Ritchie Nicholls and Eva Wutti took the titles at the IRONMAN 70.3 Norway, Haugesund thanks to outstanding run splits.
Nicholls storms on the run
Ritchie Nicholls was the first and the final leader of the race in Haugesund. He set the race on fire in the water and led a group of nine out of the water. Allan Steen Olesen (DEN) attacked out of this lead group early on the bike, followed by German Markus Thomschke who hammered away on the second half of the course. He reached T2 with a lead of 3:31 over Olesen, Gudmund Snilsveit (NOR) was already 5:17 behind.
Being 6:01 behind after the bike, Nicholls stormed through the run course and into the lead after 15 kilometers. Thanks to an impressive run of 1:09:16 he took the title.
Wutti pulls a double
Only a week after her great success at her home race IRONMAN Austria, Wutti had another great day in Norway. Radka Vodickova (CZE) set the field under pressure early in the water, she hit the ground again after 24:40. While Norwegian Mette Moe was only 1:03 down, the pack of favorites including Wutti (+2:18), defending champion Susie Cheetham (+2:26) and Sofie Goos (+3:20) were already a bit more behind.
It was on Wutti to downsize the lead on the bike. Through 50 kilometers of the course she led a group including Cheetham, Vodickova, and Moe. On the final kilometers of the bike, Swedish Asa Lundstroem came from behind to pass the group, but Cheetham and Wutti were only seconds behind.
Once in running shoes, Wutti took over the lead and set off for a great victory thanks to a sensational split of 1:19:29. She dropped Cheetham decisively after only a few kilometers and celebrated a historic double-win seven days after her success in Klagenfurt.
Top 5 Men
Nicholls, Ritchie GBR 3:52:03
Thomschke, Markus GER 3:53:24
Reitmayr, Paul AUT 3:56:29
Snilstveit, Gudmund NOR 3:58:16
Olesen, Allan Steen 3:58:58
Top 5 Women
Wutti, Eva AUT 4:15:32
Cheetham, Susie GBR 4:18:53
Vodickova, Radka CZE 4:21:38
Lundström, Åsa SWE 4:22:10
Moe, Mette NOR 4:22:37