IRONMAN FRANCE RESULTS
June 27, 2008
Ironman France was recently relocated to Nice, where Mark Allen once dominated a course that was roughly equivalent to the usual Ironman distances in difficulty but not in the metric sense of 2.4, 112 & 26.2. Nice is very much like Santa Barbara, from both an athletic viewpoint and the local geography. A cold ocean, mountains and flat running paths along the shore must be what compelled Christina Lund to venture to Nice and test the Ironman waters. Nice is known for the difficult, hazardous bike course that confronts the athlete that selects this race for a fun day, so Christinas’ ubber biker background provided the edge required to do well here. Results follow along with a pre-race Ironmanlive excerpt that provides more Ironman France insight Also, for those that like to plan ahead, Jon Martin, aka ‘Aero Jonny’, will be organizing a racing adventure to Iroman France in 2009. VB
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PLC SWIM BIKE RUN TOTAL
LUND Christina USA F40 19 1:19:14 6:47:01 4:49:44 13:17:54 Santa Barbara
Top 10 Men
1. Marcel Zamora Perez (ESP) 8:34:04
2. Hervé Faure (FRA) 8:41:55
3. Patrick Bringer (FRA) 8:45:15
4. José Jeuland (FRA) 8:53:34
5. Rutger Beke (BEL) 8:55:11
6. Mike Aigroz (SUI) 8:56:43
7. Jozsef Major (HUN) 8:57:45
8. Damien Landon (FRA) 9:10:56 *
9. Jef Van Roosbroek (BEL) 9:12:34 *
10. Xavier Le Floch (FRA) at 9:12:49
Top 5 women
1. Martina Dogana (ITA) 9:35:29
2. Katja Schumacher (GER) 10:00:59
3. Alexandra Louison (FRA) 10:03:46
4. Alexandra Schwalbe (GER) 10:16:17
5. Michaela Schneck (GER) 10:23:31 *
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Article excerpted from Ironmanlive.com
With a bike course that is roughly split into one third climbing, one third descending and one third getting back to the transition zone on the Promenade des Anglais it’s not a race for the timid. And that’s before a run in the afternoon Mediterranean sun which has been known to melt the ice creams while they are still in the freezer.
It is a race that attracts athletes who have been here before and who have mastered the course and the pro line-up for Sunday’s race demonstrates that. Marcel Zamora Perez, winner here for the last two years and the obvious favorite, faces a serious challenge from Hervé Faure who is ranked second on the basis of his win here in 2005 and second place in 2006, he also won the first Ironman France in its original location at Gérardmer – and that was a seriously tough race.
And that’s not the only challenge he faces as Rutger Beke, winner at Arizona last year and a man with multiple top five performances at Hawaii and a third place at Lake Placid certainly has the wherewithal to depose the current Champion as he showed when he won at the Monaco 70.3, a race which Marcel Zamora Perez also won last year.
Jozsef Major cannot be discounted either, he’s already won this year in Arizona and has a fourth place here under his belt from 2004 together with a third place in Switzerland last year. And neither Xavier Le Floch, the 2007 Ironman Malaysia winner who will be looking to go better than last year when he dropped out on the run, be ruled out of getting onto the podium, a results which would delight the home crowd.
The women’s field is slightly less well endowed with three clear contenders. Alexandra Louison, who is also a very accomplished duathlete, won here last year and set a course record in the process. Like Marcel Zamora Perez, she too has wins at the sister 70.3 Monaco event to here credit showing that the hills hold no fear for her.
Her two primary challengers are Katja Schumacher, who has wins at Roth, Florida, Frankfurt and Wisconsin to her credit, and Katya Meyers who had a fourth place with the fastest bike split over the Nice course in 2006 in her resumé. Multiple winner on flat courses versus fastest biker on a hilly course – now that one is going to be very interesting to watch!
And there’s interest outside the conventional pro athlete ranks too as a pair of ex-pro bikers add to their Ironman experience. Laurent Jalabert wanted to race his first Ironman here on home soil last year but the dates didn’t work out so he went to Switzerland instead and ended up with a Hawaii slot in the process. He carved up the field in Switzerland and he’s looking to do the same on roads that were, basically, his training ground in the old days. Kai Hundertmarck, the ex-T-mobile rider who turned in a 9:19:38 in Hawaii last year, is the other man to keep track of on the bike course to see if the old magic is still there.
Friday Fun Facts Follow-up.
