IRONMAN World Championship 70.3 Age Group Wrap
September 9th 2012
1,784 athletes started this morning. And it was hotter than hot out there. Imagine turning your oven on full, then sticking your head inside. Well that is what the athletes had to contend with today. It was a furnace. Just when we thought there would be no course records today, the senior age groupers showed how tough they are and came home with some amazing results. Here is a recap of the highlights.
It all started with 50-54 Age Grouper Ellen Hart. Hart won her category last year and was back to defend. She did so in style. Knocking 1 min 14 off her time to set a new course record of 5:03:15. But wait, we are not done. In the oven of Henderson, NV, Hart posted the fastest AG female run split of the day with a 1:32:22. That gives her the 10th overall fastest female run split. But wait, I am not finished. With her time, Hart would have won the 45-49 AG by 10 minutes. Did I mention that she is 54 years old?
There was an outstanding female age group swim from Haley Chura of Atlanta, GA - Chura posted the fastest swim time with a 25:16, compared to Pro Jodie Swallow's 25:26.
Winner of the 30-34 age group, Rob Lea of Utah, posted the fastest male age group swim with a 25:17.
Quickest AG bike split goes to Frenchman Laurent Jalabert. He posted a 2:18:10 making him 15th fastest overall on the bike. The former Tour de France rider continues his impressive triathlon career in style.
36-year-old Daniel Stubleski from Washington was overall male age group champion with a time of 4:22:31.
Overall age group female Danielle Kehoe came 15th overall today. The 25-year-old from Arvada, CO also posted the seventh fastest female age group bike split (2:33:38) and a finishing time of 4:44:53.
Posting the fastest AG run split of the day, his time of 1:23:33 gave 27-year-old Timothy Van Houtem of Belgium the 25-29 title by a mere 16 seconds.
Now for the tougher than tough seniors…
62-year-old Canadian, Carol Peters didn't have any problem with the heat out there today. She tore up her age group and posted a sub-six hour time and set a new course record by 25 minutes with a 5:56:57.
Bradley Price again ripped the field apart in the 65-69 age group. His time of 5:51:37 gave him the win by 34 minutes.
In the ladies 65-69, American Cherie Gruenfeld won her group and was just shy of setting a new course record. With a time of 6:20:37 she still beat second place by 40 minutes!
Superstar 71-year-old Milos Kostic won his 70-74 age group in style by 46 minutes.
Last year our eldest Age group was 75-79. This year Bob Scott defied the age books to take the title in the 80+ category. Incidentally, at 82 years young Bob, was our eldest athlete here today.