Great Britain’s Holly Lawrence put in a superb shift on the bike to go into the run in first place at Ironman 70.3 California last weekend, before being caught out by eventual winner Heather Jackson (USA) and second-placed Heather Wurtele (CAN).
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…well that f**cking HURT!!
— Holly Lawrence (@Holly_Lawrence_) March 28, 2015
Jackson and men’s winner Jan Frodeno (GER) used blistering run splits to capture wins, crossing the finish line in 4:14:47 and 3:47:08 respectively.
Frodeno, Germany’s 2008 gold medallist, earned his second consecutive win in Oceanside while Heather Jackson earned her second win in three years.
>>> Jan Frodeno’s top 10 tips for stepping up to Iron distance
One of nearly 80 events in the global Ironman 70.3 Series, Ironman 70.3 California led athletes along a 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21.1km run on a course that utilised Oceanside’s beachfront scenery.
Athletes began their day with a single-loop swim in the calm and protected waters of Oceanside Harbour. Once out of the water, participants embarked upon a single-loop bike course along the California coastline to San Clemente before dropping down into the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and then swinging back to Oceanside Pier.
The double-loop run course continued along the Oceanside Pier and then out to Oceanside’s flat beachfront path known as “The Strand,” where kilometres of sandy beaches provide beautiful views.
>>> Wimbleball 2015 beckons for Holly Lawrence
Men’s Race
Five-time Ironman 70.3 California champion Andy Potts (USA) led a strong men’s field out of the water with his 22:44 swim time. Following closely was last year’s winner in Oceanside, Jan Frodeno (GER), while the rest of the contenders were looking at one to two and half minute deficits as they ran into transition.
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Once on the bike, a large pack consisting of Maik Twelsiek (GER), Ronnie Schildknecht (CHE), Brent McMahon (CAN), Jesse Thomas (USA) and Lionel Sanders (CAN) joined Potts and Frodeno at the front of the race.
After the lead was exchanged a number of times in the closing half of the bike, it was Sanders who dismounted his bike first, towing in Twelsiek, Frodeno, McMahon, Potts and Thomas, all within 16 seconds.
The race continued to be tight early on in the run as Sanders and Frodeno ran shoulder to shoulder, with McMahon, Potts and Thomas just 13 to 20 seconds off the pace. Frodeno edged away from Sanders after 5km and held a tentative 36-second lead at the 10km marker.
Your 2015 #IM703Cali champion (again)…Jan Frodeno! pic.twitter.com/cToq91U7hJ
— IRONMAN Triathlon (@IRONMANtri) March 28, 2015
The second half of the run was a different story as Frodeno pulled away from the pack and Potts mounted a hard push from behind to pass Sanders. On the strength of the race-best run of 1:10:48, Frodeno captured the 2015 Ironman 70.3 California title in 3:47:08.
Potts’ hard work on the run was rewarded with a second-place finish (3:48:43), while Sanders (3:49:19) hung on to grab the final podium spot.
Top 5 professional men’s results:
1. Jan Frodeno (GER) – 03:47:08
2. Andy Potts (USA) – 03:48:43
3. Lionel Sanders (CAN) – 03:49:19
4. Brent McMahon (CAN) – 03:51:07
5. Jesse Thomas (USA) – 03:52:52
Women’s Race
Exiting the water first for the women was Jen Spieldenner (USA) followed closely by a group that included Holly Lawrence (GBR) and Alicia Kaye (USA).
Race favourites Magali Tisseyre (CAN), Wurtele (CAN) and Michelle Vesterby (DNK) were over a minute down, while Heather Jackson (USA), Rachel McBride (CAN) and Angela Naeth (CAN) found themselves over two minutes off the pace.
Lawrence put her head down on the bike and powered away from the women’s field to take an early lead that carried all the way to the completion of the 90km bike. Naeth and Jackson rode in second and third as Wurtele forged her way into fourth.
>>> Jodie Swallow leads British domination at Ironman South Africa
On the run, Lawrence’s lead held steady in the opening kilometres, but by the 5km mark it was evident that her pace was dropping. With 11km left in the run Jackson and Wurtele reduced Lawrence’s lead to 50 and 90 seconds respectfully.
Both stormed past the leader over the second half of the run, with Jackson maintaining a minute lead on Wurtele as Lawrence slipped to third.
Jackson’s gutsy run garnered the American her second Ironman 70.3 California title with a winning time of 4:14:47. Wurtele was next across the line in 4:16:07, while Lawrence rounded out the podium with her 4:16:59 finish time.
