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Leading ITU Triathlete Nicola Spirig wins Ironman 70.3 Austin

Nicola Spirig, fresh off a 2nd place in Mexico, wins Ironman 70.3 Austin using her road bike, demonstrating her adaptability and hinting at future long-distance ambitions post-2012 Olympics.

Karl Hayes
Karl Hayes
– 7 min read
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Trizone spoke to Ironman 70.3 Austin winner and one of the worlds top ITU Olympic distance triathletes, Switzerland’s Nicola Spirig after winning in style and beating some formidable opponents. This race was one week after Nicola came 2nd at the Huatulco ITU Triathlon World Cup in Mexico. What makes the win even more interesting is that Nicola used her road bike from the race the previous week. “I couldn’t take two bikes to Mexico so I had no choice”.

Coming out of the water in equal first place Nicola proceeded to move away from the field. “I came out of the water first along with Nina Kraft. I then rode very strong to hold an eight minute lead off the bike. I’m very pleased with my run as well. It is maybe not a very fast time but it was my first half Ironman where I managed to run without fighting against the stitch and stomach cramps and could concentrate on running”.

What now? Does this mean Nicola will look to do more long distance triathlons? “Not for the next two years until the Olympics. Long distance will not be my main focus. I might do some half Ironman races to mix it up a bit but my main focus will clearly be on the Olympics. What will be after 2012 is quite open at this stage. I don’t have specific plans for after the 2012 Olympics yet.

I think I will be racing the World Championship series race in Sydney next year and I am looking forward to being back in Australia”.

One thing is for sure in 2013 the leading long distance female triathletes will have a very strong competitor in their midst if Nicola decides that long distance triathlons are her thing.

