Mirinda Carfrae and Frederik Van Lierde win 2013 GoPro IRONMAN World Championship
It was a record-setting day at the 2013 GoPro IRONMAN World Championship for Mirinda Carfrae (AUS) who was crowned an IRONMAN World Champion for the second-time, while Frederik Van Lierde (BEL) improved his third-place showing from a year ago to earn his first men's World Championship title. C
It was a record-setting day at the 2013 GoPro IRONMAN World Championship for Mirinda Carfrae (AUS) who was crowned an IRONMAN World Champion for the second-time, while Frederik Van Lierde (BEL) improved his third-place showing from a year ago to earn his first men’s World Championship title. Carfrae set a new women’s course record with a blistering time of 8:52:14 as Van Lierde was steady throughout the day recording a time of 8:12:29, the eighth fastest course time in IRONMAN World Championship history. Celebrating the 35th anniversary of the inaugural IRONMAN triathlon, the Big Island of Hawai`i delivered a gift to today’s competitors with record-low temperatures and quieter winds than seen in previous years.
It was against this unspoiled canvas that the pro men began their swim and it didn’t take long for the action to heat up.
With American Olympic swimmer Andy Potts pulling out race morning due to a nagging nerve injury, the field was wide open for Australian super-swimmers like defending champion Pete Jacobs, who headed onto the bike course first. Jacobs’ race-week confidence, however, would soon be tested.
Andrew Starykowicz (USA), a Kona rookie whose 4:04 bike split from Florida last year is the fastest in IRONMAN history, overtook Jacobs almost immediately. While Starykowicz was able to hold his lead for the majority of the bike, Australia’s Luke McKenzie overtook the American, and the rest of the bike became a cat and mouse game between the two strong cyclists. Starykowicz headed into T2 barely a minute ahead of McKenzie, clocking the fastest bike split of the day in 4:21:50.
McKenzie held onto his lead until mile 17 of the run. Frederik Van Lierde made his move and overtook the Australian to finish at 8:12:29 being crowned the 2013 GoPro IRONMAN World Champion. Van Lierde broke through a six-year Australian winning streak as the hard-working, patient competitor benefited from unflinching patience that eventually delivered him into the lead over an incredibly competitive field, making the victory that much sweeter.
“I tried to be smart, and it worked out,” said the second Belgian to win this event (his coach Luc Van Lierde—no relation—took the title twice). “After last year I believed I could do it,” he said at the finish line. “I worked hard this year—I’ve never worked this hard. I’ve never had such a feeling. It’s the best I could have hoped for.”
In a breakthrough performance, Luke McKenzie crossed the finish line three minutes later in 8:15:19. Sebastian Kienle had a tough day, but managed a strong 2:58 marathon to improve one spot on the podium from last year’s finish. James Cunnama and Tim O’Donnell rounded out the top five with O’Donnell being the first American to cross the finish line.
Top 10 professional men’s results are below:
SWIM BIKE RUN Finish
1. Frederik Van Lierde BEL 00:51:02 04:25:35 02:51:18 08:12:29
2. Luke McKenzie AUS 00:51:17 04:22:25 02:57:20 08:15:19
3. Sebastian Kienle GER 00:54:13 04:22:33 02:58:35 08:19:24
4. James Cunnama ZAF 00:51:13 04:34:21 02:52:37 08:21:46
5. Tim O’Donnell USA 00:51:04 04:35:37 02:51:07 08:22:25
6. Ivan Rana ESP 00:51:06 04:40:34 02:47:54 08:23:43
7. Tyler Butterfield BMU 00:51:24 04:30:10 02:58:22 08:24:09
8. Bart Aernouts BEL 00:57:26 04:39:46 02:44:03 08:25:38
9. Timo Bracht GER 00:51:21 04:34:46 02:56:07 08:26:32
10. Faris Al-Sultan GER 00:51:19 04:29:56 03:05:46 08:31:13
After spending two years in the shadow of her 2010 victory, Mirinda Carfrae (AUS), arguably the best runner in IRONMAN history notched a crown-worthy comeback in the women’s race.
The swim differentiated itself from the men’s race almost immediately when a lead pack broke off containing 2010 IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion Jodie Swallow (GBR), as well as last year’s champion Leanda Cave (GBR), Haley Chura (USA), Meredith Kessler (USA), Amanda Stevens (USA) and Rachel Joyce (GBR). American Mary Beth Ellis, four-weeks post collarbone surgery, still managed to exit Kailua Bay in 15th—a coup for her given the recent stall in her swim training.
Caroline Steffen (SUI), Swallow and Joyce chose to ride steady all day on the 112-mile bike course as Kessler and Stevens played leapfrog at the front. Joyce made a calculated move after the turnaround at Hawi to take the lead with Carfrae continuing to push hard and gain time on the group. Entering T2, Carfrae came in off the bike with just under eight minutes to make up. Joyce held a strong pace through mile 15, when her friend gave her a quick pat on the back and blew by her like the Kona crosswinds. Two minutes ahead of Chrissie Wellington’s record, Carfrae soared across the historic finish line in 8:52:14. With a tearful smile and a leap into her fiancé’s arms (fifth-place pro Tim O’Donnell), Carfrae swept up the new record, as well as the third-fastest overall run split of the day, 2:50:38.
“I’m getting married in two months—I think I’ll be able to cover the wedding bill,” a jubilant Carfrae said at the finish, crediting her victory to longtime coach Siri Lindley. “I just had one of those days where you don’t hurt—I didn’t know I had a performance like that in me.”
Top 10 professional women’s results are below:
SWIM BIKE RUN Finish
1. Mirinda Carfrae AUS 0:58:50 4:58:20 2:50:38 8:52:14
2. Rachel Joyce GBR 0:54:09 4:55:25 3:03:37 8:57:28
3. Liz Blatchford GBR 0:54:07 4:57:40 3:03:23 9:03:35
4. Yvonne Van Vlerken NLD 1:01:57 4:54:38 3:03:25 9:04:34
5. Caroline Steffen CHE 0:54:10 4:57:50 3:11:55 9:09:09
6. Caitlin Snow USA 0:58:47 5:08:05 2:58:53 9:10:12
7. Meredith Kessler USA 0:54:06 4:55:13 3:16:35 9:10:19
8. Michelle Vesterby DNK 0:54:12 4:55:53 3:16:31 9:11:13
9. Gina Crawford NZL 0:54:14 5:04:17 3:11:18 9:14:47
10. Linsey Corbin USA 0:59:11 5:07:50 3:04:54 9:17:22
