Triathlon News – 22nd May 2017

The weekend that was. There were certainly some standouts during the weekend’s racing. So let’s jump right in.

Lucy Charles and Bart Aernouts dominate at Ironman Lanzarote

Known as the world’s most difficult Ironman, pros flocked to Lanzarote to brave the mountainous course last weekend.

Women’s Race

Lucy Charles is known for her incredible swim skills, but no on was prepared for her impressive performance on the bike. Leading out of the water in a split of just 47:06 saw her battling the top male pros. She surged into the transition and powered through the bike race in 5:23:29; a time breaking the existing course record set in 2010, and giving her a 20 minute lead.

After T2, Lucy Charles maintained her lead, finishing the first 5km in just 22 minutes. Corinne Abraham set the day’s fastest run time, while Gossage ran into third place. The event was a big day for UK women, with the podium was comprised of athletes all from Great Britain.

1. Lucy Charles 9:24:39
2. Corinne Abraham 9:44:29
3. Lucy Gossage 9:50:22

Men’s Race

First out of the water was Russian Georgi Kaurov, but the Lanzarote veteran Romain Guillaume was close behind. As the bike leg progressed, Aernouts of the BMC-Etixx team moved to the front ahead of Guillaume on the first long mountainous climb.

After the bike though, Guillaume started to drop away from the leader and the Belgian was able to run unchallenged to victory in 8:34:13, setting a new course record in the process. Romain Guillaume struggled with stomach issues during the marathon and found himself in fifth place. Thomas moved to the front of the group, but was eventually passed by Degasperi.

1. Bart Aernouts 08:34:13
2. Alessandro Degasperi 08:43:23
3. Jesse Thomas 08:49:02

Heather Jackson and Alan Horton win at May 21 70.3 Chattanooga

Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga was nearly cancelled due to predicted thunderstorms, but luckily they bypassed the event, and it ran without a hitch.

Women’s Race

Heather Jackson defended her title at the Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga race. Coming out of the water, Jackson was in fifth place, a solid 2:25 behind the leader Sheila Treleaven.

“The swim is always my worst. Every time, I’m always behind,” Russell said. “The bike is my strength, so I just go all-out on the bike and see if I can hold on on the run,” Russell told the Times Free Press.

Once into the bike leg, Jackson made her way to the front and she maintained her lead to the end.

1. Heather Jackson 04:15:20
2. Sarah True 04:17:25
3. Jackie Hering 04:18:18

Men’s Race

The men’s race was closer than the women’s at T1; with Antoine Jolicoeur Desroches leading by just 30 seconds. Desroches grew his lead to a huge seven minutes at T2, but that was the end of the Canadian’s domination.

“The running was going super good the first lap,” Desroches told Times Free Press. “I didn’t want to eat too much or drink too much because I was afraid I was going cramp, but then I completely bonked at 15 [kilometers].”

By the final two miles, Desroches had replenished his nutrition but had potentially over compensated, and started to get cramps near the finish. Matt Russell took over to claim victory in the final leg.

“My wife is due with a baby boy next month,” Russell said. “Someone told me it’s going to give me dad power, and I’m already starting to feel that dad power in a way.”

1. Matthew Russell 03:57:35
2. Adam Otstot 03:58:43
3. Antoine Jolicoeur Desroches 03:59:16

Pallant and Frodeno dominate at Ironman 70.3 Barcelona

Women’s race

Catherine Jameson was 39 seconds ahead of Charlotte Morel out of the water at T1. As the bike leg got under way, English Catherine Jameson maintained her lead. Emma Pallant made it to T2 in second place, 2:53 behind Jameson. Natalie Seymour was in third at T2, 3:31 behind Jameson.

The run was where everything changed. Emma Pallant powered through the run to first place in just 4:40:03. Natalie Seymour made it to second place and Morel was in third.

1. Emma Pallant 04:40:03
2. Natalie Seymour 04:43:06
3. Charlotte Morel 04:45:53

Men’s race

Cesc Godoy won the swim, with Frodeno, Billard, Kastelein, Polizza and Rana following close behind. As the bike leg began, Billard took to the lead, and had a 4:33 lead on Frodeno at T2.

Once the run got underway, Frodeno surged to the front with his infamous speed, finishing three minutes ahead of Kastelein.

1. Jan Frodeno 04:03:45
2. Nick Kastelein 04:06:03
3. Ivan Tutukin 04:07:54

Laura Phillipp and Nils Frommhold win the IRONMAN 70.3 St.Pölten

Women’s race

Germany’s Laura Phillipp set the fastest bike and run times over the weekend, which established her solid lead into T2. She maintained her lead throughout the run, and powered to victory a huge ten minutes ahead of Van Vlerken from The Netherlands and Austria’s Hutthaler.

1. Laura Phillipp 04:23:31
2. Yvonne Van Vlerken 04:33:12
3. Lisa Hutthaler 04:34:21

Men’s race

The podium was an all-German affair in the men’s event, with Frommhold and Boecherer starting the swim together, then go on to bike together too. The day came down to the run, and Frommhold was able to pull off a speedy 1:14:23 run which pushed him to victory. Clavel managed the fastest run split of 1:11:47, which helped him make it to third place.

1. Nils Frommhold 03:56:47
2. Andi Bocherer 03:59:04
3. Maurice Clavel 04:00:04