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Records Tumble As Alexander And Wellington Win In Kona

  • By Paul Moore
  • Published October 9, 2011

The pundits may have predicted that Chrissie Wellington and Craig Alexander would ease their ways to victory at Kona, but how wrong they were. Both great Champions were forced to perform out of their (in Wellington’s case battered and bruised) skins to take the title against ferocious opposition.

Photo: ironman.com

Because on a record breaking day on the Big Island, the attacks came from all around and lasted until the very end.

Bizarrely (and not many people thought that this would be the case), on his way to a 8:03:56 course record Alexander won the race on the bike. It was a remarkable performance capped by a 4:24:05 bike split – 13 minutes quicker than anything he had done at Kona before and just five minutes slower than Chris Lieto.

Wellington, meanwhile, had to fight all day. The slowest swim she had ever recorded at the race was followed by a challenging bike where she was helpless to watch Julie Dibens ride away to a new course record, and then a tough, demanding run on a hot day with Mirinda Carfrae breathing down her neck. It was a champions performance (and not just from Chrissie) and made for a fascinating race.

The Men’s Race
Alexander may have had the measure of the bike and run course, but as expected Andy Potts was the one to watch in the water, leading the men out in 49:44 with a near-two minute cushion to second swimmer Pete Jacobs (51:38) into T1.

Ominously, Jacobs was at the head of a massive group of men who would form one of the biggest pro trains that Kona had ever seen. Some thirty riders (from a field of fifty) snaked their way along the Queen K for the best part of the first 60 miles. As expected Lieto moved up through the pack, looking to break away. But the men were riding hard, and any attack the American uber biker made was quickly shut down by the likes of Alexander and Vanhoenacker.

At the Hawi turn Lieto again made a move – taking advantage of a downhill section with a tasty tailwind to move his bike at 50mph. This time he did manage to break the group, but not all on his own. Because four men – Luke McKenzie, Marino Vanhoenacker and, crucially, Criag Alexander – covered the move and were quickly on his shoulder. Was Crowie going too hard? He didn’t look uncomfortable…

Lieto did eventually manage to escape with thirty odd miles to go, but by that time it was too little too late for the American and his 4:18:31 bike split – just eight seconds off the course record – gave him just five minutes going into T2. He needed around fifteen to stand a chance.

And that quickly became evident. Because as Alexander glided through transition and out onto the run he was in a league of his own. Breaking away from McKenzie and Vanhoenacker, he swiftly ate into Lieto’s lead, taking just six miles to pass the American. Behind him, Andreas Raelert was recovering from a tough bike (followed by a swim that left him with a bloody face) and started to move quickly through the field. For a while it looked like he was going to do what he did to Macca in 2010 and chip away at Crowie’s lead, but it was not to be: the closest he got was 2:30. The fastest runner in 2010, Pete Jacobs, was meanwhile moving ominously through the field and quickly found himself up with the German. Both struggled at times, but ultimately the Aussie would win the duel for second place after posting an outstanding 2:42:29 marathon.

The win, however, was all Alexander’s. For just a moment it looked like the wheels might be coming up as the incredible Aussie cramped with under a mile to go. But Crowie is mentally tough and he battled through to not only take the win, but the course record as well with a 2:44:03 marathon.

It was an outstanding race for the Aussie, who was understandably overwhelmed by the win. “I think it all started with a dream – it’s just a dream. I can’t believe it. To win this three times…I wish I could tell you how it feels.

“I would have been a happy man just to race here, but to win it three times. I left it all out there – I’ve got nothing.”

The Women’s Race
We’re used to seeing Chrissie Wellington go off the front of an Ironman and never look back. Not this time. The Great Briton was forced to conjure up all of her spirit, resolve and tenacity to come from behind when it really mattered and hold off a spirited challenge from the reigning World Champion.

Because Chrissie had it tough. The injuries she sustained in her bike crash were clearly taking their toll as she emerged from the water in 1:01:03 – nearly ten minutes behind early leader Amanda Stevens (51:54) and Kona contender Julie Dibens (51:58). More worryingly she was nearly four down on Mirinda Carfrae (57:17).

And as the women hit the bike, she was powerless to do anything about Dibens on the bike. The woman is, quite simply, a machine. Pre-race the talk was about Dibens’ foot and how it would impact her run. If it was going to do that, the Briton was not going to let it affect her bike as she charged away from the rest of the pack. By Mile 25 she was just six minutes behind the head of the thirty-strong Kona train of Pro men, and had four minutes on the hard working Caroline Steffen.

But it was the race behind that everyone had their eyes on. Because while Dibens charged away and Steffen did her best to limit the losses to the Briton, Wellington was slowly chipping away at the gap to Carfrae. Meanwhile fellow Brits Leanda Cave and Rachel Joyce were shadowing one another along the Queen K, giving themselves a fantastic podium shot by staying in touch with the leaders.

Wellington eventually broached the gap to Carfrae just before the Hawi turn, giving her 56 miles to build enough of a cushion on the fast running Aussie and limit her losses to Steffen. She’d need every single mile available to her.

Dibens, however, was imperious. A 4:44:14 bike split was enough to break the course record and took her into T2 11:20 up on Caroline Steffen.

But what about that foot? Running gingerly through T2 with heavy strapping on it, at first she looked solid on the run. But the cracks soon started to appear and before long the Briton was walking aid stations. It was not to be and she eventually retired. Steffen, however, was charging, and took the lead at Mile 6. Behind her, though, both Wellington and Carfrae were on the move.

With her trademark smile the three-time World Champion picked off Rachel Joyce – who looked to be struggling on Pelani – before closing in on Leanda Cave (who was having the race of her life). The two exchanged brief pleasantries as Wellington passed, and from thereon in it was about closing down Steffen. She did it.

At Mile 16 Steffen turned a corner to look back down the course only to see Wellington right on her shoulder. The pass was quick and the gap grew at an extraordinary race. Surely Chrissie was running away with it. Not so. Because Mirinda Carfrae was not about to give up her crown lightly, and she was flying through the field, taking as much as a minute per mile out of Chrissie’s lead at one point.

But slowly she was running out of road. With three miles left she was 2:40 down and Wellington began to kick for home. A 2:52:41 marathon was what it took, and a visibly emotional Chrissie crossed the line for what has to be her toughest win in 8:55:08. It was phenomenal and she is a phenomena. Carfrae took an outstanding second in 8:57:57 (breaking the course run record with a 2:52:09), Leanda Cave was a brilliant third 9:03:29 and Rachel Joyce passed Steffen at the death for fourth.

What a race! “This race means more to me than anything,” Wellington said. “Through this victory I have proved to myself that anything is possible. I had to dig so deep today. There were times that I thought my body would give up on me. But I had to have faith in my body.

“To regain the title and be crowned world champion is an honour and a privilege”

Ironman World Championships
Results

Top 5 Men
1. Craig Alexander (AUS) 8:03:56
2. Pete Jacobs (AUS) 8:09:11
3. Andreas Raelert (GER) 8:11:07
4. Dirk Bockel (LUX) 8:12:58
5. Timo Bracht (GER) 8:20:12

Top 5 Women
1. Chrissie Wellington (GBR) 8:55:08
2. Mirinda Carfrae (AUS) 8:57:57
3. Leanda Cave (GBR) 9:03:29
4. Rachel Joyce (GBR) 9:06:57
5. Caroline Steffen (SWI) 9:07:32

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Paul Moore

Paul Moore

Paul Moore is the Online Editor for Triathlete Europe. When not glued to a computer he can be found writing books - most recently Ultimate Triathlon: A complete training guide for long-distance triathletes which you can buy on Amazon