Potts, Piampiano win NOLA 70.3
U.S. competitors Andy Potts and Sarah Piampiano won the elite titles at New Orleans 70.3 Sunday. Potts led the swim, stayed in touch on the bike and ran away from Matt Chrabot late in the run to finish in 3:39:49 with 41 seconds margin of victory on Chrabot and 2:47 on 3rd place Tim Reed of Australia.
In a wild women's finish in which four women were within one minute with 6 kilometers to go, Piampiano burst past Lauren Goss, Katy Blakemore and Danielle Mack in the final miles to finish in 4:15:17 with a 1:59 margin on Danielle Mack and 2:07 on 3rd-place finisher Katy Blakemore.
Men
Andy Potts led the swim in 18:35, followed closely by Eric Limkemann (18:37) Matt Chrabot (18:40) then, after a big gap, came Drew Scott (19:20), Tim Reed of Australia (19:26), Mark Bowstead of New Zealand (20:14), with Trevor Wurtele of Canada (20:19) and Ben Hoffman of the U.S. (20:20) in 9th and 10th,
According to timing, Chrabot (2:02:16) and Potts (2:02:24) posted the 3rd and 4th fastest splits to take the lead, followed by 90 seconds back by Canadians Trevor Wurtele (2:01:54) and Cody Beals (2:01:59). However, observers on the scene reported that Wurtele and Beals led Potts and Chrabot by 20 seconds. Lurking in 6th was multiple 2015 winner Tim Reed, trailing by 3:05 and Ben Hoffman, 2 seconds further back.
Ten kilometers into the run, Potts and Chrabot were running shoulder to shoulder in the lead, while a charging Reed had closed the gap to 2:14. At 15k, Potts led Chrabot by a single second, with Reed 1:53 back and Hoffman in 4th, 3:06 arrears.
Finally Potts put the race away with a 2nd-best 1:15:54 run to finish in 3:39:49 with a 41 seconds margin on Chrabot (1:16:32 run) and 2:47 over 3rd-place Reed who ran a race-best 1:15:34.
Women
Jennifer Spieldenner of the U.S. led the swim with a 19:51 split, followed 1 second later by fellow U.S. competitor Lauren Goss. Next up were Tami Ritchie (21:00), Katy Blakemore (21:02), Ashley Clifford ( 21:06) and Anna Cleaver (21:21). Trailing in 10th was dangerous cyclist-runner Danielle Mack at 23:53.
After the bike, Goss used a 6th-best 2:22:57 split to take a 6-seconds lead over Spieldenner (5th best 2:22:54), 1:25 over Katy Blakemore (2:22:52), 2:12 over Hallie Blunck (2:21:04), 2:18 over Danielle Mack (2nd-best 2:20:50 split) 2:24 over Anna Cleaver (2:23:49) and 2:30 over Sarah Piampiano (women's best 2:20:03 split).
By 5k into the run, Goss 1:31 lead on Spieldenner, 2:17 on Blakemore, 2:51 on Mack, 3:00 on Blunck and 5:18 on Piampiano.
By 10k, Mack advanced to fight with Blakemore for 2nd, 1:40 behind Goss. Piampiano was 3rd, 2:28 down and Blunck held 5th, 2:51 down.
By 15k, Mack took the lead and three women were within one minute. Goss was second, 29 seconds down, Piampiano 3rd, 45 seconds back, Blakemore 4th, 51 seconds arrears.
In a wild turnaround, Piampiano closed with a women's-best 1:26:21 run to top runner-up Mack by 1:59 and outpace 3rd-place Blakemore by 2:07. Goss, who led most of the way, fell to 4th with a 1:33:12 run.
An hour after the finish, Jennifer Spieldenner was not listed as a finisher.
New Orleans 70.3
New Orleans, Louisiana
April 19, 2015
S 1.2 mi. / B 56 mi. / R 13.1 mi.
Results
Men
1. Andy Potts (USA) 3:39:49
2. Matt Chrabot (USA) 3:40:30
3. Tim Reed (AUS) 3:42:36
4. Cody Beals (CAN) 3:43:14
5. Ben Hoffman (USA) 3:43:41
6. Mark Bowstead (NZL) 3:44:56
7. Trevor Wurtele (CAN) 3:50:20
8. Joe Skipper (GBR) 3:50:26
9. Drew Scott (USA) 3:52:44
10. Mike Hermanson (USA) 3:56:09
Women
1.Sarah Piampiano (USA) 4:15:17
2. Danielle Mack (USA) 4:17:16
3. Katy Blakemore (USA) 4:17:24
4. Lauren Goss (USA) 4:19:32
5. Hallie Blunck (USA) 4:21:10
6. Alice Hector (GBR) 4:22:43
7. Dani Fischer (USA) 4:25:46
8. Tamara Kozulima (UKR) 4:25:55