POS ATHLETE AGE/DIV SWIM BIKE RUN TOTAL
1 Spirig, Nicola 28/WPRO 0:24:49 2:15:37 1:25:41 4:09:34
2 Naeth, Angela 28/WPRO 0:29:49 2:18:28 1:26:28 4:17:58
3 Warriner, Samantha 39/WPRO 0:26:24 2:22:21 1:30:02 4:22:01
4 Sym, Christie 27/WPRO 0:27:40 2:21:42 1:29:54 4:23:03
5 Wurtele, Heather 31/WPRO 0:27:31 2:20:40 1:31:28 4:23:25
6 Meyers, Jessica 32/WPRO 0:27:38 2:26:24 1:27:42 4:24:56
7 Kraft, Nina 42/WPRO 0:24:51 2:27:49 1:30:08 4:26:11
8 Jackson, Heather 26/WPRO 0:29:40 2:19:36 1:36:47 4:29:14
9 Gervais, Annie 35/WPRO 0:30:34 2:27:03 1:28:13 4:29:24
10 Bromme, Uli 29/WPRO 0:29:39 2:27:31 1:28:23 4:29:31
11 Wernick, Charisa 34/WPRO 0:29:55 2:29:26 1:29:52 4:32:51
12 Castro, Terra 30/WPRO 0:27:34 2:29:17 1:33:22 4:33:38
13 Homo, Malaika 32/WPRO 0:26:19 2:26:09 1:39:17 4:35:07
14 Kirkham, Amy 26/WPRO 0:30:50 2:30:10 1:30:51 4:35:44
15 Harrison, Lauren 33/WPRO 0:30:43 2:25:36 1:37:56 4:38:16
16 Jesberger, Heidi 32/WPRO 0:27:36 2:33:35 1:34:15 4:39:01
17 Luebke, Jennifer 24/WPRO 0:27:35 2:28:48 1:40:51 4:41:03
18 Asplund, Marisa 33/WPRO 0:36:35 2:26:08 1:34:29 4:41:10
19 Van Der Merwe, Natasha 29/WPRO 0:34:11 2:27:01 1:38:48 4:43:34
20 Means, Anna 30/W30-34 0:33:49 2:32:00 1:37:32 4:48:22
21 Durner, Amanda 37/W35-39 0:26:07 2:33:59 1:43:09 4:48:27
22 Dehaan, Chandra 29/W25-29 0:31:02 2:34:20 1:38:39 4:48:54
23 Buser, Ariane 32/W30-34 0:32:56 2:27:41 1:44:21 4:50:59
24 Wickard, Chris 40/W40-44 0:29:36 2:36:00 1:41:21 4:51:11
25 Smith, Lesley 27/W25-29 0:33:44 2:41:02 1:31:32 4:51:27
26 Looper, Lauren 20/COL 0:37:18 2:33:26 1:38:01 4:52:33
27 Henn, Brannen 37/W35-39 0:33:17 2:36:07 1:41:52 4:56:22
28 Blakley, Barb 32/W30-34 0:34:33 2:29:05 1:48:30 4:56:39
29 Nicol, Jennifer 36/W35-39 0:33:39 2:34:43 1:44:13 4:57:46
30 Rimel, Keri 36/W35-39 0:37:59 2:30:56 1:42:14 4:57:55
31 Bell, Katie 33/W30-34 0:29:50 2:36:25 1:46:10 4:58:09
32 Carlson, Tiffany 30/W30-34 0:37:56 2:39:46 1:36:02 4:59:25
33 Ginko, Lindsey 35/W35-39 0:38:21 2:27:45 1:48:40 4:59:40
34 Treybig, Shannon 38/W35-39 0:35:36 2:33:06 1:44:35 5:00:23
35 Gilkerson, Jenny 25/W25-29 0:34:44 2:37:58 1:43:08 5:00:35
36 Wegman, Roxanne 23/COL 0:40:08 2:43:05 1:33:41 5:02:55
37 Burks, Karen 42/W40-44 0:33:48 2:37:59 1:46:07 5:03:03
38 Pearce-Gieck, Sarah 32/W30-34 0:31:00 2:37:58 1:48:56 5:03:27
39 Wilhelm, Andrea 30/W30-34 0:29:02 2:41:59 1:48:14 5:03:53
40 Iavarone, Kristin 31/WPRO 0:30:47 2:40:45 1:49:21 5:04:53
41 Bau, Fernanda 26/WPRO 0:27:39 2:37:58 1:56:20 5:06:06
42 Solis Velasco, Marcela 23/W18-24 0:30:39 2:44:30 1:47:27 5:06:44
43 Garel, Michelle 33/W30-34 0:34:36 2:38:21 1:49:31 5:07:21
44 Brown-Boulay, Molly 40/W40-44 0:39:29 2:43:59 1:39:32 5:09:23
45 Present, Cindy 47/W45-49 0:35:13 2:45:25 1:43:56 5:09:35
46 Shinn, Darla 35/W35-39 0:38:05 2:42:44 1:42:16 5:10:10
47 McConnell, Kelly 34/W30-34 0:39:41 2:42:08 1:42:56 5:10:40
48 Kolenz, Kris 45/W45-49 0:33:51 2:45:27 1:47:10 5:11:59
49 Haight, Sarah 19/COL 0:40:57 2:42:02 1:45:01 5:12:30
50 Cherry, Molly 39/W35-39 0:35:58 2:41:26 1:49:34 5:12:45
