A well-executed race just saw Britain’s Emma Pallant take place on the highest podium spot at the Ironman 70.3 European Championship in Elsinore, Denmark. Australia’s Ashleigh Gentle settled in second place (+1:37), while Britain’s India Lee ran to third (+3:26). Given Gentle’s Australian nationality, the European Championship silver medal was for Lee and Dutch Sarissa de Vries – who finished fourth overall – ended up with bronze at the European Championship.
In the water, five athletes created a gap towards the rest of the field: Gentle, Australia’s Ellie Salthouse, Dutch Sarissa de Vries, Lee and Pallant were all within 10 seconds of each other. Once in the saddle, Gentle, Lee and Pallant dared to attack, but it didn’t give the effect that they hoped for, because although they rode off about 40 seconds from their chasers, they were nearly caught again before T2. By the time they racked their bikes, Gentle, Lee and Pallant were only ten seconds ahead of De Vries and Britain’s Ruth Astle.
She may have been slightly patient during the bike part, but on the run Pallant no longer accepted her chasers to hang onto her. In 10K, she had created a gap of 40 seconds to Gentle, while Lee was in third (+2:15). That didn’t change during the final kilometers. That saw Pallant, who ran 1:16:17 hour on the half-marathon, break the tape. Gentle took second (+1:37) and Lee completed the podium (+3:26).
