Thrilling action at Eagleman
It wasn't all about the bike, but that was the key ingredient in the hard-fought victories of Andrew Starykowicz and Heather Wurtele at Ironman 70.3 Eagleman.
Interestingly, both winners were closely challenged on the bike leg and Starykowicz and Wurtele posted creditable runs to hold two of triathlon’s most fleet-footed stars by narrow margins at the finish.
Eric Limkemann led the men out of the water in 25:24, and he was followed closely by Andrew Yoder, two-time Olympic medalist Bevan Docherty, 5th-place Kona finisher Tim O'Donnell and formidable cyclist Andrew Starykowicz.
Starykowicz battled Yoder throughout the 56-mile bike segment and in the end came away with a race best 2:02:13 bike split, a time that was 21 seconds quicker than the effort of Yoder. O'Donnell ended up with a solid 2:05:50, but that meant a just about 3 minute disadvantage over the 2 leaders. Kiwi Bevan Docherty collected a 4 minute drafting penalty along the way, and that brought Limkemann and Leon Griffin into the bike-run transition in 4th and 5th positions.
O'Donnell began a spectacular chase that steadily ate away at Starky's advantage, and he caught the leader with about 3 miles to go. From there it was a fierce running battle with each athlete surging at different times. As the finish line came closer O'Donnell started the sprint but Starykowicz had more gas and pulled past O'Donnell and captured the win in 3:47:27 with a 1:17:27 run. O'Donnell crossed the line 6-seconds later with a 1:14:39 run. Leon Griffin, who started the run 7:57 behind, posted a superb 1:14:15 run to pass Docherty in the final mile to take the final spot on the podium, 4:44 behind the winner. Yoder on the other hand apparently paid for his battle with Starykowicz and ran 1:31:51 to finish 11th.
"To finally have a run that is representative of the hard work I put in is actually just a beautiful thing," said a clearly elated Andrew Starykowicz to slowtwitch. "Every athlete works hard on their weakness and to finally put in a good run is just awesome."
Starykowicz also had a few thoughts about the talented Yoder.
"Andrew is so talented on the bike and he is so smooth," said Starykowicz. "I know I rock (side-to-side), and I am not as aero as he is. He is the future for the United States. Just watching him ride the few times he was ahead of me I though he is the real deal."
Heather Wurtele, coming off Ironman 70.3 wins at Monterrey and Oceanside and a 3rd at St. George, started her day with a 30:05 swim that left her 2:51 off the lead swimmer Anna Cleaver, about 1:40 back of Radka Vodickova, Caitlin Snow and Ashley Clifford, and just 7 seconds back of fellow Canadian and fiercely talented cyclist Rachel McBride.
On the bike leg, McBride managed a race-best 2:15:13 split and Wurtele countered with a 2:15:37 – times which gave the dynamic Canadian cyclists a 5-minute lead on killer runner Caitlin Snow and a virtual out of reach 8-minutes-plus on the rest of the field.
Wurtele quickly pulled away from McBride, but was in no mood to relax as the specter of Snow's run was a palpable nightmare. And Snow indeed inched closer and closer. At the finish, Snow's race-best 1:18:57 run cut 4:04 from Wurtele's lead, but the Canadian's 3rd-best 1:23:01 run got her to the finish in 4:11:03 with a 36 seconds margin of victory. McBride ran 1:30:01 and that was enough to earn the final spot on the podium – 1:24 ahead of 4th placed Radka Vodickova who had a 2nd-best 1:21:01 half marathon.
"I was very happy the swim was non wetsuit because the water was very warm, but I am not so happy with my swim," said Heather Wurtele to slowtwitch. "I had great ride legs, but definitely felt like the run speed was lacking. No doubt due to the Ironman Couer D'Alene training block I'm in the thick of. But I'm sure its the same for other athletes in the pro ranks. The course was great and I was happy to take the win in some heat and humidity!"
Ironman 70.3 Eagleman
Cambridge, Maryland
June 8, 2014
1.2m swim / 56 bike / 13.1m run
Men
1. Andrew Starykowicz (USA) 3:47:27
2. Tim O'Donnell (USA) 3:47:32
3. Leon Griffin (AUS) 3:52:11
4. Bevan Docherty (NZL) 3:52:51
5. Eric Limkemann (USA) 3:53:30
Women
1. Heather Wurtele (CAN) 4:11:03
2. Caitlin Snow (USA) 4:11:39
3. Rachel McBride (CAN) 4:17:37
4. Radka Vodickova (CZE) 4:19:01
5. Ashley Clifford (USA) 4:23:39
