Luke McKenzie etched his name in history by recording the fastest IRONMAN time on Australian soil in winning IRONMAN Western Australia in Busselton. The Australian clocked 7:55:57 to take nearly two minutes from the previous record set by three-time world champion Craig Alexander in 2012.
Meanwhile American Sarah Piampiano grabbed her first IRONMAN victory in the women’s race.
Men’s Recap
"It’s a huge goal in the sport to go under eight hours, to have a 7:55 on my resume is awesome. That was a career day for me," says McKenzie.
McKenzie, the 34-year-old former world championship runner-up, laid waste to a top class field by dismantling the nine-year-old course record held by Jason Shortis. He won by a margin of more than 20 minutes from the 2014 champion Dennis Chevrot of France.
"That’s the way I win races by going hard on the bike, I wasn’t going to wait for them I knew I was in great form. I came around the 90km and I thought I was on for a sub 4:10 bike split. It just really set me up for that run."
German Per Bittner held off a scintillating late charge from Australian David Dellow to take third but the day was all about the brilliant McKenzie, who set up victory thanks to an awe-inspiring ride of 4:08:12 which hacked almost 10 minutes from the previous bike course record.
The race started amid steady rain with Chevrot who opening a 57-second advantage from German Christian Kramer out of the water with McKenzie handily placed 1:46 down on the leader.
McKenzie pegged back the deficit before relentlessly powering away from the field at a stunning average pace of 43.51kph – more than 3kph hour quicker than his nearest rivals.
At the end of the 180km ride he had established a 17-minute lead on second place Kramer followed by Chevrot, Bittner and Aussie Tim Reed, who later quit after struggling during the run.
McKenzie quickly dispelled any thoughts he would fade in the marathon by recording the third fastest marathon of 2:52:29 on route to his majestic victory. Behind, Chevrot swept into second during the early stages of the run from the fading Kramer and held on for runner-up.
The real drama happened behind as Dellow executed an outstanding 2:46:04 marathon to springboard from more than 10 minutes down on third place at the end of the bike to within just nine seconds of the podium. It was a brave performance from the 36-year-old Aussie, but ultimately he found Bittner, who also finished third last year, marginally better today.
Women's Recap
In the women's race, Piampiano reaffirmed her growing status in IRONMAN racing by clinching victory courtesy of an outstanding run to take victory by more than five minutes in 9:03:46.
Behind, Mareen Hufe of Germany took second in the race for a third successive year recording 9:09:15 with the long-time leader Yvonne Van Vlerken of the Netherlands settling for third in 9:12:06 after her race dramatically unravelled during the second half of the run.
Van Vlerken was the third pro out of the water more than three minutes behind Great Britain's Georgie Rutherford with Piampiano and Hufe a further four minutes back.
The Dutchwoman quickly established control to hold a handy lead of three minutes from Hufe following the bike leg with Piampiano, who placed an impressive seventh in October's IRONMAN World Championship in Kona, almost six-and-a-half minutes back in third.
Halfway through the run Van Vlerken still led by more than five minutes from Piampiano, timed her run to perfection to take the race victory courtesy of an impressive run time of 3:01:18 marathon.
Hufe also passed the fading Van Vlerken in the latter stages with the Dutch athlete having to settle for third following a disappointing 3:15:50 run.
"I am ecstatic, this was a big goal for me this year to win an IRONMAN, it’s a great way to end the season. The wind today was so tough," says Piampiano.
Top 5 Pro Men
1 Luke McKenzie AUS 7:55:58
2 Denis Chevrot FRA 8:16:24
3 Per Bittner GER 8:19:15
4 David Dellow AUS 8:19:24
5 Jens Petersen-Bach DEN 8:25:04
Top 5 Pro Women
1 Sarah Paimpiano USA 9:03:47
2 Mareen Hufe GER 9:09:16
3 Yvonne van Vlerken NED 9:12:07
4 Dimity Lee-Duke AUS 9:26:38
5 Lauren McGregor AUS 9:49:45