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Alicia Kaye and Cody Beals continue the Canadian charge over the 70.3 distance

September 8, 2014
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credit: @AliciaKayeTri
credit: @AliciaKayeTri

While world titles were being won in Mont Tremblant, Australia’s Richie Cunningham and Ontario-born Alicia Kaye won Ironman 70.3 Muskoka. Although the pro men and women started together, a fast swim by David Kahn (23:16) put in a lead of over a minute on Cunningham and Tom Eickelberg. Kahn led the first half of the bike but Ontario’s Cody Beals and Cunningham would move up enter into T2 in first and second. Cunningham’s race fastest run of 1:17:25 would get him to the finish line first in 4:06:06, but an outstanding performance by Beals would see the new pro land his first big podium finish in 4:07:12, seven minutes ahead of Kahn who rounded out the podium in 4:14:34.

After the race, Beals told TMC,  “I’m thrilled to claim my first 70.3 podium in my rookie pro season, although it was painful to lose by only one minute. Battling a scrappy, veteran racer like Richie Cunningham gave me a new appreciation for the focus and willingness to suffer, not to mention the fitness, that it takes to win at this level.”

Kaye led the race from wire to wire in her first 70.3 only one week after claiming second at the Hy-Vee 5150 in Des Moines. Her race fastest swim and bike splits bode prove the Olympic distance specialist will be a major threat at the longer distance. Americans Mandy Mclane and Erin Spitler took second and third.

With 35 slots for the 2015 Ironman 70.3 World Champs up for grabs there were a lot of happy finishers and some steep competition. The people of Huntsville lined the downtown core where the run course featured a tough out and back keeping racers motivated. With one of the newest full Ironman races coming to the site in 2015, many athletes had a chance at a test run.