Viktor Zyemtsev squeaked out the win, while Heather Jackson was patient and waited until the run to take control of the inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 Princeton.
So close in the men’s race
David Kahn (USA) was first out of Mercer Lake in 23:29, but just 30 seconds later Drew Scott (USA), Dan Feeney (USA), Callum Millward (NZL) and Viktor Zyemtsev (URK) emerged from the water. Contenders Jordan Rapp (USA) and Jesse Thomas found themselves 1:46 and 1:49 off the leader's pace exiting the water in the sixth and eighth positions.
Early on the bike, Scott, son of six-time IRONMAN world champion, Dave Scott, made his way to the front of the race and pulled away from the field. Rapp, Thomas and Zyemtsev formed a chase pack for much of the ride, while the remainder of the field fell behind. Scott dismounted his bike with a three and half minute lead over the chasers.
Once on the run, the trio of pursuers started chewing into Scott’s lead, with Zyemtsev being the fastest of the three. Zyemtsev’s persistent pace put the multiple IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 champion into the lead just before the halfway point of the run, with Thomas in his shadow.
The pair ran side-by-side for the remainder of the race with Zyemtsev edging out Thomas by less than a second at each timing mat. Zyemtsev and Thomas started ratcheting up the pace as the race neared the finish line. With one last, all-out effort the grimacing duo hit the carpet and shot towards the tape. It was the veteran Zyemtsev who prevailed, squeaking out the victory by less than half a second (.47, to be exact). Rapp rounded out the podium with 3:56:10 clocking.
Jackson tough on the run
In the women’s race, Alice Henriques (USA) finished the swim in 24:30, enough to get her a four second lead over Lauren Goss (USA). Darbi Roberts (USA) exited the water 1:49 down, while Heather Jaxckson (USA) was 3:03 behind as the field made its way into transition.
Goss took the lead early in the bike, while Jackson gradually eliminating her deficit. Goss had a minute lead on Jackson as the women’s race reached 32 miles. In the closing miles of the bike Jackson grabbed the lead from Goss and managed to build a two minute lead by T2. Roberts was third to rack her bike, but was eight minutes behind.
It was all Jackson on the run as she cruised to the win and stopped the clock at 4:20:55. Goss finished 3:22 later in 4:24:16, while Roberts finished off the podium in 4:37:19.
Top 5 Pro Men
1 Viktor Zyemtsev UKR 3:54:37
2 Jesse Thomas USA 3:54:37
3 Jordan Rapp USA 3:56:10
4 Drew Scott USA 4:00:26
5 Callum Millward NZL 4:00:39
Top 5 Pro Women
1 Heather Jackson USA 4:20:55
2 Lauren Goss USA 4:24:16
3 Darbi Roberts USA 4:37:19
4 Jessica Chong USA 4:40:05
5 Alice Henriques USA 4:45:02