51 Berry, Carolyn 23/W18-24 0:40:50 2:39:43 1:48:11 5:13:03
52 Elder, Dawn 42/W40-44 0:33:54 2:40:39 1:53:29 5:13:54
53 Hunter, Kyleanne 31/W30-34 0:34:54 2:38:31 1:53:41 5:13:55
54 Phelps, Sara 26/W25-29 0:28:40 2:47:59 1:53:18 5:14:48
55 Litwora, Elisa 30/W30-34 0:35:27 2:38:59 1:53:52 5:14:57
56 Barber, Nicky 38/W35-39 0:34:22 2:37:31 1:56:49 5:14:59
57 Nelles, Meghann 32/W30-34 0:38:23 2:47:11 1:44:42 5:15:33
58 Lan, Christy 30/W30-34 0:38:28 2:49:42 1:39:58 5:15:42
59 Tidmore, Andrea 31/W30-34 0:35:45 2:45:04 1:49:43 5:16:35
60 Reetz Saverance, Christiane 44/W40-44 0:40:59 2:37:01 1:53:53 5:16:41
61 Min, Jami 41/W40-44 0:35:02 2:47:33 1:50:01 5:17:21
62 Kirkland, Wendi 28/W25-29 0:34:08 2:47:31 1:50:25 5:17:50
63 Kohout, Jenifer 46/W45-49 0:37:32 2:44:11 1:52:17 5:18:15
64 Hazi, Melody 29/W25-29 0:36:17 2:34:06 2:04:49 5:19:48
65 Landry, Michele 37/W35-39 0:35:58 2:39:13 1:58:38 5:20:01
66 Lackey, Catherine 31/W30-34 0:33:55 2:39:55 1:59:46 5:20:01
67 King, Luise 27/COL 0:33:18 2:39:48 2:01:58 5:20:03
68 Case, Kathryn 26/W25-29 0:39:09 2:57:05 1:39:36 5:21:09
69 Green, Mary Kelly 36/W35-39 0:29:46 2:44:06 2:01:34 5:21:14
70 Hoechlin, Lori 48/W45-49 0:38:59 2:28:28 2:07:37 5:22:05
71 Halliburton, Rhonda 45/W45-49 0:38:19 2:41:26 1:56:41 5:22:10
72 Cenedella, Jennifer 40/W40-44 0:32:55 2:42:33 2:00:54 5:22:23
73 Diamond, Heather 37/W35-39 0:38:26 2:43:39 1:55:59 5:23:38
74 Pak, Bliss 40/W40-44 0:38:17 2:35:34 2:02:34 5:23:39
75 Lester, Michelle 35/W35-39 0:30:43 2:50:34 1:56:55 5:23:48
76 Ramirez Garcia, Laura 22/W18-24 0:30:06 2:47:50 2:01:19 5:24:31
77 Clement, Marianna 30/W30-34 0:34:22 2:43:00 2:02:23 5:24:38
78 Johnson, Sondra 36/W35-39 0:35:51 2:39:35 2:03:01 5:25:09
79 Janzow, Missy 41/W40-44 0:39:07 2:41:25 1:59:02 5:25:09
80 Devlin, Kelly 29/W25-29 0:32:48 2:47:50 1:58:30 5:25:19
81 Bassin, Stephanie 52/W50-54 0:33:28 2:39:24 2:07:21 5:25:38
82 Franzia, Annie 38/W35-39 0:31:09 2:43:16 2:04:53 5:25:45
83 Browning, Jennifer 42/W40-44 0:36:52 2:43:00 2:00:18 5:25:47
84 Gutierrez, Marisol 41/W40-44 0:38:25 2:47:11 1:54:23 5:26:36
85 Johnson, Virginia 29/W25-29 0:29:24 2:47:38 2:04:10 5:27:06
86 King, Mandy 20/W18-24 0:35:36 2:41:02 2:05:38 5:27:07
87 Valdes, Maria 37/W35-39 0:38:31 2:52:41 1:48:18 5:27:14
88 Weinstock, Ann 48/W45-49 0:38:53 2:39:22 2:01:56 5:27:23
89 Tarter, Jennifer 39/W35-39 0:35:44 2:46:11 1:59:04 5:27:51
90 Bojko, Natalie 26/W25-29 0:29:27 2:59:44 1:54:07 5:28:31
91 Kapchinski, Alisa 35/W35-39 0:43:11 2:41:56 1:58:28 5:28:47
92 Howell, Amanda 23/W18-24 0:27:19 2:51:23 2:04:47 5:29:17
93 Deronde, Christina 43/W40-44 0:37:53 2:39:38 2:05:42 5:29:47
94 Carey, Deborah 36/W35-39 0:39:08 2:47:30 1:59:10 5:31:06
95 Prado, Margiret 45/W45-49 0:36:51 2:43:08 2:05:06 5:32:06
96 Hamilton, Christa 25/W25-29 0:36:22 2:54:04 1:56:24 5:32:43
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Written by

Karl Hayes
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’.
trizone.com.au
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