IRONMAN 70.3 Oceanside: Pro stars have controversial DISQUALIFICATIONS overturned

If you thought the drama ended once the pros crossed the finish line at IRONMAN 70.3 Oceanside on Saturday, then you’d be wrong, as two top names were subsequently disqualified and later reinstated after coming home in second and sixth respectively in California.

Emma Pallant-Browne, who crossed the line in second behind Taylor Knibb, and Braden Currie, who finished in sixth in the men’s race behind winner Lionel Sanders, were both removed from the results and handed a DSQ.

On appeal though both disqualifications were overturned and the pair were reinstated into the results in their original finishing positions.

This wasn’t the first time a high-profile name has been penalised in such a manner in Oceanside, with the ‘infringements’ reported to have taken place on the army base at Camp Pendleton.

Rollercoaster for EPB

For EPB, the decision to reinstate her would be a major relief, after the Brit had fought back from a bike crash in training to make the start line this weekend.

Having not finished at her first race of the season at the Miami T100, the former IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship podium finisher raced exceptionally in Oceanside, with a trademark run taking her past Paula Findlay in the latter stages of the race. She was well adrift of race winner Taylor Knibb though.

In the women’s race previously, Swiss star Daniela Ryf found herself on the receiving end of similar punishment in 2022, after she surpassed the speed limit in the controlled zone on the army base.

Bad luck continues for Currie

For Currie meanwhile, the drama came right after the Kiwi appeared to have rediscovered his racing groove following a series of setbacks since the start of the season.

At his first race of the year in Tasmania, the New Zealander was forced to withdraw during the race, before then falling sick in the week leading up to IRONMAN New Zealand and having to call it quits there too.

Sixth across the line, Currie was right in the mix for the minor places and put together a solid performance in Oceanside, as he tracked down the stragglers from the front group off the bike and ran his way into the Top 10.