Melissa Hauschildt wins Ironman 70.3 World Championship Las Vegas 2013

Melissa Hauschildt of Australia has won back her Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Las Vegas today. A 29:19 swim saw Hauschildt leave the water 3:20 down on fellow Aussie Annabel Luxford and defending champion Leanda Cave. Whilst not quite the swim she would have liked, the Aussie wasted no time in

Melissa Hauschildt of Australia has won back her Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Las Vegas today. A 29:19 swim saw Hauschildt leave the water 3:20 down on fellow Aussie Annabel Luxford and defending champion Leanda Cave. Whilst not quite the swim she would have liked, the Aussie wasted no time in chasing down the leaders.

Hauschildt won her first title in 2011, but was unsuccessful in defending her title in 2012 battling injury and illness during race week. This year she has held back on her run training with the objective of arriving here this weekend injury free. The strategy appears to have worked, having run away from her competition in possibly the hottest field to ever contest the 70.3 World Championship.

The day began with Annabel Luxford of Australia leading the professional women out of the water in 25:59, with defending champion Leanda Cave (GBR) hot on her heels. Also amongst this lead group was Tenille Hoogland (CAN), Laura Bennett (USA) and Kelly Williamson (USA). Heather Jackson (USA) was another big mover on the bike, having swum a 30:08 to bike and run her way into a second place finish.

Hauschildt rode to a smoking 2:25:08 for the fastest female bike split of the day, despite a crash in the closing kilometers. The wet roads may have played a part, with Mel going down hard and landing on her hip. The Aussie showed just how tough she is, jumping straight back up and rejoining the lead group of Annabel Luxford, Lisa Norden and Svenja Bazlen. Running into transition two in the lead, Hauschildt then ran away with the race to finish in 4:20:07.

Heather Jackson rode and ran her way through the field to finish in second place, having moved up one position each year. If this pattern is anything to go by, Heather would have to be a favourite to contend for the 2014 World Title in Mont Tremblant.

Annabel Luxford held on for third place, crossing the line and being taken off to the medical tent. The temperatures may not have been as hot in Las Vegas today, but the humidity was up around 91% and Luxford gave everything she had to hold onto her second place. The ever improving Jackson was just too fast on the day, with Luxford losing her runners up position in the closing kilometers.

Catriona Morrison made a spectacular return from injury, having missed the entire 2012 season to run through the field and finish fourth today. Morrison’s run of 1:21:49 was second only to Hauschildt’s 1:21:37, an impressive display from an athlete returning from double Achilles surgery and a complete season on the side lines.

Germany’s Svenja Bazlen swam and rode with the leaders, faltering only upon reaching the run and fading back into fifth position. Bazlen has had a terrific season having finished second at Ironman 70.3 St George US Championship and third at the Hy-Vee Triathlon last weekend.

Professional Female Final Results

Name Swim Bike Run Finish Rank Prize $
Hauschildt, Melissa USA 0:29:19 2:25:08 1:21:37 4:20:07 1 $35,000
Jackson, Heather USA 0:30:08 2:28:48 1:22:55 4:25:19 2 $17,500
Luxford, Annabel AUS 0:25:59 2:28:38 1:27:24 4:25:59 3 $11,500
Morrison, Catriona GBR 0:30:07 2:31:32 1:21:49 4:27:50 4 $8,500
Bazlen, Svenja DEU 0:27:16 2:28:32 1:28:07 4:27:52 5 $7,000
Huetthaler, Lisa AUT 0:28:30 2:30:51 1:26:33 4:29:58 6 $5,500
Norden, Lisa SWE 0:27:15 2:31:10 1:29:06 4:31:44 7 $4.50
Williamson, Kelly USA 0:26:14 2:40:16 1:22:13 4:32:30 8 $4,000
Wurtele, Heather CAN 0:28:36 2:34:51 1:25:33 4:33:11 9 $3,500
Marsh, Amy USA 0:27:08 2:34:45 1:27:22 4:33:43 10 $3,000
Tisseyre, Magali CAN 0:28:21 2:33:48 1:29:47 4:36:02 11
Cave, Leanda GBR 0:26:05 2:36:03 1:33:02 4:39:19 12
Lidbury, Emma-Kate GBR 0:27:13 2:34:39 1:33:10 4:39:23 13
Shapiro, Margaret USA 0:28:34 2:33:34 1:36:03 4:42:07 14
Lawn, Joanna NZL 0:28:39 2:39:30 1:30:14 4:43:04 15
Clifford, Ashley USA 0:28:27 2:45:04 1:25:34 4:43:19 16
McLane, Mandy USA 0:28:36 2:40:00 1:32:11 4:45:18 17
Wee, Bree USA 0:28:33 2:39:34 1:33:00 4:45:30 18
Bromme, Uli USA 0:32:48 2:38:51 1:31:03 4:47:42 19
Bevilaqua, Kate AUS 0:28:44 2:39:37 1:35:51 4:48:51 20
Ferreira, Amber USA 0:28:40 2:43:16 1:32:46 4:49:21 21
Tomenson, Miranda CAN 0:28:32 2:43:27 1:35:15 4:51:51 22
Hoschke, Rebecca AUS 0:32:50 2:44:19 1:35:28 4:57:58 23
Tajsich, Sonja DEU 0:32:49 2:47:07 1:36:13 5:01:17 24
Crowley, Sarah AUS 0:30:11 2:49:44 1:39:11 5:03:59 25
Roohi, Molly USA 0:33:31 2:54:18 1:36:15 5:09:20 26
Seymour, Jeanni ZAF 0:30:09 3:02:50 1:32:42 5:09:57 27

