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Weekend Race Recaps: Jeff Symonds wins Great White North Triathlon

July 6, 2015
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Symonds’ five-peat at the Great White North Triathlon

Nathan Champness and Dylan Gleeson kept Ironman Asia-Pacific champion Jeff Symonds honest yesterday, outriding the Kona qualifier and forcing him to post the fastest run split of the day to take his fifth consecutive title at the Great White North Triathlon in Stony Plain, Alberta.

Credit: @JeffreySymonds
Credit: @JeffreySymonds

Malindi Elmore found herself chasing Karen Thibodeau for the entire swim and bike after Thibodeau’s second-overall swim, but Elmore’s 1:18 run split was more than enough to move her to the front during the half-marathon. Erin Spitler also got past Thobodeau during the marathon to take the runner-up spot.

 

Elite Male

  1. 3:53:52 Jeff Symonds
  2. 3:56:53 Nathan Champness
  3. 4:01:11 Dylan Gleeson
  4. 4:01:24 Dusty Spiller
  5. 4:07:38 Devin Wittig

 

Elite Female

  1. 4:16:55 Malindi Elmore
  2. 4:25:01 Erin Spitler
  3. 4:26:09 Karen Thibodeau
  4. 4:30:22 Sharon Styles
  5. 4:31:48 Alexandra Gordichuck

 

You can find full results from the 24th running of this classic Canadian half Ironman here (https://www.resultscanada.com/events-results/results.php?year=2015&event_id=74)

 

 

Fast in Frankfurt

 

Jan Frodeno and Daniela Ryf both set course records in Frankfurt on Sunday, dominating what was supposed to be a competitive race in impressive fashion.

 

After leading the way after the non-wetsuit swim Frodeno, the 2008 Olympic champion and third-place finisher in Kona last year managed to get through the bike without any flats this year (he had two last year) and scorched into T2 with a split of just under 4:09, the fastest ride in Frankfurt history. He followed that up with a 2:50 marathon, which was more than enough to seal the deal on the European Championship. Last year’s Kona champ, Sebastian Kienle, trailed out of the water by over four minutes and lost time to his countryman during the bike. He was relegated to a distant second, while Andi Boecherer made it an all-German men’s podium.

 

First out of the water in the women’s race was former champ Carolyn Steffen, but she was only a few seconds ahead of Ryf. Steffen relinquished her lead to the Swiss Ironman 70.3 world champion while dealing with some bike issues and pretty much never saw Ryf again. A screaming-fast 4:47 bike split followed by a 3:06 marathon was enough to net Ryf both the win and the course record – she eclipsed Chrissie Wellington’s time from 2008 by just a few seconds. Germany’s Julia Gajer came off the bike in second place and held that spot through the marathon to finish over 10 minutes behind Ryf, while Steffen hung on for third over 20 minutes behind Ryf.

 

Men:

  1. Jan Frodeno (GER) 7:49:48
  2. Sebastian Kienle (GER) 8:01:39
  3. Andi Boecherer (GER) 8:03:49
  4. Bas Diederen (NED) 8:05:36
  5. Frederik Van Lierde (BEL) 8:07:09
  6. Andreas Raelert (GER) 8:09:53
  7. Tyler Butterfield (BER) 8:26:25
  8. Eneko Llanos (ESP) 8:29:04
  9. Miquel Blanchart (ESP) 8:32:28
  10. Marko Albert (EST) 8:38:40

 

Women

 

  1. Daniela Ryf (SUI) 8:51:00
  2. Julia Gajer (GER) 9:01:58
  3. Caroline Steffen (SUI) 9:11:55
  4. Sonja Tajsich (GER) 9:19:29
  5. Ruth Brennan Morrey (USA) 9:21:09
  6. Kristin Moeller (GER) 9:23:56
  7. Tine Deckers (BEL) 9:28:20
  8. Astrid Stienen (GER) 9:36:03
  9. Tine Holst (DEN) 9:54:30
  10. Katharina Grohmann (GER) 9:55:08