Tim Don and Heather Wurtele’s superb runs and race strategies garnered the pair 2015 IRONMAN 70.3 North American Pro Championship titles.
Todd Skipworth (AUS) and Jon Bird (CAN) scampered up the swim finish ramp together after recording 23:15 swim times. A group of 11 men, containing all the contenders, were less than minute off the pace of the leaders and included Ben Collins (USA), Brent McMahon (CAN), Andreas Raelert (DEU), Tim Don (GBR) and Andrew Yoder (USA).
Once on the bike, Collins, McMahon, Don and Yoder worked together to put distance on the field. There were a number of lead changes throughout the bike with Collins and McMahon pressing pace for much of the time until the foursome broke up as they neared transition.
Thanks to the fastest bike split on the day, McMahon was off the bike first and was accompanied by Collins as the lead pair entered T2 within seconds of each other. The pair managed to put Yoder and Don in the hole by 0:30 and 1:10 respectfully, as Maik Twelseiek (DEU) powered towards the front of the race and dismounted the bike in fourth, looking at a 2:47 deficit to overcome.
On the run course, McMahon ramped up the speed causing Collins, Don and Yoder to slip back in the early miles. Collins and Yoder were spit off the back while Don was gutting it out to minimize the damage McMahon was inflicting. Don was running in second place at 6.2 miles, however, he was losing time to the leader.
During the closing half of the race, Raelert ran his way through the field, gaining time on everyone. McMahon started to falter after nine miles and Don started to chew into his lead quickly. Shortly after 10 miles, Don forged his way to the lead and pulled away from the reigning champion. Don pulled away from the field and went on to capture the 2015 IRONMAN 70.3 Pro Championship title by a winning margin of 1:27 over McMahon. Raelert stormed the run course and worked his way into the final podium placing.
Wurtele too tough to tame
In the women’s race Meredith Kessler (USA), Jodie Swallow (GBR), Mary Beth Ellis (USA), Annabel Luxford (AUS) Ricarda Lisk (DEU) and Alicia Kaye (USA) exited the water within 10 seconds of each other as they ran into T1.
Once on the bike, Kessler, Swallow, Luxford and Ellis pulled away from their competition with the exception of Wurtele who was smacking out a race-best time of 2:25:29. Swallow and Kessler dismounted their bikes together, with Luxford Kaye and Ellis all less than a minute off. Wurtele’s splendid bike put her fourth entering T2, and was only looking at +1:44 to overcome.
On the run, Kessler put some distance on Swallow in the early stages as Wurtele ratcheted up her pace and passed Luxford and Ellis. Nearing the halfway point, Kessler marched to within 11 seconds of Wurtele. Kessler made a gallant effort to hold her off, but relinquished her hold on the lead at nine miles to the much faster Wurtele, who would cross the finish line to claim the 2015 IRONMAN 70.3 North American Championship title with a 4:17:58 clocking. Kessler was next across the line with her 4:19:27 finish time, while Swallow finished off the podium with 4:21:32
Top 5 Pro Men
1 Don, Tim GBR 0:23:34 2:11:40 1:14:02 3:51:56
2 McMahon, Brent CAN 0:23:27 2:10:40 1:16:49 3:53:22
3 Raelert, Andreas DEU 0:23:33 2:14:25 1:12:46 3:53:39
4 Reed, Tim AUS 0:24:07 2:13:59 1:15:13 3:56:07
5 Hoffman, Ben USA 0:26:55 2:10:45 1:15:33 3:56:21
Top 5 Pro Women
1 Wurtele, Heather CAN 0:27:44 2:25:29 1:21:57 4:17:58
2 Kessler, Meredith USA 0:25:10 2:26:15 1:24:56 4:19:27
3 Swallow, Jodie GBR 0:25:10 2:26:18 1:27:12 4:21:32
4 Luxford, Annabel AUS 0:25:14 2:26:37 1:27:50 4:22:40
5 Kaye, Alicia USA 0:25:19 2:26:59 1:27:49 4:23:12