Heather Jackson takes Placid
Heather Jackson is building a strong resume at Ironman events.
After a 3rd place at her Ironman debut at Ironman Arizona in 2014, a win at Ironman Coeur d’Alene in 2015 and a 5th place at the Ironman World Championship last October, Jackson added another jewel to her Ironman résumé with a smashing victory at Ironman Lake Placid. After an age group-only event last year, Ironman Lake Placid offered a women-pros-only prize money category on top of the usual sold-out age group field.
Jackson combined a 4th-best 1:00:22 swim (which put her 5:57 behind Alicia Kaye), a red-hot 4:57:36 bike split (23:41 better than her next-best rival), and a women's-best 3:07:00 marathon to finish in 9:09:42 with a 35:18 margin of victory over Annah Watkinson of South Africa and 43:49 on 3rd-place Alicia Kaye of the U.S.
Jackson topped Heather Wurtele’s 2011 Ironman Lake Placid women’s race record by 9:21.
Gradually, Jackson seems to be aiming at matching her Ironman 70.3 successes at the Ironman distance. But the 3-time Wildflower winner, 2-time Oceanside 70.3 winner and 2nd place finisher at the 2013 Ironman 70.3 World Championship still has a ways to go to match and surpass her 70.3 record.
Ironman Lake Placid
Lake Placid, New York
July 24, 2016
S 2.4 mi. / B 112 mi. / R 26.2 mi.
Results
Pro Women
1, Heather Jackson (USA) 9:09:42
2. Annah Watkinson (RSA) 9:45:00
3. Alicia Kaye (USA) 9:53:31
4. Beth Shutt (USA) 10:17:00
5. Nicole Valentine (USA) 10:33:44
