Weekend roundup: Bahrain, Phuket, Western Sydney, Cozumel

Rounding up a busy weekend of international racing…

Having just returned from Bahrain, where we spent the weekend at the IRONMAN 70.3 Middle East Championship, here is a rundown of what was a busy weekend around the world on the IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 circuit.

70.3 Bahrain

The weekend started of course in Bahrain, with racing on Saturday which saw the million dollar hopes of both Daniela Ryf and Javier Gomez vanish – with close races won by Holly Lawrence (GBR) and Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR). We’ve separately published an extended race report (HERE), and also have interviews online with the British pairing of Emma Pallant (HERE) and Sarah Lewis (HERE), which are well worth catching up on if you’ve not seen them already.

IRONMAN 70.3 Middle East Championship Bahrain – Saturday 25th November 2017
1.9km / 90km / 21.1km

Pro Men

1st – Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR) – 3:40:24
2nd – Terenzo Bozzone (NZL) – 3:41:02
3rd – Sven Riederer (SUI) – 3:47:14
4th – Javier Gomez (ESP) – 3:48:25
5th – Matt Trautman (RSA) – 3:49:19

Pro Women

1st – Holly Lawrence (GBR) – 4:02:33
2nd – Anne Haug (GER) – 4:02:43
3rd – Daniela Ryf (SUI) – 4:06:13
4th – Emma Pallant (GBR) – 4:07:07
5th – Angela Naeth (CAN) – 4:10:41

7th – Sarah Lewis (GBR) – 4:19:40
10th – Rachel Hallam (GBR) – 4:32:42
DNF – Chantal Cummings (GBR)

70.3 Western Sydney

It was a busy championship weekend for the IRONMAN 70.3 brand, with the Asia-Pacific Championship held on the same weekend as Bahrain, in Western Sydney. Two home wins there for Dan Wilson and former two-time IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion, Melissa Hauschildt.

After losing a full five minutes in the swim to early leader, Haley Chura (USA), Hauschildt showed some her best form by storming through the bike leg and then also added the fastest run split too, to take the overall win by 1:25 over Felictiy Sheedy-Ryan.

Close racing for the Pro Men saw nine athletes reach T2 within nine minutes, seven Aussie’s plus Kiwi Braden Currie and Germany’s Michael Raelert. Dan Wilson (1:!2:06) proved to be the best runner on the day, to take the win ahead of 2016 IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion, Tim Reed, who just pipped Currie for second place by just three seconds.

IRONMAN 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship Western Sydney – Sunday 26th November 2017
1.9km / 90km / 21.1km

Pro Men

1st – Dan Wilson (AUS) – 3:42:12
2nd – Tim Reed (AUS) – 3:43:34
3rd – Braden Currie (NZL) – 3:43:37
4th – Sam Appleton (AUS) – 3:44:50
5th – Joe Gambles (AUS) – 3:46:26

Pro Women

1st – Melissa Hauschildt (AUS) – 4:07:06
2nd – Felicity Sheedy-Ryan (AUS) – 4:08:31
3rd – Amelia Watkinson (NZL) – 4:12:53
4th – Haley Chura (USA) – 4:16:07
5th – Liz Blatchford (AUS) – 4:18:14

70.3 Thailand

After winning at the IRONMAN 70.3 Xiamen, Ireland’s Eimear Mullan continued her return to form and fitness with second place at IRONMAN 70.3 Thailand in Phuket. The win went to Imogen Simmonds (SUI), the pair reversing their positions from that race in China.

IRONMAN 70.3 Thailand, Phuket – Sunday 26th November 2017
1.9km / 90km / 21.1km

Pro Men

1st – Markus Rolli (GER) – 3:49:02
2nd – Tim Van Berkel (AUS) – 3:52:49
3rd – Fernando Toldi (BRA) – 3:56:47
4th – Alberto Casadei (ITA) – 4:01:34
5th – Alexander Polizzi (AUS) – 4:04:03

Pro Women

1st – Imogen Simmonds (SUI) – 4:16:49
2nd – Eimear Mullan (IRL) – 4:21:38
3rd – Dimity Lee Duke (AUS) – 4:22:54
4th – Parys Edwards (GBR) – 4:28:52
5th – Robin Pomeroy (USA) – 4:30:03

Another podium! 2nd for me at Phuket 70.3 today. So happy I could compete. @IMOsimmonds and I switched places from Xaimen 70.3 😊. Thanks to @parysedwardstri for literally sticking me together to get through the race! congrats everyone who made it round!

— Eimear Nicholls (Mullan) (@the_e_m_u) November 26, 2017

IRONMAN Cozumel

A point-to-point swim in Cozumel helped contribute to fast times and course record at IRONMAN Cozumel on Sunday. How fast? Well, Jarrod Shoemaker (USA) headed the swim out in just 39:17.

BIG current assist yesterday! Winds were lower overall too so it made for fast riding conditions too. The weather gods smiled on us all.

— Lisa Roberts (@lisarobertstri) November 27, 2017

2014 IRONMAN World Champion Sebastian Kienle lost little more than two minutes in the water and would soon be uber-biking his way to the front of the race, crushing the 180km in a swift 4:10:38 to start the run just over six minutes ahead of Michael Weiss (AUT) and more than 15 minutes ahead of Stefan Schmid (GER). Never threatened on the run, Sebi closed out the day with a 2:51:43 marathon for a final time of 7:48:11. The top four all broke the eight hour mark – and you can find the updated Sub-8 iron-distance stats HERE.

#IMCozumel @SebastianKienle is your 2017 IRONMAN Cozumel Champion in a course record time of 7:48:11! Photo: @TalbotCox pic.twitter.com/iMXKLjZ41H

— IRONMANLive (@IRONMANLive) November 26, 2017

Course records too for the women, where Lisa Roberts (who recently had her third-place at Challenge Roth disqualified with this Public Warning for Doping Violation decision from USADA), took top spot – to add to recent victories at Challenge Madrid and IRONMAN Louisville.

All looked very different at T2 however, where Rachel McBride (CAN) held a lead over almost seven minutes over Anja Beranek (GER), 18 minutes over Kirsty Jahn (CAN) and 23 and 24 minutes respectively on Alicia Kaye (USA) and Jessie Donavan (USA). Roberts was only sixth, 26 minutes in arrears at the time.

Roberts ran a speedy Sub-3 (2:59:20) marathon which, as several in front faded, took her towards the front end of the race – and by around the 20-mile mark she took the lead. Kirsty Jahn (CAN) ran a strong 3:11:54 to take second place – and join the Sub-9 club, with another fast run from Sonja Tajsich (GER) – 3:02:01 – taking her past fellow German, Beranek, to claim the final podium position.

You can find the updated Sub-9 iron-distance stats HERE.

IRONMAN Cozumel, Sunday 26th November 2017
3.8km / 180km / 42.2km

Pro Men

1st – Sebastian Kienle (GER) – 7:48:11
2nd – Michael Weiss (AUT) – 7:53:27
3rd – Ivan Rana (ESP) – 7:58:39
4th – Stefan Schmid (GER) – 7:59:44
5th – Trevor Delsaut (FRA) – 8:07:10

Pro Women

1st – Lisa Roberts (USA) – 8:54:00
2nd – Kirsty Jahn (CAN) – 8:58:27
3rd – Sonja Tajsich (GER) – 9:00:53
4th – Anja Beranek (GER) – 9:03:41
5th – Sue Huse (CAN) – 9:13:18