2009 Wildflower Long Course

Someone said that Wildflower was so tough it was the equivalent of a 3/4 of an Ironman. Throw in typically tough international fields, the rugged rolling hills on the bike plus Nasty Grade, and the rugged hilly trails filled with rocks and off camber single track, and the four hour mark for men stood for 23 years until Simon Lessing broke through. After Lessing, the deluge as Terenzo Bozzone smashed that mark to smithereens in 2006 with a 3:53. The race is known as the Woodstock of Triathlon as thousands of enthusiastic fans jam the campgrounds to cheer on the pros and doughty amateurs, with the finishers ranging from 4 to 8-plus hours. It's unique ands one of the great triathlon challenges on the planet.

Alexis Smith, usually pink haired, stretches before battle

Sunny Gilbert smiles

Becky Lavelle like husband Brian Lavelle's new lush beard and rewards him with a pre race kiss. The former champion "wasn't ready" to race this year.

Casual pre race chatter

Jordan Rapp is in the zone for a 4th place finish

Age group wave attacks the start

Age group man edges cautiously toward 64-degree Lake San Antonio

Fettell wins the swim prime over a slipping Andy Potts, who successfully fought the slight ankle sprain the rest of the day.

Virginia Berasategui enjoyed the day from beginning to end, and posted the fifth fastest women's time in Wildflower history.

Rachel Challis of Carlsbad leads a pack of pros up Beach Hill.

Berasategui loves the Wildflower bike almost as much as Lanzarote's – she is a the 2004 and 2005 champion there.

Ben Hoffman of Durango Colorado gulps Gatorade on his way to a 9th place finish.

Bjorn Andersson set fastest bike time of 2:17:08 – two minutes slower than the last two years – and led into T2. But physical woes forced a DNF on the run..

Andy Potts grinding up Nasty Grade. he stayed with the leading pack (behind Andersson) the whole ride, then crushed Eneko Llanos and Reinaldo Colucci with a 1:14:38 run for a 3:23 margin of victory

Lars Finanger runs past the solitary splendor of the creek at Mile 3.5 to a 4:19:44 18th place finish.

Leanda Cave hangs on in the run for her second straight runner-up finish.

Pre-race co-co favorites Chris Lieto and Terenzo Bozzone had strong bikes but faded to 7th and 8th on the run.

Andy Potts, with son Boston on his strong shoulders, celebrates his win with the third fastest time in Wildflower history – 3:59:41

Virginia Berasategui led virtually wire to wire and smiled wire to wire for her 5 minute 13 second margin of victory in 4:35:00.

Terenzo Bozzone, who set the amazing course record of 3:53 just three years ago at age 21, just ran out of gas in 2009.