Trevor Wurtele takes Ironman 70.3 New Orleans

Kelowna’s Trevor Wurtele ran 10:50, biked 1:57:49 and ran 1:13:36 to win the swim cancelled Ironman 70.3 New Orleans in 3:23:51.

High winds forced race organizers to cancel the swim and change the race into a 2-mile run, 52-mile bike, and 13.1-mile run course.

Despite a commanding performance by American TJ Tollakson on the bike (1:54:14), Wurtele stayed within striking distance and once on the final half marathon he passed a fading Tollakson for the lead and held off a fast charging Richie Cunningham of Australia (1:13:02 – fastest run split) for the win.

On the strength of the day’s top bike split (2:07:38), American Sarah Piampiano led all women out of T2 and held onto that lead with a 1:22:58 run for the win in 3:43:58. Heather Wurtele had the third best bike (2:08:03), behind American Amy Marsh, but outran Marsh with a 1:23:58 run to claim second place in 3:45:59, just missing out on making it a husband and wife victory. Australia’s Mirinda Carfrae, ran 1:19:10 to take third (3:47:28). Canada’s Magali Tisseyre finished sixth (3:50:52), and Annie Gervais tenth (3:58:36).