Kona 09 – Men’s Finish
Yes, it’s an easy shot, the Ironman World Championship finish line at Kona. The later afternoon sun shines on their faces. The men give their best finishing gestures and smiles and leaps in ecstatic celebration and hands held high in triumph or understated workmanlike quiet pride. The pros rarely show the extremes of emotion, but underneath the mask there are subtle clues about their character and how the day had gone. Look closely, read them. There are lessons about the human spirit to be learned.
Photo Gallery by Timothy Carlson
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Craig Alexander just joined a pretty exclusive club – the men who have won more than one Ironman Hawaii. It started with Dave Scott (6), then Scott Tinley (2), and continued with Mark Allen (6), Luc Van Lierde (2), Peter Reid (3), Tim DeBoom (2), Normann Stadler (2), and now the honor roll expands to include Craig Alexander.
Chris Lieto thanks a higher power for his second place in 8:22:56. His previous best had been 6th in 2007. But on this day, it took Craig Alexander 22 miles of the marathon before taking charge of the race. Lieto, the top cyclist in 4:25:10, worked hard to build a run to challenge for the title.
More than Ironman glory, Chris Lieto loves his family.
Kona rookie Andreas Raelert dueled Crowie for 9 miles of the run before settling at third place in 8:24:32, running a second-best 2:51:04.
Chris McCormack, the 2007 champion, said that this year’s 4th place in which he overcame a mid-run meltdown, was his best effort here. Just 48 seconds off the podium.
Rasmus Henning of Denmark overcame a recently broken hand to finish 5th.in his Kona debut in 8:28:17.
Timo Bracht redeemed his 2008 DQ with a strong 6th place finish in 8:28:52
Wife Bettina tells Bracht he ran a race to be proud of.
Luxembourg Olympian Dirk Bockel finished 7th in 8:29:55.
Pete Jacobs follows up a 3rd place at Roth with a 7th at Kona in 8:30:15.
Andy Potts finished two places back of his 2008 Kona debut. But he overcame painful injuries suffered six weeks earlier at Chicago and dedicated his race to a relative.
Potts gestures to the sky after finishing 9th in 8:30:30.
Faris Al-Sultan did not match his 7th place in 2003, 3rd in 2005, 1st in 2005, and 3rd in 2006. But his 10th place marks the beginning of a return to form and his limitless possibilities.
Terenzo Bozzone played it conservatively in his Kona debut at age 24, and for his troubles came home 11th in 8:34:45.
Matthias Hecht of Switzerland was 8th last year, but fell slightly to 13th this year in 8:37:29.
We all need someone we can lean on. Amanda Balding is that person for Luke McKenzie of Australia, who finished 15th in 8:38:38.
Clemente Alonso-McKernan of Salamanca, Spain, finished 17th in 8:48:53 with 2:58:28 marathon.
Ronnie Schildknecht of Switzerland finished 4th last year, but this time around took 18th in 8:49:15.
If this weren’t the Ironman Hawaii finishing chute, Christian Brader of Germany might have been asked to take a breathalyzer test. Here he is wobbling in at 26th place in 8:57:39.
In the 31st edition of the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii, Craig Alexander won his second straight title in 8:20:21, 2 minutes 35 seconds in front of runner-up Chris Lieto.
