2011 Ironman World Championships. Kona, Hawaii | Race Results Pros / Filipinos and Review
What-a-race! That’s exactly how everyone can sum up the 2011 Ford Ironman World Championship held in Kona, Hawaii. The unusually cool temperatures added to the excitement and set it up for record breaking performances.
Craig Alexander became a 3x Ironman World Champion and topped the means field with a new course record 8:03:56. Alexander, labeled his entire career as a pure runner and a not so strong biker, in one stroke, and destroyed that misconception about him. He not only set the new course record, but he also obliterated the field on the bike with a lightning quick 4:24:05 bike. Second only to uber biker Chris Lieto.
Crowie has had a well publicized mid-season gear switch when he ditched his old bike sponsor Orbea (who the previous year he just signed a lifetime contract with) for the new Specialized Shiv Tri. He also raced on an unbranded Cervelo P4 at the 70.3 World Championships. For reasons that we will probably never know, as the saying goes, the end always justifies the means. Now is it the bike that allowed Crowie to get the win and the world record? Logic says yes but if you think about it, early in the season, Crowie was already working on his bike strength. That includes hitting the gym earlier than he usually does.
Here’s a SWIMBIKERUN.ph interview with Craig Alexander, talking about his early season prep, months before he won the 70.3 World Championship and Ironman World Championship. (Full article can be viewed here)
SBR.ph: Fearing your run, Macca was very vocal about attacking you on the bike in Kona last year. What difference have you done in training this year? Did you do more bike work? Or did you train just as the same?
Crowie: My year has obviously started quite differently to previous years, with the early season IM prep and now IM in June. I got in the gym earlier than I usually do. Obviously I am on track, as I also broke the bike record in CDA IM, but so did Maik Twelsiek( he did by about 9 mins).
Pete Jacobs came in second with an 8:09:11 and the fastest marathon of the day. 2010 runner up and fastest Ironman time record holder Andreas Raelert rounded up the podium with an 8:11:07.
The women’s race also proved to be an exciting showdown as eventual 4x Ironman World Champion Chrissie Wellington had to work her way to the front from the swim start to the middle of the run. Wellington, who 2 weeks ago got into a bike crash, was still clearly affected by the accident. She was 22 minutes down on Julie Dibens when she got to t2. Dibens, who’s still recovering from a foot injury, eventually faded and made the event the Chrissie Wellington vs. Miranda Carfae show.
Carfae, the defending champion, was 4 minutes down on Chrissie coming out of t2. Miranda put up a brave fight and pushed Wellington to the limit as she ran a race-record 2:53:32 marathon. But that wasn’t enough to catch Chrissie who showed she can run with the best. Wellington finished with an 8:55:08, good enough for the second best course record, followed by Carfae 8:55:08 and Leanda Cave 9:03:29. The Wellington vs. Carfae showdown also made history as this is the first time two women broke the sub 9 barrier.
Again congratulations to all the winners and finishers of the 2011 Ironman World Championships! Special mention to our 13 strong Filipino triathletes! Good job guys!
Ford Ironman World Championship
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
October 8, 2011
S 2.4 mi. / B 112 mi. / R 26.2 mi.
Elite 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
6. Mike Aigroz (SUI) 8:21:07
7. Raynard Tissink (RSA) 8:22:15
8. Andi Bocherer (GER) 8:23:19
9. Luke McKenzie (AUS) 8:25:42
10. Faris Al-Sultan (GER) 8:27:18
11. Tom Lowe (GBR) 8:29:02
12. Daniel Fontana (ITA) 8:31:20
13, Marko Albert (EST) 8:35:18
14. Rasmus Henning (DEN) 8:35:53
15. Cyril Viennot (FRA) 8:37:00
Elite 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 (SUI) 9:07:32
6. Karin Thuerig (SUI) 9:15:00
7. Sonja Tajsich (GER) 9:15:17
8. Heather Wurtele (CAN) 9:17:56
9. Caitlin Snow (USA) 9:18:11
10. Virginia Berasategui (ESP) 9:19:52
11. Catriona Morrison (GBR) 9:22:07
12. Tine Deckers (BEL) 9:28:21
13. Kelly Williamson (USA) 9:29:08
Filipinos
1 Noy Jopson 10:32
2 Benjamin Rana Jr. 10:53
3 Ferdinand Louis Milan Catabian II 11:22
4 Rene Ricardo Tayag 11:31
5 Peter Ralph Gonzalez 11:33
6 Alessandra Gonzalez 11:33
7 Amanda Carpo 11:43
8 Ramon Rodriguez 11:44
9 Marco Dayrit 11:46
10 Efraim Manzano 12:14
11 Wilfred Uytengsu 12:43
12 Fiona Ottiger 12:50
13 Lorenzo Ocampo 13:13
Pro results from : www.slowtwitch.com