Top 5 professional women’s results:
1. Heather Jackson (USA) – 04:14:47
2. Heather Wurtele (CAN) – 04:16:07
3. Holly Lawrence (GBR) – 04:16:59
4. Alicia Kaye (USA) – 04:20:01
5. Angela Naeth (CAN) – 04:21:33
The event offered a total professional prize purse of $60,000 and also awarded 30 coveted age-group slots to the 2015 Ironman 70.3 World Championship, taking place in Zell am See-Kaprun, SalzburgerLand, Austria on August 30, 2015.
Visit www.ironman.com/california70.3 for event information and full official results.
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Were you racing at Ironman 70.3 California? Let us know how you got on in the comments!
Tired of time-consuming transitions? Want to take part in what could be the UK’s biggest ever gathering of naked people? Then good news! The first Human Race Naked Triathlon will debut on Saturday 4 July for all triathletes aged 18+, involving a 500m swim, a saddle-sore inducing 16k cycle, and a 5k run to finish.
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All of the events will take place at Dorney Lake in Buckinghamshire. If the winner of any event is caught wearing shoes, underwear or clothing or any type they are expected to be ‘stripped’ of their title.
Speaking about the event, triathlon official Richard Burvill said “The rules are quite strict regarding clothing worn, but we have made a special exception for this event. I would ask though that everyone taking part is careful with where they put their limbs when performing swimming strokes.”
Plenty of helmets will be on show, as cyclists will be asked to wear them as a safety measure. Anybody who completes a ‘winning streak’ of all three events will take home their weight in nuts thanks to a generous sponsor.
For those who want to bare all, the organisers are running a 24 hour flash sale on April 1st to encourage participants to enter early. Visit www.humanrace.co.uk today to ensure you don’t get a bum deal.
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Will you be racing in the buff? Let us know in the comments below!
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Entries are now open for the Lakesman, a new long-distance triathlon set to take place in Cumbria on Sunday 19 June, 2016.
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The event will comprise of a 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and a full marathon at 42km and is expected to be completed in around 9.5 hours by elite athletes or under 17.5 hours by less experienced competitors.
It will be hosted in the heart of the Lake District in West Cumbria taking participants through stunning scenery and along the coast.
The course will provide competitors with good surfaces and fairly flat terrain on the bike and run legs while the swim will take place in the still and picturesque Derwent Water.
Event organiser Marie Whitehead, of CN Events, said: “It’s fantastic that we can finally reveal the secret we’ve been planning for so long and officially launch the Lakesman. We’re so excited to finally bring this type of event to Cumbria – and we’re in the ideal location to do it.
“We reckon this could be the most scenic, one of the fastest, and the most enticing long-distance triathlon events in the country.”
The race is expected to attract 750 endurance athletes with 50 places being sold in the opening 24 hours.
To enter the Lakesman or for more information head to www.thelakesman.com.
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Does the Lakesman sound like an event you’d like to take on? Let us know in the comments below!
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Great Britain’s Jacqui Slack came home in first place at Xterra Saipan on the weekend as Ben Allen (AUS) won the men’s race for the fourth year running.
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Both athletes led from start to finish in wet conditions that threatened to make the already challenging course all the more difficult.
“[They were] some of the worst conditions I’ve ever raced in. The rain didn’t let up and it made for super slippery conditions,” explained Allen.
Men’s race
As one of the sport’s best swimmers, it was not surprising to see Allen open a 1min lead over Bradley Weiss (RSA) during the swim.
He then went on to record the fastest bike and run splits of the day to win in 2:40:25, 6mins ahead of second placed Weiss who finished in 2:46:45.
Weiss, who currently leads the Xterra Asian Tour with 190 points, had missed a chunk of his training due to an injured iliotibial band but is still remaining positive for the year ahead.
“Obviously I am far from my best shape now but was still very excited for my trip out to the islands. My hopes are to finish well in the Xterra Asian Tour and take some momentum into the U.S. Tour,” he said.
Third place was taken by Takahiro Ogasawara (JPN) who finished a further 2mins behind in 2:48:19, while Austria’s Markus Benesch crossed the line in fourth with a time of 2:52:24.
Top 5 professional men’s results:
1. Ben Allen (AUS) – 2:40:25
2. Brad Weiss (RSA) – 2:46:45
3. Takahiro Ogasawara (JPN) – 2:48:19
4. Markus Benesch (AUT) – 2:52:24
5. Aleksandr Dorovskikh (RUS) – 2:55:51
Women’s race
Slack dominated the women’s race from the start and was the first elite woman out of the water. The British athlete also had the best bike split and finished in 3:02:01, a full 5mins ahead of second placed Carina Wasle (AUT) who crossed the line with a time of 3:07:33.
