IRONMAN UK second place finisher secures her third career sub-nine hour iron-distance finish
At one time the venue of an IRONMAN race itself, Sunday’s Challenge Regensburg took place in Germany on the same day as the debut of IRONMAN Hamburg.
Performance of the day arguably goes to women’s champion, Diana Riesler (GER). Taking a narrow lead our of the opening swim (54:48) over Great Britain’s Yvette Grice and Dana Wagner (GER), Rielser then played her trump card and quickly biked away from everyone. Gaining a lead of 11 minutes in the opening 40km, by halfway she was 19 minutes clear and at T2 arrived 28 minutes clear of Simona Krivankova (CZE) and Nina Kuhn (GER). Grice was 44 minutes back and in seventh position at this stage.
Riesler was in little range of being caught on the run, and after losing a few minutes over the opening half marathon, she actually gained that back – and more – over the second half of the run to take victory by more than 34 minutes in a very fast 8:51:02. That represent a new PB too for the distance, having previously clocked 8:53:35 at IRONMAN Austria 2011. Grice was able to move up one place on the run to finish in sixth position.
Men’s winner Jan Raphael (GER) had to overcome a 10 minute deficit at T2 to countryman Sebastian Neef, who recorded a blistering 4:13:35 bike split. A 2:45:12 run split saw to that, taking him to a very speedy 8:02:32 finish.
Challenge Regensburg, Germany – Sunday 13th August 2017
3.8km / 180km / 42.2km
PRO Women
1st – Diana Riesler (GER) – 8:51:02
2nd – Simona Krivankova (CZE) – 9:25:50
3rd – Erika Csomor (HUN) – 9:28:01
4th – Nina Kuhn (GER) – 9:33:06
5th – Franziska Bossow (GER) – 9:35:14
6th – Yvette Grice (GBR) – 9:49:10
PRO Men
1st – Jan Raphael (GER) – 8:02:32
2nd – Sebastian Neef (GER) – 8:10:42
3rd – Chris Fischer (DEN) – 8:14:13
4th – Christian Brader (GER) – 8:16:02
5th – Stefan Eichheimer (GER) – 8:22:37
Great Britain Age-Group podiums
3rd – Ben Sheppard (20-24) – 11:19:15
3rd – Edward Gwynne-Harris (25-29) – 10:54:03