Laundry flies to excellent win in Ecuador
Canadian Jenny Fletcher finishes fourth
Photo by:
Kevin Mackinnon
Jackson Laundry’s excellent 2021 season continues as the Guelph, Ont.-based triathlete surged to a big win at Ironman 70.3 Ecuador today. Canadian Jenny Fletcher took fourth in the women’s race, which was won by Australia’s Sarah Crowley.
Laundry and Chase ride clear
Ecuador’s own Armando Matute took off on a solo breakaway in the swim, coming out of the water about 90 seconds up on a group of eight that included Laundry, American Nicholas Chase and former Ecuador 70.3 champ Tim Rea (AUS). Once on the bike, though, Laundry and Chase took off from the rest of the men, opening up a 45 second gap on Brazil’s Fernando Todi and Santiago Ascenco by the halfway point of the bike, and hitting T2 with a lead of 1:36 on Ascenco and 2:06 on Toldi. Rea was fifth off the bike, but was 6:32 down.
Out on the run course Laundry quickly pulled clear of Chase and was over two minutes ahead through the halfway point of the run, with Toldi running in third, five minutes down. The gap continued to grow through the rest of the run with Jackson taking the day in 3:53:56, over six minutes ahead of Chase, who finished in 4:00:02. Toldi hung on for third in 4:02:22.
Today’s result will certainly help Laundry’s chances to be named to the International Team for the Collins Cup in August –Â he’s currently in ninth spot in the ranking for the team, but will likely move up after this weekend’s result. The race also marks a steady rise up the podium in his last three races – he was third at Ironman 70.3 Des Moines, second at Rev3 Williamsburg and has now claimed the top spot on the podium in Ecuador.
Click here for men’s results.
Related: Inspiration in action – Jackson Laundry bounces back from terrible bike crash at 70.3 worlds
Fletcher takes fourth behind Crowley
A former fashion model who turned pro in 2010, Alberta native Jenny Fletcher was using the race as part of a buildup to a return to Challenge Roth in September (see Instagram post below). She appears to be on track after an impressive fourth-place finish in Ecuador today. Ecuador’s own Elizabeth Bravo, a 2012 Olympian, led the women out of the water, with Crowley just a second behind. Fletcher was third into T1, but was almost four minutes behind the pair. On the bike it was all Crowley as the two-time Kona bronze medallist powered away to a 7:18 lead on Bravo. Fletcher and American Kimberly Goodell hit T2 just over 17 minutes back.
Bravo would gain back some time on the run, but Crowley remained well clear to take the win in 4:27:57, with Bravo just over four minutes back in 4:32:15. Goodell managed to outrun Fletcher for third (4:50:51), with the Canadian crossing the line in 4:58:48.
Click here for women’s results.
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