June 27, 2008
Well I got the Friday Fun Facts out early and in so doing missed a couple of things:
1) I mentioned the start of the Friday swim but forgot to mention that the Sunday swim in Carpinteria has started again. Vic asks that you bring $2 for kayak support and a snack for after the swim. It’s at 11.00am at the beach by Ash and Sandyland in Carp. So now you can swim with the Ducks at 9.00am at Butterfly Beach and still get down to Carp in time for a second one of the morning!! Have fun.
2) I mentioned I would let you know when I heard any more details about Hillary’s memorial and a chance to make a charitable donation in her name. Here is the information from Craig:
All,
First of all, on behalf of Corey, Jessica, and myself; I want to express many thanks for the support expressed at Nite Moves last night. We were very moved by everyone’s concern and sympathy. It is obvious that Hillary has made a great impression on our group. I wish Brent would have been able to observe it.
I know many of you are wondering what is happening with regard to the services. Brent and her family are planning to have a private ceremony tomorrow afternoon and despite the overwhelming interest, have decided to keep the size limited.
Links to a memorial photo album and the donation tribute to the Challenged Athletes Foundation are below.
Brent is working on a plan for a memorial ride sometime next weekend, of which I will be glad to keep anyone interested up to date – just send me a note of your interest.
Regards
Craig
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Hillary Leon Swartzentruber 10/28/77 - 6/21/08
A memorial photo album
Hillary remembered
http://www.pbase.com/bajaroad/hillaryA site at the Challenged Athletes Foundation for those that wish to donate in her name.
Donations
http://sdtc08.kintera.org/hillaryYou'll need to cut and paste for the photo album.
Have a great weekend,
The Pres.
IRONMAN CDA Results
June 27, 2008
Coeur d’Alene, ID: With snow on the ground two weeks prior to the race and ski resorts going strong until June 1st, it was apparent that Al Gore had not considered northern Idaho when proclaiming that we are all doomed due to global warming. When was the last time you raced and noticed hot tubs at the entrance of the changing tents or warming tents scattered around the transition area. Lake CDA was 59.5 degrees race morning and NA Sports was playing the CYA card at this event. However, for SB ocean swimmers it was just another day at the office, with respect to the water temperature. Due to the comparatively small beach swim start zone, the two loop nature of the course, and 2200 frozen bodies, the swim was a real brawl. The remainder of the race differed from previous years when temperatures soared, the athletes today faced variable winds on the bike and moderate temperatures on the run, hence the swim was reduced to just a bad dream. Results-wise, Canadians ruled, with Tom Evans, the pro/semi-pro/dentist putting Victor Zymstev and Michael Lovato in his rear view mirror for most of the day. Steve Larsen made an appearance and placed fifth. The pro women were dominated by Heather Wurtele, a newly minted pro, who succeeded in besting the likes of Heather Golnick and Desiree Ficker. Local results were more interesting, Leanne Clark had a great run to finish her first Ironman event, while Julanne Lum, who has foot surgery scheduled for three weeks following the race, had a great swim and bike and gets the nod for digging deep to finish the race. Rick Jones finished at 10:42, using a great 3:30 marathon. Tom Hilzer had one of the top swim times at 1:03. See local results and comments from xtri.com below. VB
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SWIM BIKE RUN
10:46:13 JONES RICK M35-39 52/364 1:20:45 5:43:08 3:30:14
11:42:44 HILZER TOM M35-39 121/364 1:03:26 5:59:10 4:27:43
12:22:11 PHILLIPS JEFF M35-39 163/364 1:09:50 6:04:29 4:55:32
12:34:51 JOHNSON JIM M40-44 175/332 1:17:14 6:27:32 4:36:35
13:07:26 BIRTALAN VIC M65-69 1/4 1:15:29 6:37:35 4:50:48
13:35:24 CLARKE LEANNE W45-49 29/72 1:21:39 7:09:52 4:37:44
14:31:40 LUM JULANNE W45-49 42/72 1:02:39 6:48:04 6:26:22
14:56:47 CLANCY NICOLE W35-39 108/151 1:22:59 7:32:38 5:49:26
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| Canadians take top honors at Coeur d’Alene By Melaina Juntti 6/23/2008 |