Speaking of her win, Slack said: “I thrive on the more challenging conditions. I love the added dimension the rain throws in, and always seem to perform well when it’s slick and muddy.
“My biggest challenge was myself today. I knew I was coming into the race fit but I was more concerned about being recovered from a 100km MTB race I did last weekend in Melbourne.”
>>> Jacqui Slack on the benefits of training off-road
Japan’s Mieko Carey crossed the line third in 3:20:45 and was closely followed by Renata Bucher (SUI) who finished with a time of 3:22:11.
Great Britain’s Daz Parker put in a solid effort to round out the top five in a time of 3:36:40.
Top 5 professional women’s results:
1. Jacqui Slack (GBR) – 3:02:01
2. Carina Wasle (AUT) – 3:07:33
3. Mieko Carey (JPN) – 3:20:45
4. Renata Bucher (SUI) – 3:22:11
5. Daz Parker (GBR) – 3:36:40
The weekend’s results mean that Weiss leads the men’s series with an eight point buffer to Allen while Slack leads the women on 190 points following her second place in the Philippines.
In the amateur races, Chuck Fortier (CAN) claimed his third island win in a row while Kyoco Urashima (JAP) took the women’s title.
Tyce Mister (CNMI) managed to maintain his accomplishment of being the only athlete to have competed in all 14 Xterra Saipan races since its launch in 2002.
You can view the full race results here or head to www.xterraasia.com for more information on the 2015 Xterra Asian Tour.
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(Images: Mark James)
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Are you taking part in any Xterra events this year? Let us know in the comments below!
The Cannes International Triathlon is due to sell out with only a limited number of spots still available for race day.
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The event, taking place on 19 April, is paying host to both a middle-distance (1km swim, 64km bike, 8km run) and a long-distance race (2km swim, 128km bike, 16km run).
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Participants from all over the world will be coming to Cannes to compete with countries such as Australia, the United States, Germany and England all being represented.
One of the main talking points of the event will be the much-anticipated battle between triathlon giants Sebastian Kienle and Jan Frodeno, both of Germany.
Race entries have already exceeded last year’s total with close to 1,500 participants already registered.
This year’s event will also feature a 10km race for running enthusiasts.
For more information or to enter one of the races click here.
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Are you going to be competing in Cannes? Let us know how training is going in the comments below!
The May 2015 issue of 220 Triathlon has hit the newsstands, featuring exclusive advice from Ironman 70.3 World Champion Javier Gomez on stepping up to middle-distance racing, our big tri-suits grouptest, tips on preparing for your first race, and lots more.
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>>> Javier Gomez wins Ironman 70.3 World Champs in Mont-Tremblant
Other highlights include:
How to return strong from injury: Spencer Smith on coming back to tri
Build peak fitness for race season with Joe Beer’s race-tailored workouts for sprint, Olympic and mid/long
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£2.5k tri bike test: Merida Warp Tri 5000 and Specialized Shiv Elite go head to head
More than a race: How did Kona become the race that launched Ironman?
Gear focus: Aero helmets – what are they and do you need one?
PLUS win Outlaw entry and Blueseventy gear worth £1k
Find 220 Triathlon on sale at newsagents across the UK, and the digital edition can be picked up via the iTunes store, Google Play and Zinio.
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Bonus digital content this month includes: Watch Javier Gomez show you how it’s done, with video highlights of his 70.3 Worlds win in Canada; Joe Beer talks you through how to build peak fitness in three exclusive coaching videos; and find out more about this month’s £3.5k tri-bikes on test
Cardiff’s first ever triathlon look set to sell out soon with over 1,000 competitors already signed up.
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The event, taking place on 28 June, will include both a sprint (750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run) and an Olympic distance (1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run) race making it an option for triathletes of all abilities.
>>> Cardiff Triathlon 2015 routes revealed
Talking about the progress of the event, director of Always Aim High Events, Tim Lloyd said: “The Cardiff Triathlon is a brand new race and we are ecstatic with the response it has received.
“The entries have been flooding in so much so that we expect the event to be sold out well in advance of race day.”
Both races start at the iconic Cardiff Bay and will finish with a run out to Cardiff Bay Barrage while the transition zone and event village will be based in front of the Wales Millennium Centre.
