American Sam Long, the runner-up at the Ironnman 70.3 World Championship in St. George, Utah, last year, came into Clash Miami as the favorite, and lived up to that billing with an impressive race that saw him bike and run his way to the win.
Olympians Jonas Schomburg (GER) and Aaron Royle (AUS) led the men out of the water with 2016 American Olympian Ben Kanute close behind in third. Once out on the bike course Kanute surged to the front of the race, gradually pulling away from the two swim leaders. Long, who was 2:30 down after the swim, started to move towards the front of the race with Denmark’s Magnus Ditlev staying close behind. Long would surge to the front of the race over the last few laps of the ride, hitting T2 ahead of Kanute, with Ditlev in third.
Once out on the run there was no stopping Long as he maintained a steady pace out in the lead. Ditlev would move into second ahead of Kanute, staying about 45 seconds behind Long for much of the run. Ditlev would suddenly drop out of contention with a couple of laps to go. Kanute found himself in a battle for second with another American, Jason West, who was using the day’s fastest run to contend for second.
At the finish line Long took the win in 2:39:55, with West running his way to second in 2:41:47. Kanute hung tough for third in 2:42:32, just holding off a surging Youri Keulen from the Netherlands, who took fourth in 2:42:51.
Men’s Top 10:
1. Sam Long, 2:39:55 6. Jackson Laundry, 2:45:40
2. Jason West, 2:41:47 7. Reinaldo Colucci, 2:46:29
3. Ben Kanute, 2:42:31 8. Jonas Schomburg, 2:46:34
4. Youri Keulen, 2:42:51 9. Chris Leiferman, 2:46:46
5. T.J. Butterfield, 2:43:18 10. Matthew Sharpe, 2:47:31
