Caroline Steffen wins Ironman Australia 2011

After being second out of the water Caroline Steffen blew the rest of the field away on the bike and came home with a solid 3:22 marathon. It wasn't the fastest run of the day. That belonged to third placed Kristen Molloy. Kristen ran 3:18:58 and was followed closely by Nicole Ward who ran 3:1

After being second out of the water Caroline Steffen blew the rest of the field away on the bike and came home with a solid 3:22 marathon. It wasn’t the fastest run of the day. That belonged to third placed Kristen Molloy. Kristen ran 3:18:58 and was followed closely by Nicole Ward who ran 3:19:50.

Amelia Pearson lead out of the swim by just under a minute but was quickly overtaken on the bike by Steffen.

Steffen looked at ease out on the run course. She may have been hurting but wasn’t showing it. Steffen was the raging hot favourite for the race. Her second place at Hawaii last October and recently took out second at the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon (3km/200km/20km)

With a finish time of 9:29:54, Steffen was around nine minutes faster than second placed Amelia Pearson from Tasmania. Even though Pearson was second she wins the crown as Australian Ironman Champion for being the first Australian home. Last year Pearson was third at both Ironman Australia and Ironman WA so the result on Sunday was a special one for her. Last year’s winner, Carrie Lester was racing in the Port Macquarie 70.3 on the same day.

First age grouper home Rebecca Eveleigh had an outstanding day. After being 7min behind Ward after the swim Eveleigh rode strongly but could not reach Ward on the bike. Ward’s strong run had her up approximately 18mins ahead at the end of the race.

Elizabeth Gordon and Rebecca Philipp had a great race to take the first and second places in the women’s 25-29 age group. In the end just over two minutes separated them with Gordon winning the age group in 10:12:16 and Philipp coming second in 10:14:32. Gordon was just over three minutes faster on the swim with Philipp over two minute faster on the bike. Their marathon split was almost identical with Philipp being 5 seconds slower.

Another outstanding performance was Jessica Simpson’s. Simpson was tenth overall and at 23 was the youngest in the top 30 by over 4 years. Her finish time of 10:33 was outstanding. Eleventh placed 45yr old Angela Clarke had a great all round race with a finish time of 10:35:59.

Another youngster, 21 year old Kate O’Neill finished 85th overall with a time of 13:00:19. So close to breaking the 13 hour mark. But at 21 there is plenty of time to get sorted