Professional female swim times

Name Country Swim
Hauschildt, Melissa USA 0:29:19
Luxford, Annabel AUS 0:25:59
Bazlen, Svenja DEU 0:27:16
Norden, Lisa SWE 0:27:15
Jackson, Heather USA 0:30:08
Huetthaler, Lisa AUT 0:28:30
Morrison, Catriona GBR 0:30:07
Shapiro, Margaret USA 0:28:34
Lidbury, Emma-Kate GBR 0:27:13
Cave, Leanda GBR 0:26:05
Marsh, Amy USA 0:27:08
Tisseyre, Magali CAN 0:28:21
Wurtele, Heather CAN 0:28:36
Williamson, Kelly USA 0:26:14
Naeth, Angela USA 0:29:59
Wee, Bree USA 0:28:33
Lawn, Joanna NZL 0:28:39
Hoogland, Tenille CAN 0:26:07
Bevilaqua, Kate AUS 0:28:44
McLane, Mandy USA 0:28:36
Ferreira, Amber USA 0:28:40
Bromme, Uli USA 0:32:48
Tomenson, Miranda CAN 0:28:32
Clifford, Ashley USA 0:28:27
Bennett, Laura USA 0:26:09
McQuaid, Melanie CAN 0:28:39
Hoschke, Rebecca AUS 0:32:50
Crowley, Sarah AUS 0:30:11
Tajsich, Sonja DEU 0:32:49
Leiggi, Heather USA 0:32:43
Seymour, Jeanni ZAF 0:30:09
Roohi, Molly USA 0:33:31
Lamacchia, Leslie USA 0:35:45
Hansen, Jennie USA 0:00:00

Professional Female Bike Times

Name Country Bike
Hauschildt, Melissa USA 2:25:08
Bazlen, Svenja DEU 2:28:32
Luxford, Annabel AUS 2:28:38
Jackson, Heather USA 2:28:48
Huetthaler, Lisa AUT 2:30:51
Norden, Lisa SWE 2:31:10
Morrison, Catriona GBR 2:31:32
Shapiro, Margaret USA 2:33:34
Tisseyre, Magali CAN 2:33:48
Lidbury, Emma-Kate GBR 2:34:39
Marsh, Amy USA 2:34:45
Wurtele, Heather CAN 2:34:51
Cave, Leanda GBR 2:36:03
Naeth, Angela USA 2:36:26
Bromme, Uli USA 2:38:51
Lawn, Joanna NZL 2:39:30
Wee, Bree USA 2:39:34
Bevilaqua, Kate AUS 2:39:37
McLane, Mandy USA 2:40:00
Williamson, Kelly USA 2:40:16
Hoogland, Tenille CAN 2:42:08
Ferreira, Amber USA 2:43:16
Tomenson, Miranda CAN 2:43:27
Hoschke, Rebecca AUS 2:44:19
Clifford, Ashley USA 2:45:04
Tajsich, Sonja DEU 2:47:07
McQuaid, Melanie CAN 2:48:27
Crowley, Sarah AUS 2:49:44
Bennett, Laura USA 2:50:44
Leiggi, Heather USA 2:51:02
Roohi, Molly USA 2:54:18
Lamacchia, Leslie USA 2:55:42
Seymour, Jeanni ZAF 3:02:50
Hansen, Jennie USA 0:00:00

Professional female run times

Name Country Run
Hauschildt, Melissa USA 1:21:37
Morrison, Catriona GBR 1:21:49
Williamson, Kelly USA 1:22:13
Jackson, Heather USA 1:22:55
Wurtele, Heather CAN 1:25:33
Clifford, Ashley USA 1:25:34
Huetthaler, Lisa AUT 1:26:33
Marsh, Amy USA 1:27:22
Luxford, Annabel AUS 1:27:24
Bazlen, Svenja DEU 1:28:07
Norden, Lisa SWE 1:29:06
Tisseyre, Magali CAN 1:29:47
Lawn, Joanna NZL 1:30:14
Bromme, Uli USA 1:31:03
McLane, Mandy USA 1:32:11
Seymour, Jeanni ZAF 1:32:42
Ferreira, Amber USA 1:32:46
Wee, Bree USA 1:33:00
Cave, Leanda GBR 1:33:02
Lidbury, Emma-Kate GBR 1:33:10
Tomenson, Miranda CAN 1:35:15
Hoschke, Rebecca AUS 1:35:28
Bevilaqua, Kate AUS 1:35:51
Shapiro, Margaret USA 1:36:03
Tajsich, Sonja DEU 1:36:13
Roohi, Molly USA 1:36:15
Crowley, Sarah AUS 1:39:11