McMahon and Spieldenner take Penticton Challenge Short Course

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