Potts and Carfrae win at Oceanside
Tisseyre gets third, Wurtele 4th, McQuaid 6th.
Today’s Ironman 70.3 California belonged to the runners as both race winners used that all-important final segment to earn their victories.
The USA’s Andy Potts led all athletes out of the water (22:36), dropped to third during the closing stages of the bike ride (which allowed him stay close to the front), then ran a race best 1:12:17 half marathon (which included a side by side battle with Denmark’s Rasmus Henning – that Potts won in the final mile) to take the win in 3:55:49. Henning hung on for second (3:56:07), and Austria’s Michael Weiss rode the top bike split (2:11:54) to get third (3:56:29). Penticton’s Jeff Symonds gave up a bit too much time on the bike and finished 11th (4:03:58).
The women’s race featured quite a few lead changes but the real suspense and excitement came from Ironman World Champion Mirinda Carfrae. Down 4:45 to Victoria’s Melanie McQuaid at the start of the run, Carfrae meticulously worked her way to the front and snatched the win away from the USA’s Heather Jackson (who had taken the lead from Canada’s Magali Tisseyre just before the 8 mile mark) during the final mile of the run. Carfrae ran a women’s best 1:18:25 to win her third Oceanside title, Jackson picked up second (4:26:28) just 10 seconds back, and Tisseyre got third (4:27:22). Kelowna’s Heather Wurtele finished fourth (4:28:25), and McQuaid sixth (4:31:03) after losing the race lead to Tisseyre during the opening miles of the run.
Men
1 Potts, Andy (USA)Â 3:55:49
2 Henning, Rasmus (DEN)Â 3:56:07
3 Weiss, Michael (AUT)Â 3:56:29
4 Schildknecht, Ronnie (SUI)Â 3:56:57
5 Rapp, Jordan (USA)Â 4:00:29
6 Ambrose, Paul (GBR)Â 4:00:49
7 Kriat, Maxim (UKR)Â 4:01:19
8 Legh, Christopher (AUS)Â 4:03:03
9 Twelsiek, Maik (GER)Â 4:03:10
10 Lieto, Matt (USA)Â 4:03:44
11 Symonds, Jeff (CAN)Â 4:03:58
14 Wurtele, Trevor (CAN)Â 4:08:44
24 Kilshaw, Stephen (CAN) 4:17:11
28 Neill, Mike (CAN)Â 4:19:39
29 Toth, Anthony (CAN)Â 4:20:15
Women
1 Carfrae, Mirinda (AUS)Â 4:26:18
2 Jackson, Heather (USA)Â 4:26:28
3 Tisseyre, Magali (CAN)Â 4:27:22
4 Wurtele, Heather (CAN)Â 4:28:25
5 Williamson, Kelly (USA)Â 4:29:27
6 McQuaid, Melanie (CAN)Â 4:31:03
7 Major, Kate (AUS)Â 4:32:28
8 Corbin, Linsey (USA)Â 4:33:32
9 Griesbauer, Dede (USA)Â 4:34:54
10 Ficker, Desiree (USA)Â 4:37:03