Hoffman, Williamson prevail at Branson 70.3
Durango Colorado’s Ben Hoffman outran Great Britain's Tom Lowe and Austin, Texas’ Kelly Williamson did the same to Canadian Angela Naeth as the two swifter runners took top honors at Ironman 70.3 Branson.
Hoffman, coming off a 2nd at Ironman St. George, a win at Ironman Lake Placid and a 2nd at Boise 70.3, overcame a race-best 2:12:15 bike by Canadian Tom Lowe with a second-best 1:17:34 run to take the win at the popular country music Mecca in Missouri.
Hoffman combined a 9th-best 25:25 swim, a 2nd-best 2:17:10 bike and 2nd-best 1:17:34 run to finish in 4:02:53 with a 2:45 margin of victory over Lowe. Brian Fleischmann, who finished 10th at the 2009 Ironman 70.3 World Championship, took third in 4:08:25, Michael Lovato of Boulder, Colorado took 4th in 4:11:04 and James Cotter of Austin, Texas took 5th in 4:14:36.
Kelly Williamson, coming into Branson after a 3rd place at Rev3 Knoxville, a 2nd at Rev3 Quassy, a 3rd at Ironman Coeur d’Alene, and wins at Steelhead 70.3 and the Austin Olympic distance triathlon, came out of the swim third, just 12 seconds back of Australian Pip Taylor and 11 seconds back of Germany’s Nina Kraft. Williamson then surrendered 4:35 to Angela Naeth’s 2:31:31 bike. This put the two virtually equal starting the run, since Naeth’s slow 30:04 swim gave up the same time to she gained on Williamson in the bike.
On the run, Williamson’s swift 1:21:47 half marathon put 7:29 on Naeth, 10:46 on Pip Taylor and 6:56 on Kraft, whose 2:45:34 bike did her no favors.
At the finish, Williamson’s 4:25:47 total time blitzed runner-up Naeth’s 4:33:47, third-place Taylor’s 4:41:57 and fourth place Kraft’s 4:42:41 finish time.
Ironman 70.3 Branson
Branson, Missouri
September 19, 2010
S 1.2 mi. / B 56 mi. / R 13.1 mi.
Results
Men
1. Ben Hoffman (USA) 4:02:53
2. Tom Lowe (GBR) 4:05:38
3. Brian Fleischmann (USA) 4:08:25
4. Michael Lovato (USA) 4:11:04
5. James Cotter (USA) 4:14:36
6. Brent Poulsen (USA) 4:15:14
7. Gavin Anderson (USA) 4:21:40 * M30-34
8. TJ Tollakson (USA) 4:21:44
9. Jonathan Shearon (USA) 4:37:39 * M35-39
10. Scott Bredehoft (USA) 4:39:34 * M25-29
Women
1. Kelly Williamson (USA) 4:25:47
2. Angela Naeth (CAN) 4:33:47
3. Pip Taylor (AUS) 4:41:57
4. Nina Kraft (GER) 4:42:41
5. Marisa Asplund (USA) 4:59:16
6. Tami Ritchie (USA) 5:02:30 *W25-29
7. Ali Rutledge (USA) 5:22:00 *F35-39
8. Betsy Mercer (USA) 5:22:52 *W30-34
9. Kari Fritchie (USA) 5:26:03 *W18-24
10. Jessica Imm (USA) 5:26:09 * W25-29