POS	ATHLETE	AGE/DIV	SWIM	BIKE	RUN	TOTAL
1	STEFFEN, Caroline	33/Pro	0:50:35	5:12:39	3:22:10	9:29:54
2	PEARSON, Amelia	30/Pro	0:49:46	5:23:31	3:21:56	9:38:23
3	MOLLOY, Kirsten	32/Pro	0:51:27	5:30:09	3:18:58	9:43:55
4	WARD, Nicole	36/Pro	0:54:05	5:32:36	3:19:50	9:49:23
5	EVELEIGH, Rebecca	34/30-34	1:01:42	5:24:09	3:36:59	10:07:57
6	SPITLER, Erin	32/Pro	1:06:01	5:21:18	3:38:28	10:08:33
7	GORDON, Elizabeth	27/25-29	0:58:08	5:35:38	3:33:32	10:12:16
8	PHILIPP, Rebecca	28/25-29	1:01:22	5:33:48	3:33:37	10:14:32
9	GRAY, Kylie	28/25-29	1:03:16	5:36:10	3:46:38	10:31:46
10	SIMPSON, Jessica	23/18-24	0:56:31	5:36:22	3:55:53	10:33:14
11	CLARKE, Angela	45/45-49	0:57:14	5:51:56	3:42:46	10:35:59
12	FRANCIS, Anna	31/30-34	0:56:35	5:50:32	3:45:18	10:36:46
13	STRETTON, Elizabeth	33/30-34	0:58:26	5:43:55	3:49:03	10:38:16
14	THIELE, Catherine	34/30-34	0:58:33	5:47:38	3:51:13	10:41:46
15	COTTRELL-DORMER, Mia	37/35-39	1:01:22	5:48:30	3:46:21	10:43:36
16	WHITMORE, Tarryn	33/30-34	0:55:57	5:39:29	4:08:25	10:47:48
17	LAWSON, Jessica	29/25-29	0:56:44	5:47:29	4:02:42	10:50:58
18	BROWN, Clara	29/25-29	1:05:11	5:57:45	3:43:50	10:51:31
19	RALPH, Marijke	26/25-29	1:15:52	6:03:54	3:27:26	10:52:16
20	SECCOMBE, Belinda	37/35-39	1:10:01	5:48:38	3:56:04	10:59:50
21	PERCIVAL, Cassandra	30/30-34	0:55:12	5:57:39	4:01:48	11:00:06
22	PROFFIT, Shannon	28/25-29	0:58:24	5:44:29	4:13:31	11:00:16
23	ANDERSEN, Lise	27/25-29	1:01:25	5:51:35	4:04:06	11:01:57
24	HAMILTON, Julie	35/35-39	1:09:53	5:47:52	4:01:33	11:04:24
25	O’NEILL, Emma	27/25-29	1:03:03	6:06:47	3:50:14	11:05:53
26	DEWS, Carolyn	42/40-44	1:03:44	5:57:41	4:03:29	11:10:47
27	WILLOUGHBY, Kacey	28/25-29	1:07:59	6:05:26	3:52:12	11:11:59
28	SYMONDS, Alicia	28/25-29	0:56:19	5:46:13	4:25:41	11:12:27
29	LUCAS, Kylie	40/40-44	1:04:15	6:04:35	4:00:36	11:13:55
30	CARTERS, Melissa	28/25-29	1:08:40	6:18:34	3:39:47	11:14:49
31	PARRY-WILLIAMS, Vanessa	39/35-39	1:01:44	6:16:03	3:51:29	11:15:39
32	CRAFT, Kristy	29/25-29	1:02:18	5:30:35	4:40:29	11:18:14
33	FISHER, Justine	39/35-39	1:01:15	6:03:13	4:06:12	11:18:55
34	BRACE, Carolyn	37/35-39	1:01:37	6:00:45	4:13:49	11:20:40
35	HOFFMANN, Jen	43/40-44	1:11:10	6:04:59	3:57:01	11:21:55
36	CHIFFEY-GRAY, Jenna	27/25-29	1:13:09	6:12:38	3:51:52	11:22:04
37	KURSIDIM, Rochelle	41/40-44	1:02:51	5:55:08	4:20:09	11:23:09
38	APPLETON, Alison	52/50-54	1:03:31	6:00:30	4:15:48	11:25:21
39	JOHNSON, Alicia	23/18-24	0:56:47	6:31:56	3:53:16	11:26:38
40	DUKES, Kate	37/35-39	1:02:56	5:56:06	4:19:13	11:27:19
41	JELL, Christine	47/45-49	1:09:55	6:09:38	3:56:55	11:28:34
42	DAVEY, Jessica	28/25-29	1:02:47	6:07:41	4:12:58	11:29:35
43	OWENS, Natalie	38/35-39	1:06:55	5:53:59	4:24:03	11:31:18
44	HANSON, Stef	30/30-34	1:08:05	5:42:30	4:36:14	11:33:11
45	WATSON-JONES, Kristy-Lee	29/25-29	1:10:10	6:13:41	4:03:57	11:34:11
46	WOODS, Alanna	37/35-39	1:15:48	6:20:09	3:53:12	11:36:38
47	SINCLAIR, Paula	40/40-44	1:00:23	5:55:21	4:38:56	11:40:15
48	RIELLY, Debbie	43/40-44	1:06:02	6:07:59	4:23:35	11:45:22
49	DOKE, Marie	47/45-49	1:04:19	6:19:23	4:14:23	11:46:14
50	MADGE, Delwyn	42/40-44	1:07:11	6:11:07	4:22:46	11:48:20
51	HART, Jenny	45/45-49	1:16:38	6:48:16	3:34:59	11:48:55
52	WEBSTER, Jacqui	40/40-44	1:08:32	6:14:21	4:21:12	11:50:42
53	GREENHILL, Sharon	42/40-44	1:00:58	5:56:38	4:45:54	11:52:02
54	CARTER, Trish	31/30-34	0:57:19	6:06:07	4:41:36	11:53:25
55	BROWN, Emma	36/35-39	1:10:48	6:30:30	4:07:51	11:55:01
56	KILLEEN, Leonie	43/40-44	1:09:19	6:25:43	4:08:06	11:55:02
57	LISTER, Kate	30/30-34	1:02:57	6:24:11	4:25:20	11:57:02
58	MACDONALD, Margaret	45/45-49	1:08:35	6:06:31	4:40:02	12:02:46
59	GAFFEL, Kylie	29/25-29	1:05:25	6:21:42	4:31:30	12:05:15
60	LAMBERT, Danielle	35/35-39	1:11:39	6:21:11	4:26:29	12:08:22
61	PORTER, Katharine	48/45-49	1:04:17	6:43:21	4:17:19	12:11:55
62	JONES, Caroline	33/30-34	1:08:32	6:52:15	4:06:30	12:14:24
63	TOOHEY, Kate	39/35-39	1:11:16	6:13:57	4:39:07	12:14:50
64	SINCLAIR-SMITH, Rowena	39/35-39	1:01:40	6:41:10	4:28:27	12:16:29
65	CAMPBELL, Ann	48/45-49	1:05:24	6:13:48	4:49:50	12:17:17
66	HERZBERG, Millie	31/30-34	1:07:33	6:15:31	4:46:48	12:17:37
67	SCHOLTES, Adri-Anne	35/35-39	1:27:46	6:24:21	4:17:24	12:22:06
68	FARLOW, Tania	39/35-39	1:01:52	6:38:44	4:36:30	12:24:31
69	EDWARDS, Frances	47/45-49	1:16:19	6:10:10	4:49:02	12:27:14
70	JOLIOT, Beatrice	41/40-44	1:17:28	6:26:57	4:34:15	12:28:20
71	MCAFEE, Janet	52/50-54	1:16:30	6:40:35	4:21:09	12:28:59
72	TRAVILL, Alison	23/18-24	0:59:50	6:41:31	4:41:48	12:29:29
73	CHRISTENSEN, Tanni	25/25-29	1:10:02	6:39:43	4:37:53	12:36:01
74	LEE, Natasha	32/30-34	1:02:07	6:18:38	5:10:47	12:38:17
75	BAILEY, Lauren	27/25-29	1:19:14	6:24:36	4:43:54	12:40:13
76	SPICER, Rosie	53/50-54	1:19:09	6:27:14	4:53:24	12:48:59
77	COX, Helen	39/35-39	1:24:14	7:05:45	4:13:30	12:51:05
78	COOPER, Karen	40/40-44	1:02:58	6:53:12	4:48:25	12:52:22
79	FREER, Helen	60/60-64	1:10:08	6:51:42	4:43:32	12:54:21
80	SALESSES, Sylvia	41/40-44	1:11:05	6:33:51	4:59:04	12:54:29
81	BEATH, Lisa	41/40-44	1:00:39	7:01:01	4:49:22	12:58:54
82	TREMAYNE, Margaret

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Written by

Karl Hayes

Karl is a Gold Coast based father of 3, a keen home improver and an age group triathlete who races on the M5 Acadamies triathlon team. ‘A good life balance is incredibly important’.

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