Isn’t Lionel Sanders too old to win big races? And not too slow to win half-distance races? Critics regularly wonder aloud, but the Canadian athlete spoke with his legs today and won a stunning Ironman 70.3 Oceanside.
Initially it was Greg Harper who recorded the fastest swim time (22:48), but Magnus Männer, Seth Rider and Casper Stornes were also right there early in the race. Big names such as Ben Kanute (+0:41), Rudy von Berg (+1:04), Kristian Blummenfelt (+1:07), Gustav Iden (+1:10) and Patrick Lange (+1:59) were slightly more behind, while Sanders only came back from the water in 31st place when he had a gap of over three minutes.
During the bike, a large group quickly formed at the front, as the Norwegians, among others, rode to the leading group and Von Berg and Kanute also managed to approach. There was then bad news for Blummenfelt, as by puncturing he had the misfortune to lose his good position and after that he would not compete for a top position anymore. Meanwhile, Sanders gained back quite a bit of time and especially positions, but in T2 he was lying eighth and his deficit, which had first been reduced to about two minutes, had grown again to almost three minutes. At the front, Justin Riele was first back in transition area, followed by Von Berg in second at half a minute and Stornes in third at 1:13 minute. Rider followed in fourth at 1:40, followed immediately by Kanute and Iden.
During the run, a wonderful battle then ensued that hardly anyone will have taken into account given the differences in T2, but yet it was Rider, Von Berg, Iden and Sanders who joined the four of them after about ten kilometers. That Sanders had thus already made up almost three minutes on some of the best athletes in the world apparently did not bother the Canadian, because a few kilometers later he left his three direct competitors behind, opening up a gap and managed to run solo to victory.
Sanders won the race in 3:47:01. Von Berg was second in 3:47:42 and Iden third in 3:48:06.
The women’s race was won by Paula Findlay (4:16:50), Jackie Hering was second (4:17:09) and Danielle Lewis was third (4:18:18).
