Allen, Slack take Saipan
XTERRA’s current top elite couple, Ben Allen and Jacqui Slack, won the elite titles at Saipan Saturday.
Allen reprised his 2012 title by a 7:42 margin over runner-up Dan Hugo of South Africa – much more comfortable than his 39 seconds margin over Olivier Marceau last year. Conditions were tougher than last year’s cool and breezy weather as Allen’s winning time of 2:36:36 was 5:31 slower than his 2012 performance. South African Bradley Weiss took the final spot on the podium, 6:36 behind Hugo.
Allen's swim (20:33), bike (1:25:27) and run (50:36) were all race bests.
In the women’s race, Slack topped runner-up Carina Wasle of Austria by 7 minutes 30 seconds. Slack’s winning time of 3:06:00 came within 1:14 of her runner-up finish last year. Defending champion Renata Bucher finished 3rd, 10:49 behind Slack and 21 minutes and 53 seconds off her 2012 winning time.
Slack combined a race-best swim (22:54), bike (1:44:38) and 2nd best run (58:28, second only to Wasle's 57:22) to dominate the day.
The Allen-Slack victories marked the second time the couple have earned the men's and women's top spots on an XTERRA international podium.
XTERRA Saipan
Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands
March 9, 2013
S 1.5k / B 30k / R 11k
Results
Elite Men
1. Ben Allen (AUS) 2:36:36
2. Dan Hugo (RSA) 2:44:18
3. Bradley Weiss (RSA) 2:50:54
4. Sam Gardner (GBR) 2:52:05
5. Takahiro Ogasawara (JPN) 2:56:03
6. Olivier Marceau (SUI) 2:59:45
7. Rory Downie (GBR) 3:03:49
Elite Women
1. Jacqui Slack (GBR) 3:06:00
2. Carina Wasle (AUT ) 3:13:30
3. Renata Bucher (SUI) 3:16:49
4. Mieko Carey (Saipan) 3:22:01
5. Daz Parker (GBR) 3:49:07
6. Miyazaki Yasuko (JPN) 3:59:24
