Naeth gets second in St. Croix

Texan Amy Marsh led out of the water (27:58) at Ironman 70.3 St. Croix today but the UK’s Catriona Morrison took control of the race during the bike (2:34:38) to establish a 2:22 lead over Canada’s Angela Naeth and 4:44 over Australia’s Mirinda Carfrae heading out on the run. Her race leading half marathon run split of 1:25:58 put her stamp on the race win (4:29:28) to give her a third title in as many years. Prince George’s Naeth had to settle for her 8^th second place finish at a 70.3 event (4:32:07), but her 2:33:47 bike, and 1:26:16 run kept her ahead of the Ironman World Champion Carfrae (4:36:01).

Likely frustrated with another runner up finish, Naeth has not lost her sense of humour about her streak, as evidenced by this classic tweet after the race. “If anyone’s getting married I know a good bridesmaid.”

For the men, Australia’s Luke Bell led the swim (26:13), and held a 1:32 lead over the Ukraine’s Maksym Kriat prior to the run. However, Kriat chased down Bell with the top run of 1:20:56, to earn the men’s title in 4:11:43. Bell followed just 16 seconds later to get second.

Raymond Levesque of Terrebonne, Quebec (Men 60-64) – 5:46:13, and London, Ontario’s Colm Kelly (Men 65-59) – 6:34:15, won their age group.

Women

1 MORRISON, CATRIONA (UK)  4:29:28

2 NAETH, ANGELA (CAN)  4:32:07

3 CARFRAE, MIRINDA (AUS)  4:36:01

4 PATTERSON, LESLIE (UK)  4:39:09

5 MAJOR, KATE (AUS)  4:41:33

6 MARSH, AMY (USA)  4:52:31

7 GORDON, JACQUI (USA)  4:59:24

8 FILLNOW, KELLY (USA)  5:07:51

9 D’HAESE, VEERLE (BEL)  5:08:16

10 RITCHIE, TAMI (USA)  5:09:23

Men

1 KRIAT, MAKSYM (UKR)  4:11:43

2 BELL, LUKE (AUS)  4:11:59

3 CUNNINGHAM, RICHIE (AUS)  4:15:50

4 EVOE, PATRICK (USA)  4:15:51

5 DEGASPERI, ALESSANDRO (ITA)  4:16:24

6 GUILLAUME, ROMAIN (FRA)  4:24:31

7 RAFF, GABRIEL (ARG)  4:29:03  *M25-29

8 OWEN, JARROD (AUS)  4:30:50  *M30-34

9 SHEARON, JONATHAN (USA)  4:32:57  *M30-34

10 CORDOVEZ, PEDRO (PAN)  4:33:10  *M35-39