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| two-time Ironman champ added another notch to his belt and a new pro scored her first elite win June 22 at Ford Ironman Coeur d’Alene in the tree-lined northern Idaho resort town. Veteran Canadian triathlete Tom Evans bested his 2007 runner-up showing with a rock-solid 8:34:22 performance that buried second-place finisher Victor Zyemstev by just under 10 minutes. Another Canadian, former star age grouper Heather Wurtele (nee Danforth) won the race she last triumphed at in 2006 – but this time against the big guns, using a killer bike split to crush the seasoned female pros in 9:38:58.Despite skepticism circling about town the week leading up to the race regarding Lake Coeur d’Alene’s unseasonably icy temps, athletes were greeted with cool yet much-improved 59-degree waters early Sunday morning. And although the sixth annual event attracted smaller pro fields than in past years, serious action ensued right from the starting gun, as Kiwi Bryan Rhodes and Evans stroked through the 2.4-mile swim elbow to elbow to finish in 51:24 and 51:29, respectively. Defending race champ Zyemstev climbed ashore 30 seconds later to head onto the second leg in third place.As swim-leader Rhodesy faded on the picturesque two-loop bike tour east and west of the city, two-time Ironman champ and perennial Coeur d’Alene top placer Evans worked his magic on two wheels, busting out a day’s-best 4:45:37 bike split despite the course’s jackknife turns and sometimes fierce headwinds.”The wind didn’t bother me,” said Evans. “The harder the bike, the better.”The 2007 second-place finisher took that same swagger onto the run course, where he held tough enough to stave off solid charges from Zyemstev and crowd favorite Michael Lovato of Boulder, Colorado. As an exuberant Evans strode solo through the finishing stretch, Lovato mustered up enough strength to pass Zyemstev for a while but then encountered some troubles that sent him back to the third position. Evans crossed the line over eight minutes ahead of his foes in 8:34:22 for the top spot, while Zyemstev charged in 4:26 ahead of Lovato in 8:43:56. A late-surging Mike Neill of Canada edged ex-mountain bike pro Steve Larsen of Bend, Oregon, for fourth place in 8:53:09.Even though Lovato looked spent after enduring the long-distance slog, the strapping 34-year-old shouted his praise for the northern Idaho event: “This is the best Ironman race in the whole world!” he boomed over the loudspeaker to the cheering crowds surrounding the finishing chute.
But perhaps the most elated of all athletes was Wurtele, who nabbed her first elite win on the same day her husband took second at a half-iron-distance race in Canada. The the 6-foot-2-inch former volleyball star earned her keep in the pro ranks beginning with the swim, as she finished just shy of three minutes up on five-time Ironman champ Heather Gollnick of Florida. “At first, I was like, ‘Oh cool, I finished the swim first,” said an elated Wurtele at the finish. But her success didn’t end at T1. Wurtele continued building her lead with a dominating 5:16:23 bike split that put her at least 10 minutes up on Gollnick by the second transition. Many wondered if the still strong-looking Canadian could keep up the intensity on the run, especially with an experienced Gollnick and fleet-footed Desiree Ficker not at all ready to concede. Sure enough, although Ficker and Gollnick both turned on the jets and were able to gain some ground on the frontrunner, Wurtele invited no one to her party. The 2006 Coeur d’Alene 25-29 winner broke the tape looking almost as strong as she’d started the day in a smoking 9:38:58. “I’m a new pro so I really transcended myself today,” Wurtele said. “This wasn’t necessarily something I was expecting, but I just felt really strong all day. Other women here have such fabulous resumes, so I just tried to not let that intimidate me and hope it worked out. It did.” Gollnick ran in 11:36 later for second, which didn’t warrant her signature finish-line cartwheel but pleased the diminutive athlete nonetheless. Ficker began struggling on the second half of the run and wound up pulling from contention, leaving a late-charging Tiina Boman of Finland to muscle her way past Canadian Sara Gross for third place. Ford Ironman Coeur d’Alene Men’s Results Women’s Results |
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June 24th Pre Ventura track!
June 25, 2008
For those of us racing Sunday in Ventura we had an abrieviated version of Tuesday’s tarck workout. Instead of 12 x 400 we could do 6 or 8. I did 6!!
Track last night…
12 x 400 at faster than 5k pace w/ 45 sec rest in between.
Group 400s into 4s…descending speed each 400. Take 2 min rest after each group of 4!
See you sunday!!
Amanda
We’ll have a table and some chairs Sunday so look for the Tri Club banner. This is a ‘Club’ race so show the colors along with a big smile. We love winning in Ventura!!!
Mid week meandering!!