The organisers have also made sure there is plenty on offer for spectators with live music, a wide range of activities and kids entertainment all taking place at the event village.
For more information or to enter the event head to www.cardiff-tri.com.
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Are you going to be competing at the Cardiff triathlon in June? Let us know how your preparation is going in the comments below!
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Blenheim Palace Triathlon have teamed up with Endomondo to offer all entrants the opportunity to join a triathlon challenge which is to be hosted on the fitness app.
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The challenge has been created to help prepare participants for their journey to the finish line by tackling their fitness goals.
>>> Best triathlon training apps
It also represents an opportunity for participants to win prizes from the official footwear partner, Sketchers, while training. Every active minute that is logged into the app will act as an entry into a prize draw meaning the more they train, the more likely they are to win something.
All Blenheim Palace Tri entrants will receive free annual premium membership to the Endomondo app via a unique reference number in their confirmation email. Participants can redeem their free premium membership by visiting www.endomondo.com/premium.
The event offers triathletes the opportunity to take part in a variety of distances including super sprint (400m swim, 13.2km bike, 3.1km run) and sprint (750m swim, 19.8km bike, 5.7km run).
There are also 20 weekend warrior spots which challenge entrants to complete as many super sprint or sprint distances as possible across the weekend.
General entry places for the event are sold out but athletes still wanting to compete can do so by taking a charity pledge place with blood cancer charity Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research.
For more information, the latest news or to take a charity pledge place at the race head to www.theblenheimtriathlon.com.
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Will you be racing at Blenheim Palace in June? Let us know in the comments below!
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Did USA triathlete Katie Zaferes get an illegal tow behind lapped compatriot Kirsten Kasper at WTS Auckland last weekend? 220 readers have been asking this question after watching the live coverage and seeing Israel’s Amitai Yonah being disqualified for doing the same thing in the men’s race a few hours later.
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As one 220 reader pointed out, this could potentially mean that third-placed Andrea Hewitt deserved silver instead – despite serving a 15sec penalty for littering on the bike with an energy gel wrapper.
Zaferes crossed the line behind winner Gwen Jorgensen in 2:10:41, with Hewitt taking bronze just 16secs later. Kasper finished last (38th) in 2:20:32.
We asked the ITU for their views on the issue, and were told by a spokesperson: “There was one moto [official] on the course and he simply didn’t see this. Several National Federations did raise concerns though and they spoke to the US federation after the race.
“Katie understood her mistake and took responsibility for it. However with Andrea’s 15 second penalty they didn’t believe this issue took silver away from her.”
>>> Jonny Brownlee takes outstanding win at WTS Auckland
We also asked BBC Sport commentator Steve Trew for his opinion, after he watched Amitai disqualified for slotting in behind winner Jonny Brownlee (GBR) after being lapped. Germany’s Franz Loeschke was also warned by race officials after apparently doing the same thing once Jonny had lapped him.
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“Yohan was stopped by a marshall, Loeschke wasn’t,” Trew told us. “Neither were helping Jonny in any way at all; my comment was that it was outside fairplay and morality of the sport. I guess that begs the question, why Yohan and not Loeshke?
“Perhaps because Yohan was seen to do it in and through the end of lap where he would have been seen by a lot of spectators, while Loeshke was hanging on during rather than at the end of a lap.”
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What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!
Zone3 are taking their kit on the road for their 2015 demo tour and have just released the dates of each event which take place between April and September.
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The triathlon brand will be visiting a series of open-water swim venues across the UK where athletes will be able to try on and test out their latest kit.
>>> What to look for in a tri wetsuit
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Speaking of the demo tour, owner James Lock said: “It’s important that swimmers know that the fit and feeling in the water is a much more important factor than any ‘tech’ gimmicks, athlete endorsements, branding or colours when choosing a wetsuit.
“We hope that these demo sessions will help give each swimmer some detailed advice on the styles of wetsuit available and how to make sure they get the best fit so they can feel confident ahead of the race season.”
Zone3 caters for all levels of athlete from the established veteran to the complete beginner. As such, the demo is designed to offer first time triathletes the opportunity to pose questions about all aspects of open-water swimming such as sizing, fit and feel.
Various dates will be added to the tour throughout the season and there will be opportunities to win Zone3 products and get freebies at each session.
To see a list of dates and to find out which is your closest event visit www.racezone3.com/demotour. You can also suggest an extra venue for the tour or book a wetsuit test session by emailing [email protected].
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Be sure to head to our gear pages for plenty of wetsuit reviews and news.