Two Queensland stars proved experience was the key to success in two vastly differing races on Australia’s Sunshine Coast.
Two-time Olympian Courtney Atkinson withstood Australian ITU star Dan Wilson in a sprint finish to claim the men’s honours at IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast, with defending champion Pete Jacobs, with his focus firmly on Hawaii, content with third.
In the women’s race, Sunshine Coast import Caroline Steffen out-pointed former short course star Czech Radka Vodickova with an emphatic run with defending champion, New Zealand’s, Gina Crawford rounding out the podium.
Men’s Race
Mooloolaba, venue for the 2016 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship, produced a picture-postcard day and calm waters for a fast swim that saw all the pre-race favourites exit the water together. Jacobs was joined by Atkinson and Wilson in 23:41 to be closely followed by Luke Bell, Clayton Fettell, Brad Kahlefeldt, Casey Munro, Lindsay Wall and Michael Fox.
The conditions favoured a slick 90km bike, with Fettell, Bell, Jacobs, Atkinson, Kahlefeldt, Munro and Wilson spending the entire 90km bike leg in close proximity, with Bell the fastest ion 2:07.12
Atkinson, Wilson, Kahlefeldt and Jacobs pushed clear together with the defending champ first to drop off. Kahlefeldt faded after the midway mark as Atkinson and Wilson ran side-by-side. It proved a battle royal, culminating with a neck and neck sprint finish.
In the end it was Atkinson’s experience that allowed him to edge Wilson in the final straight by the smallest of margins.
“I enjoyed today because it was a really cool, tactical race,” Atkinson says. “We were surging constantly over the last 3km.”
“I’ve been doing a lot of running and concentrating on getting my speed back. If the race panned out the way I thought it would, and it did, I knew Dan was going to be my biggest threat.”
Even though he failed to grab the win, Wilson enjoyed the day and confirmed he would definitely be on the start line for more IRONMAN 70.3 races.
Women’s race
Vodickova, proving a threat in every IRONMAN 70.3, was favoured following her sixth placing in last weekend’s IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Canada.
That confidence carried her through the swim, exiting with a 27 second lead over Steffen and a minute further back to Crawford.
Steffen used her bike strength to quickly bridge the gap and the two rode together, hitting the run course within seconds of each other, as Crawford worked hard to stay within reach.
Using her experience in front of friends in her adopted home, Steffen showed her strength to instantly pull away from Vodickova, with a 1:1840 run leading to victory by more than four minutes.
“It’s a home race and to be able to race and win in front of all of my friends is just crazy,” she says. “I am really happy and had a good day out there.”
Vodickova was delighted she has able to spend most of the day within striking distance of an athlete of Steffen’s pedigree.
“She is strong, so that makes me happy. I am really pleased to make the podium here today.”
Steffen’s attention now turns the IRONMAN World Championship in Hawaii on October 11.
Men:
Courtney Atkinson (AUS) - 03:45:35
Dan Wilson (AUS) - 03:45:35
Pete Jacobs (AUS) - 03:47:47
Brad Kahlefeld (AUS) - 03:51:22
Luke Bell (AUS) - 03:53:25
Women:
Caroline Steffen (SUI) - 04:12:05
Radka Vodickova (CZE) - 04:16:20
Gina Crawford (NZL) - 04:19:28
Rebecca Preston (AUS) - 04:28:47
Julia Grant (NZL) - 04:28:58