June 18, 2008
Amanda had trouble with her back last night, she couldn’t get it off the couch with the Laker game on! She, thankfully sent Ernesto to dole out the punishment at Tuesday nights track workout. With the addition of some Moms in Motion members we probably had the best turn out of the year. Liz Groom barked the orders for our mile of warm up drills and then it was on to the main set:
8×800
The first 600 at sub 5k pace and then jog the last 200, follow that with a 1 minute rest.
Then do it again, and again, and again!!
Cool down for a few laps and go home to watch the end of the game.
If you are doing the track workouts you obviously don’t need this information, if not try to get some track time in to make you a stronger, faster runner. We will be continuing these get togethers every Tuesday at 6.15pm at San Marcos High School track and all members are welcome at no cost.
We normally try and get race results posted for our members doing local and out of town races. This is easier when the race has results by city participants. This was not the case at The Escape from Alcatraz. After hours of scanning the entrants we found one very well known name that we missed a few weeks ago when the race was held. As far as we can tell the only member who finished the race was our very own Ross Adams.
Ross finished in a commendable 3:33:14 for a fourth place spot in his age group, 65-69. he had the fastest split on the bike for his group and more importantly kept his head down going under the Golden Gate Bridge!!
Congratulations!
If we missed you let me know and we’ll add the information to the site.
Talking about races, this weekend sees some of our members ‘going long’! Two Ironman races on the same day:
Travelling to France for Ironman France are members Christina Lund and Shonna Day so if you want to follow there progress go to www.ironmanlive.com and track the athlete.
A little closer to home, and probably a bit colder, will be local athletes :
Vic Birtalan, Jim Johnson, Rick Jones, Tom Hilzer, Jeff Phillips, Amanda McCoy, Leanne Clarke, Julianne Lum, Nicole Clancy and Peter Withers.
Good luck to all of them, they’ll need it. The water temp was 48 degrees at the beginning of the month, so the race directors have made wetsuits mandatory. The air temp forecast looks great, mid 70’s for a high. Again follow them at ironmanlive.
See you Friday for fast facts,
The Pres.
Tuesday Track June 10th and meeting reminder!
June 11, 2008
Hey Dave
Another great turnout!
Here’s the workout…
Drills
800 at 5k pace…2 mins rest
2 x 400 at faster than 5k pace…1 min rest
Repeat series 4 times
***1 min rest after last 400 and before 800
Enjoy!
PS is it friday yet?
I missed this one, but Liz came home thrashed. It works, though, look at how fast the people who do track on a regular basis are getting. Kyle, Josh, Liz, Amanda to mention just a few.
Thursday is our June Tri Club meeting with a very fun, entertaining speaker, Lee Gruenfeld. The foods been ordered, the drinks will be on ice. The bike jersey’s are ready to be picked up ( bring $35…the best deal in town), now all we need is YOU!! 6.30pm at Hazards/Santa Barbara Running and if you have a friend that’s interested in the Club, bring them along.
The Pres.
Honu Revisited
June 5, 2008
Just some quick thoughts from Hawaii. The great thing racing in Hawaii is you get exactly what you expect. There are absolutely no surprises. The swim is a mass start, no wetsuits. No hiding. It will be choppy and you will swallow water and get clubbed on the head a few times. But where else will you see a manta ray cruising beneath you. Unbelievable. The bike is windy. Crazy windy. There will be times you will death grip your bars for fear you will be blown into the lava fields. If you are big and strong, this course is for you. The run will be hot. Sometimes stifling hot. The sun will beat down on you unmercifully. Lee Carter had and absolutely great run and ran himself to a fourth place finish. While Lee ran strong and moved up the ladder, I spiraled downward, finishing 8th. Hawaii rewards the strong and punishes the weak. That is why I like it and why it remains my favorite place to race. See you next year!
Stuart
Track, the day before Liz’s birthday!!!
June 4, 2008
Not like you could forget that easily…what a hard workout…but no one threw up which is a good thing?
Drills, drills, drills x 10 minutes
3 x 1 mile at 5k – 10-20 sec per mile pace
4 minutes rest after each mile
Can you say threshold workout???
Kudos to all those who attended!
So a nice fast workout, thanks Amanda. We had another large turnout with a mixture of some seasoned members and newbies.
Remember to mark your calendars for next weeks meeting at Hazards/Santa Barbara Running on Anacapa. Thursday June 12th. Good food, great program and the usual socializing with your tri geak friends.
The Pres