Killam and Symonds duel at the Great White North Triathlon

Past champions go head to head in Stony Plain, Alberta

Cam Mitchell July 9, 2018

“I knew on paper Jeff (Symonds) was the favourite to win. So, I figured all I could do was race my race and see where the chips landed.”

Despite winning and setting the bike course record in 2017, Nathan Killam knew it would be a duel with Symonds for much of the day. Jeff Symonds set the course record back in 2014.

Photo of Nathan Killam setting the bike course record at the Great White North Triathlon in 2017.

Starting in the waters of Hubbles Lake, Symonds set a fast pace and came out of the water with a 12 second lead over Killam. Out on the bike, the lead pack was Symonds, Killam and Ernest Mantell. However, just a few kilometres into the bike Killam made his move to break the others. “I put my head down and built a gap, and continued to build on the gap for the rest of the bike.” In the end, he would end up breaking his bike course record and had roughly a five-minute lead going into the run. Knowing Symonds had a better run split, Killam had to stay in the moment and focus on himself. In the end, Nathan Killam came home in negative splits, set a 70.3 personal best (3:49) and took the win.

Jeff Symonds would finish second, three minutes back, and Ernest Mantell would come in third.

The top women on the day would be Sharon Styles of Carstairs, Alberta, in a time of 4:39:22. Second place would belong to Amy VanTassel, and third was Alexandra Gordichuk of Calgary, Alberta.

2018 men’s GWN champion now turns his eyes to IRONMAN Canada in Whistler, BC on July 29th. “I am excited to race in front of a hometown crowd with my family,” says Killam.