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

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

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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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