Sanders, Jewett Lead Canadian Sweep at Mont Tremblant
Lionel Sanders overcame a near two minutes deficit after the swim and a flat tire to demonstrate his “No Limits” motto in impressive fashion, finishing in 3:48:02 with a 2:14 margin over runner-up Tomas Rodriguez Hernandez of Mexico and 2:44 over third place finisher and fellow Canadian Jackson Laundry.
In an unfortunate airline baggage snafu, pre-race favorite Flora Duffy’s Specialized Shiv bike was delayed in transit and the Olympic gold medalist could not start. In addition to missing a chance to compete at Mont Tremblant, Duffy may have lost a last chance to qualify for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship.
Which is not to day that the women’s contest lacked a first-rate winner. Home country favorite Tamara Jewett blasted away from her rivals with a 1:20:13 half marathon – 9 minutes faster than her nearest pursuer – to finish in 4:19:30 with a 9:06 margin over Amber Ferreira and 12:27 ahead of third place finisher Rachel Olson.
Pro Men
Luis Ortiz led the pro men’s swim wave with a 23:43 split that was 4 seconds ahead of Matt Schafer of the U.S. and Canadian Brent McMahon, 7 seconds ahead of U.S. competitor Hunter Lussi, 16 seconds in front of Tomas Rodrigues Hernandez of Mexico, 55 seconds ahead of Cody Beals of Canada, 1:06 and 1:07 in front of Canadians Taylor Reid and Oceanside 70.3 winner Jackson Laundry.
Most pertinent in the overall contest, Lionel Sanders arrived at the beach in 11th place, 1:47 behind Ortiz and 40 seconds behind Laundry.
Soon into the bike leg, Sanders lost more time coping with a flat tire and so he went to work chopping away at the deficit. After a race-best 2:05:17 bike split – 3:13 faster than his nearest rivals – Sanders arrived at T2 with a 2:35 lead on Laundry. After a second-best 1:13:59 half marathon, Sanders finished in 3:48:02 with a 2:14 margin on Hernandez (race-best 1:13:14 run split) and 2:44 on third-place Laundry (1:14:13 run split).
Pro Women
Rachel Olson of the U.S. led the women out of the water with a 24:45 split that gave her a 1:25 lead on Sonja Catano of the U.S., 3:39 on Pamela Tastets of Chile, and 3:42 on Jewett.
Whereupon Jewett went to work closing the gap on the bike. After a second-best 2:27:15 bike split, Jewett arrived 36 seconds behind Catano at T2, and 9 seconds ahead of Amber Ferreira of the U.S. (women’s-fastest 2:26:09 bike split) with Olson in 4th place, 3:19 arrears.
Once the run began, it was Katy-bar-the-door as Jewett unleashed her mighty run skills – a likely match for Flora Duffy on some days. Jewett completed the run in 1:20:13 which brought her to the finish line in 4:19:30 with a 9:05 margin on Ferreira and 12:27 on Olson, the final woman on the podium.
Since switching from track to triathlon in 2017 after a torn plantar fascia, in 2021 Jewett 2on Timberman 70.3 and took second at Augusta 70.3, and this year placed second to Sarah True at Eagleman 70.3.
Ironman 70.3 Mont Tremblant
Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada
June 26, 2022
S 1.2 mi. / B 56 mi. / R 13.1 mi.
Men
1. Lionel Sanders (CAN) S 25:30 T1 2:09 B 2:05:17 T2 1:08 R 1:13:59 TOT 3:48:02
2. Tomas Rodriguez Hernandez (MEX) 23:59 T1 2:13 B 2:09:28 T2 1:24 R 1:13:14 TOT 3:50:16
3. Jackson Laundry (CAN) 24:50 T1 2:11 B 2:08:30 T2 1:04 R 1:14:13 TOT 3:50:46
4. Cody Beals (CAN) S 24:38 T1 2:12 B 2:08:44 T2 00:56 R 1:14:29 TOT 3:50:56
5. Nicholas Chase (USA) S 24:52 T1 2:16 B 2:08:29 T2 1:03 R 1:18:43 TOT 3:55:22
6. Luis Ortiz (USA) S 23:43 T1 2:09 B 2:09:50 T2 00:55 R 1:19:57 TOT 3:56:32
7. Taylor Reid (CAN) S 24:49 T1 2:10 B 2:08:47 T2 1:12 R 1:20:43 TOT 3:57:39
8. Brent McMahon (CAN) S 23:47 T1 2:03 B 2:09:46 T2 1:14 R 1:22:45 TOT 3:59:33
9. Hunter Lussi (USA) S 23:50 T1 2:41 B 2:09:19 T2 1:25 T 1:23:56 TOT 4:01:08
10. Matt Schafer (USA) S 23:47 T1 2:27 B 2:13:43 T2 1:49 R 1:20:35 TOT 4:02:20
Women
1. Tamara Jewett (CAN) S 28:28 T1 2:27 B 2:27:15 T2 1:10 R 1:20:13 TOT 4:19:30
2. Amber Ferreira (USA) S 29:01 T1 3:09 B 2:26:09 T2 1:12 R 1:29:07 TOT 4:28:36
3. Rachel Olson (USA) S 24:45 T1 2:26 B 2:33:42 T2 1:16 R 1:29:50 TOT 4:31:57
4. Sonia Catano (USA) S 26:10 T1 2:21 B 2:29:02 T2 1:12 R 1:35:28 TOT 4:34:11
5. Pamela-Ann Bachelder St. Pierre (CANJ S 32:34 T1 2:47 B 2:28:34 T2 1:00 R 1:30:23 TOT 4:35:17
6. Melanie McQuaid (CAN) S 28:58 T1 2:35 B 2:32:23 T2 1:24 R 1:36:52 TOT 4:42:08
7. Heather Low (CAN) S 31:30 T1 2:50 B 2:38:53 T2 1:41 R 1:33:33 TOT 4:48:23
8. Ginger Howell (USA) S 31:01 T1 3:38 B 2:41:14 T2 1:27 R 1:32:25 TOT 4:49:43
9. Anne Basso (FRA) S 29:35 T1 2:36 B 2:41:30 T2 2:38 R 1:34:39 TOT 4:50:55
10. Amanda Wendorff (USA) S 30:14 T1 3:02 B 2:37:20 T2 1:24 R 1:42:36 TOT 4:54:34
