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Race Highlights: Ironman World Championships Kona 2011

Find out who took glory in Saturday's tough race

by John Carroll

The women's race

Wellington leads brilliant Brits at Kona

Chrissie Wellington turned in the most extraordinary performance in her remarkable career to win her fourth Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. Not even a torn pectoral muscle, bruising to her hip and some pretty ugly road rash could stop her from crossing the line in first place, in 8:55:08, with defending champion Mirinda Carfrae just behind her, in 8:57:57.

Wellington's fellow Brits Leanda Cave and Rachel Joyce came third and fourth, respectively, making this GB's best-ever result in the championships. Cave finished in 9:03:29 and Joyce crossed the line 9:06:57.

Wellington was slower than usual in the swim, a result of the injuries she sustained in a bike crash two weeks ago, and she was sixth off the bike, but she was not to be denied."It's the hardest-fought victory of my career and definitely the one I'm most proud of," she told BBC Radio Norfolk.

The men's race

Crowie makes it three out of four

Australian Craig Alexander won his third Ironman World Championship, breaking the course record time by 12 seconds, despite suffering leg cramps in the last 2K of the race. He crossed the line in 8:03:56. Fellow Aussie Pete Jacobs was second, in 8:09:11, and German Andreas Raelert was third, in 8:11:07.

Alexander, known as "Crowie", was world champion in 2008 and 2009, and is now only the fourth person in the history of the race to win three times and the first to win Ironman World Championship 70.3 and Ironman World Championship titles in the same year (he won Ironman Las Vegas 70.3 in September).

"I really am proud of this win - out of the three I've won here, I think it was the best," said Alexander. The previous course record was set in 1996 by Belgian Luc Van Lierde.

Lowe hits a high at Kona

Tom Lowe was the first British finisher at Kona. He crossed the line in 11th place, with a time of 8:29:02. It was his first appearance at the Ironman World Championships, and judging from his performance, it won't be his last. Lowe, who set a British record in his Ironman debut in Arizona last December, has been training in Colorado with his girlfriend, Chrissie Wellington, and it clearly paid off.

In a recent interview with Triathlete's Worl d, Tom pointed out that there was little pressure on him going into the race because he was only in his second year as a pro and that the Kona racewould be only his third Ironman event. "If I could get top 15 I'd be ecstatic - anything above that would be a bonus," he added. Interestingly, Australian Pete Jacobs, who came second this year, picked Tom as one of his 'dark horses' for the race.

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Discuss this article

grant.smith

What about Tom Lowe (11th), best British Male finisher since Scott Ballance in 1991 who finished 34th in a time of 09:13:44.

Tom also holds the British Male record for Kona with a time of 08:29:02, and the British Male record over the distance which he got at IM Arizona 2010 with a time of 08:11:44.

If your going to report on such matters, please do some research...

Posted: 11/10/2011 at 11:36

grant.smith

What about Tom Lowe (11th), best British Male finisher since Scott Ballance in 1991 who finished 34th in a time of 09:13:44.

Tom also holds the British Male record for Kona with a time of 08:29:02, and the British Male record over the distance which he got at IM Arizona 2010 with a time of 08:11:44.

If your going to report on such matters, please do some research...

Posted: 11/10/2011 at 11:36

fat buddha

I agree Tom did extremely well but 11th doesn't cut it as far as reporting is concerned especially when the sub-title is "Find out who took glory in Saturday's tough race" - I'm not sure 11th is glory in the sense of reporting!

if you want to get a better view of the Kona race, there's plenty of other info out there on other sites
Posted: 11/10/2011 at 12:00

mellifera

eh? their report may not be complete in your eyes but it's accurate whereas your facts do not seem to be.

(i'm doing some analysis on results hence I have them in a single file). I'll grant you UK males not overly impressive!

2010
Fraser cartmell 8:47, 30th
NickSaunders, 8:59, 35th

2009
Stephen bayliss 8:49, 18th

1996
Julian Jenkinson 8:54, 22nd

note: only have data to 1996; may miss people that give domicile rather than nationality

Posted: 11/10/2011 at 14:05

mellifera

I miss Scott Neyedli 9:00, 47th

(depending whether 'better' is time or position) .

I think Spencer Smith should be in there somewhere too

Posted: 11/10/2011 at 14:07

fat buddha

Mr Smith make the same point on Tripetalk and gets duly kicked into the long grass re: his facts

thread here
Posted: 11/10/2011 at 14:21

mellifera

I was almost excited about a posting by Spencer Smith then!

grant - you posted here AFTER discussing how you got this wrong on tritalk.

I've got some years missing (because I've not yet found the will to wrestle the data from pdf) including 2000 and 2001 so that's why I don't have Spencer's finish).

Posted: 11/10/2011 at 14:27

Doozer.

Just read the TT thread too, how can he come and start spouting about results of people and never even heard of Julian Jenkinson or Richard Hobson. The fact he fails to even mention Spencer Smith proves how clueless he is!

Posted: 12/10/2011 at 07:35

Doozer.

btw Tom's performance for a relative rookie was pretty awesome, as we all know his biking and running are up there but he cant keep giving that sort of time away on the swim. Although it has got better, he is still pretty good for a duathlete.
Posted: 12/10/2011 at 07:37

Dominique RW

Hi,

At Triathlete's World we couldn't agree more that Tom Lowe put in a superb performance, so we've extended our race highlights. We can't wait to see if he'll up the stakes even more at the 2012 Ironman World Championships.

Dominique TW

Posted: 12/10/2011 at 14:45

JAMES JOHNSON

The pictures in your article aren't even from Kona
Posted: 13/10/2011 at 07:53

paula moss 3

Well guys you make girls look good....meowwwwww Lol
Posted: 13/10/2011 at 10:34

fat buddha

I think you'll find melli is a girl......

but if people don't get the facts right then rightly the claws come out....
Posted: 13/10/2011 at 10:47

Doozer.

fat buddha wrote (see)

I think you'll find melli is a girl......

She is def tougher than most blokes on here though!

Posted: 13/10/2011 at 13:06

Richard Haines 4

Can we not just reflect on the fact that Britain has a sport that we are excelling at with Olympic distance and Iron Man for Women and Men!

Posted: 13/10/2011 at 17:24

Darkness

We do indeed Richard.

There was some irony in the comment "If you are going to report on such matters please do some research..." though.
Posted: 13/10/2011 at 21:34

roy keane

hhhhmmm,

I agree with what people are posting in ref to Brit finishers as i am one also, however i am going to say Tom lowe has a pedigree background as i know his past, and he will come good i tip him next year for a podium, and lets not forget about the yorkshire brown lee brothers who at the momment are pretty much unstoppable in the tri world and knowing that one of them is going to step up after the olympics ( possible ) is exciting because those boys have got some talent, oh and there also from yorkshire which gives them an edge.

Posted: 25/10/2011 at 08:18

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