Brent McMahon tuned up for October’s Ironman World Championship in style, beating a tough field at Challenge Penticton’s “short course” (half-distance) race. Findlay, Ohio’s Jennifer Spieldenner took the women’s title.
McMahon trailed Italy’s Davide Giardini by a second out of the water and never looked back as he cruised through the day’s fastest bike split and third fastest run to finish over three minutes ahead of Trevor Wurtele, with Giardini just under seven minutes behind in third. Ironman Asia-Pacific Melbourne champ and former Penticton winner Jeff Symonds was fourth while German Maik Twelsiek rounded out the top five.
Spieldenner was the fifth pro out of the water (overall) thanks to a 23:38 swim, which left her well clear of the rest of the women in the field. Australian Carrie Lester managed to bridge a two-minute gap by the end of the bike, but was outrun by Spieldenner and had to settle for second. American Lesley Smith ran a speedy 1:21:56 half marathon to take third. St. Paul, Minnesota’s Heather Lendway was fourth, while Kelowna’s Malindi Elmore ran just a second slower than Smith to round out the top five.
Men’s Top 5 Professionals:
1 03:50:38 Brent MCMAHON Victoria 1/28 Pro Men 326 2 00:22:03 1:10 1 02:14:09 40.3 3 01:14:28 3:32
2 03:53:52 Trevor WURTELE Kelowna 2/28 Pro Men 318 8 00:23:43 1:15 2 02:14:19 40.2 5 01:15:51 3:36
3 03:57:23 Davide GIARDINI Boulder 3/28 Pro Men 304 1 00:22:02 1:10 3 02:14:22 40.2 9 01:21:00 3:51
4 03:58:50 Jeff SYMONDS Vancouver 4/28 Pro Men 300 6 00:23:42 1:15 7 02:22:03 38.0 1 01:13:06 3:28
5 04:01:20 Maik TWELSIEK Tucson 5/28 Pro Men 324 7 00:23:42 1:15 8 02:22:03 38.0 4 01:15:36 3:35
Women’s Top 5 Professionals
1 04:25:09 Jennifer SPIELDENNER Findlay 1/20 Pro Women 328 5 00:23:38 1:15 29 02:34:53 34.9 21 01:26:38 4:07
2 04:26:44 Carrie LESTER Brisbane 2/20 Pro Women 349 23 00:25:28 1:21 26 02:32:53 35.3 23 01:28:25 4:12
3 04:27:44 Lesley SMITH Boulder 3/20 Pro Women 335 32 00:26:22 1:24 35 02:39:27 33.9 13 01:21:56 3:53
4 04:30:02 Heather LENDWAY St. Paul 4/20 Pro Women 333 33 00:26:22 1:24 25 02:32:18 35.5 30 01:31:23 4:20
5 04:30:36 Malindi ELMORE Kelowna 5/20 Pro Women 347 18 00:25:23 1:21 41 02:43:17 33.1 14 01:21:57 3:53