calm and relatively cool conditions lead to an adjustment of 24:21, the fastest ever on the Arizona course – no surprise when we’ve seen a number of crazy fast times.

Lionel Sanders posted a new course record of 7:44:29 which is also the fastest time ever in an Ironman®-branded race. (There’s been a bit of uproar when Ironman started calling the time a world-record – completely ignoring Jan Frodeno’s 7:35 from Roth this year. I completely understand that they don’t want to call attention to Roth, but completely ignoring it seems more like a sign of weakness to me.) Lionel had a great race, he posted new “personal bests” in each of the legs. He had the fastest bike leg of the day (4:04:38, the fastest bike leg of the year but still short of the course record 4:03 by Andy Starykowicz) and the second fastest run leg. If his race produced a world-record, it his “on-land-time”: His bike and run took a combined 6:47:09 (excluding transitions), the previously fastest time was by Jan at Roth 2016 (combined 6:47:25). Rafael Goncalves posted a new swim record (45:31, improving on Kieran Doe’s time from 2008); and Brent McMahon had the fastest run of the day, his 2:40:17 is also new course record.

Even if Meredith’s 8:48 was a few minutes short of her own course record, there were fast times on the female side as well: Yvonne Van Vlerken posted a new bike course record, her 4:40:40 improved on Meredith’s 4:42 from last year. Angela Naeth was even faster, but she had to end her race shortly after T2.

Male Race Results

Rafael Goncalves was leading after the swim before Cameron Wurf quickly went to the front, apparently chasing the bike course record. He was first into T2, but Lionel Sanders took the lead shortly after. Lionel was racing smart and had enough in the tank to secure a new course record with very solid last few miles. Brent McMahon was faster than ever before in all his legs, but the best possible finish for him was second place. TJ Tollakson had a solid day, repeating his third place from last year, also posting a new personal best.

Female Race Results

Meredith Kessler won the female race, leading from wire to wire. She’s the IM Arizona champion for the third time in a row – the last time she did not win an Ironman outside of Kona was IM Arizona 2013 when she was second to Julia Gajer by less than three minutes. After the swim Yvonne Van Vlerken was more than eight minutes behind, but she was able to close the gap on the bike and early on the run, keeping up the pressure on Meredith. But Meredith held on to her lead, with Yvonne finishing second. IM rookie Malindi Elmore finished third after a solid day with the second fastest marathon. The fastest run was by Ruth Brennan Morrey in fourth place, reaching her goal of a sub-3 run.