Jodie Robertson beats leader Lauren Brandon at North American Ironman Championships 2017

Lauren Brandon beats the boys for fastest swim split Lauren Brandon smashed through the swim in the fastest swim split of the women’s race, which was also faster then the entire men’s pro field too. In just 48:52, Brandon flew to the front of the field. From there, Brandon stayed in the lead through

Lauren Brandon beats the boys for fastest swim split

Lauren Brandon smashed through the swim in the fastest swim split of the women’s race, which was also faster then the entire men’s pro field too. In just 48:52, Brandon flew to the front of the field.

From there, Brandon stayed in the lead throughout the bike leg, but coming into T2, the race was about to change. With Brandon maintaining a narrow lead, as the second transition approached, a fierce chase pack of Alicia Kaye, Jodie Robertson, Danish Maja Stage-Nielsen and Belgian Tine Deckers.

Marathon makes the different with Robertson

After moving up multiple places in the bike race, notorious marathon runner Jodie Robertson was geared up for a strong run. Her marathon experience is impressive: Robertson finished fourth at the 2015 American Marathon Championship and qualified for the Olympic trials marathon in 2012 and 2016.

After placing second in Texas last year, Robertson had the experience, but at T2, she had her work cut out for her, coming in 5:40 behind Lauren Brandon at the second transition.

The run was the most exciting section of the women’s event. Lauren Brandon, who’d dominated the entire race, started to fatigue and at the tenth mile, she finally lost her lead to Jodie Robertson. Behind her, Austrian Michaela Heribauer overcame Stage-Nielsen in the final kilometres to run into second place.