Kona 2012 – race gallery 2
The 36th edition of Ironman Hawaii, aka the Ironman World Championship, offered a break in a string of heavily favored winners. Instead Madame Pele shuffled the deck and allowed two highly deserving first time winners – Pete Jacobs and Leanda Cave – to join the immortals.
Part 1 of Timothy Carlson's Photo Gallery gives short shrift to the swim because of logistics and focuses on the bike which was plagued by tough side winds that did not offer anything near course record times but did reward never-say-die effort of those who refused to lose heart when confronted by flat tires and bike position penalties.
All photographs © Timothy Carlson
Pete Jacobs ran his way from 12th to 2nd last year with a race-best rum. Since then he dreamed of an improved bike that would send him off on the run with the leaders. Despite Jacobs' 4th-best 4:35:15 bike, Marino Vanhoenacker had an 8-minute lead.
Age group star Laura Sophiea now lives in Kona and local experience helped her to a win in 55-59.
Two time champion Chris McCormack looks at the sky for a good omen, but he ended up with a DNF.
Stand Up Paddler leads the pro women's swim wave.
Three miles short of Kawaihae, the lead men's pack still had 17 contenders in line.
Sebastian Kienle lived up to his uberbiker reputation as he posted the 2nd-fastest 4:33:15 bike split despite nearly 5 minutes lost to a flat.
Rasmus Henning had an off day on the bike and never recovered his once-dominant form on his way to a 23rd place farewell to his illustrious career at age 37.
Craig Alexander showed class in staying the course on a bad day, soldiering on to his worst ever 12th-place finish in 8:40:49.
Michael Raelert got the flu the week before race day and did not have a chance to display his immense talents.
Axel Zeebroek of Belgium eats on the run on his way to a 4:42:09 bike split and a 15th place finish.
Leanda Cave was in the mix all day long. Her 5:12:06 bike split held serve with Mirinda Carfrae, and surrendered just 5 minutes 17 seconds to Caroline Steffen, 4 minutes to Mary Beth Ellis and Sonja Tajsich, and 6 minutes to the incredible Natascha Badmann.
Caroline Steffen's 5:06:49 was second best by 42 seconds to Badmann and gave her a 4 minute lead on Leanda Cave = which lasted for 24 miles of the run.
Mary Beth Ellis posted a 4th-best 5:08:06 bike split and dueled with eventual winner Leanda Cave for the first 10 miles of the run before dropping to 5th.
Six time Ironman Hawaii champion Natascha Badmann set the fastest bike split of 5:06:07 at the age of 45 years and several months on her way to 6th place overall.
Hundreds of age groupers rode in a mostly legal nose to tail formation nearing Kawaihae.
A line of age groupers climb a hill leading to Kawaihae.
Who said the only uberbikers are German? Marino Vanhoenacker flew like a tailwind on his way to an 8-minute lead at T2 – then faded to a DNF on the run.
Luke McKenzie did not have a good finish. But his aggressive bike split took the lead early and forced the lead pack to break up. Winner Pete Jacobs said McKenzie's ride gave him the chance to win.
Dirk Bockel pulled a 2009 Rasmus Henning as the Luxembourg star started the race with a broken hand suffered in a collision with a four-wheel vehicle's mirror before the race. Bockel's 3rd-fastest 4:34:17 bike split trailed only Vanhoenacker and Kienle.
Sebastian Kienle looks like a Pony Express rider as he pulls out a water bottle at speed.
