Canadians Sanders, Findlay zoom to Challenge Daytona wins
Lionel Sanders and Paula Findlay used race-best runs to pull away from their rivals and take the victories at the second Challenge Daytona, finishing under the lights at the famed NASCAR speedway.
Men
Sanders overcame a 2:34 deficit after the swim with a second-fastest 1:14:54 bike split comprised of 15 laps around the apron of the 2.5-mile super speedway, leaving him 25 seconds behind U.S. star and bike leader Andrew Starykowicz. Under the 2000 watt metal halide lights, Sanders left Starykowicz, Pablo Dapena Gonzalez of Spain and Jason West of the U.S. behind with a race-best 42:51 split for the 8.2-mile run. Sanders finished in 2:23:02 with a 29 seconds margin of victory over Gonzalez (43:31 run split) and 4:29 over 3rd place finisher West (43:19 run). Starykowicz faded to 4th place with a 48:25 run that left him 21 seconds behind West.
To illustrate how fast the track was – all flat on the apron and not at all on the 31-degree high banks – Starykowicz averaged 30.12 miles per hour for the 15-lap, 37.5 mile leg course which had contenders cramped in the aero position the entire way.
Sanders thus capped off a year marred by several months lost to injury mid-season before he finished with wins at Los Cabos 70.3, Augusta 70.3, Indian Wells 70.3 and now Challenge Daytona.
Women
Findlay finished the swim in 4th place (22:49 split) and overcame a 1:09 deficit to swim leader Lucy Charles-Barclay with a tied-with-Lisa Norden- for women’s-best 1:25:01 bike split. This left her virtually tied with Charles-Barclay and Norden at T2. Starting the run, Findlay and Charles-Barclay left Norden behind, then Findlay drew away to victory with a women's-best 48:52 run, 58 seconds faster than Charles-Barclay. Findlay crossed the line in 2:38:46 with a 1:01 margin of victory over Charles-Barclay and 5:04 over Norden, who faded to 3rd place with a 53:45 run split. Meredith Kessler of the U.S. took 4th place, 5:59 behind the Canadian.
Findlay, focusing her once dominant Olympic distance ITU form at the 70.3 distance, followed her 2018 win at St. George 70.3, 2nd place at 2018 Santa Cruz 70.3, 2nd place earlier this year at St. George 70.3, and a win at last week's Indian Wells 70.3 with this sweet win at Daytona.
After a tremendous start to the 2019 season, which included wins at the Ironman Africa Championship, Challenge Championship, Staffordshire 70.3 and Challenge Roth, Charles-Barclay closed with a disappointing-for-her 5th place at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship, another 2nd at Kona, and this second place at the international capital of automotive speed.
Challenge Daytona
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona Beach, Florida
December 14, 2019
S 1 mi. – 2 laps / B 37.5 mi. – 15 laps / R 8.2 mi. – 2 laps
Results
Pro Men
1. Lionel Sanders (CAN) 2:23:02 S 23:15 B 1:14:54 R 42:51
2. Pablo Dapena Gonzalez (ESP) 2:23:31 S 20:44 B 1:17:22 R 43:31
3. Jason West (USA) 2:27:31 S 20:46 B 1:21:26 R 43:19
4. Andrew Starykowicz (USA) 2:27:52 S 22:25 B 1:14:43 R 48:25
5. Joe Maloy (USA) 2:28:27 S 20:47 B 1:20:56 R 44:52
6. Magnus Ditlev (DEN) 2:29:51 S 22:54 B 1:15:48 R 48:31
7. Kieran Lindars (GBR) 2:30:43 S 20:41 B 1:23:37 R 44:19
8. Reece Barclay (GBR) 2:32:59 S 21:53 B 1:21:49 R 46:47
9. Taylor Reid (CAN) 2:33:29 S 23:12 B 1:20:50 R 47:15
10. Tomasz Szala (POL) 2:33:54 S 23:23 B 1:21:00 R 47:17
Pro Women
1. Paula Findlay (CAN) 2:38:46 S 22:49 B 1:25:01 T 48:52
2. Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR) 2:39:47 S 21:40 B 1:26:14 R 49:50
3. Lisa Norden (SWE) 2:43:50 S 22:50 B 1:25:01 R 53:45
4. Meredith Kessler (USA) 2:44:45 S 23:10 B 1:29:01 R 49:44
5. Laura Siddall (GBR) S 2:51:41 26:09 B 1:30:00 R 53:00
6. Rebeccah Wassner (USA) S 2:52:35 24:12 B 1:31:59 R 53:27
7. Laurel Wassner (USA) 2:54:21 S 24:35 B 1:32:24 R 54:48
8. Kate Bruck (USA) 2:54:54 S 26:15 B 1:32:22 R 53:20
9. Kristen Marchant (CAN) 2:57:09 S 25:09 B 1:33:13 R 55:36
10. Robin Pomeroy (USA) 2:57:34 S 24:14 B 1:33:09 R 57:54
