Lanzarote Ironman is the biggest sporting event in the Canary Islands and named the toughest Ironman in the world consisting of a 3.8k swim, 180k bike and 42.2k run. This event gets sold out very quickly and attracts people from all over the world to participate and with more than 1.800 taking part it’s an incredible day for both tri-athletes and spectators.
Winners of 2013 Faris Al-Sultan(GER) 8:42:41 & Kristin Möller (GER) 09:37:35
I had about twenty friends taking part in this year’s event, of which some that have done it several times before and other for their first time, some didn’t start and other weren’t able to finish unfortunately. We had very unusual weather with it raining for the early hours before the 7am swim start and continued for part of the bike course, later on it cleared up being sunny by lunchtime with temperatures of about 26°C.
Swim course: Sea swim two loops of 1.9k in Puerto del Carmen, Playa Grande
(Normally calm water).
Bike course: 1 long loop around the island start/return to Puerto del Carmen
(Most of the roads are in very good condition which makes for a perfect cycling paradise).
Run course: 3 loops, 1 long loop 21.10k, and two 10.55k loops
(Relatively flat course with plenty of support from the crowds and good atmosphere).
This year we saw a special guest Gordon Haller, first Ironman winner in 1978
Male elite tri-athletes Stephen Bayliss was 1st out of the swim with a swim time of 47:45 closely followed by Faris Al-Sultan 2nd and Philip Graves 3rd
Female elite tri-athletes Hanneke De Boer 1st out of the swim with a swim time of 54.:06 followed by Saleta Castro 2nd and Melissa Dowell 3rd
Faris Al-Sultan – 2005 Ironman world champion.
On the bike course, it changed again with Faris Al-Sutan 1st off the bike, with almost a ten minute lead (4:53:03 cycle leg), followed by Philip Graves 2nd and Miquel Blanchart 3rd
Kristin Möller, 1st off the bike with almost a nine minute lead (5:31:47 cycle) followed by Heleen Bij de Vaate 2nd and Saleta Castro 3rd
Bert Jammaer did the fastest male run with an incredible 2:50:52 and ended up in 5th place overall. Kristin Möller did the fastest female run with 2:58:37, I believe a new course record on her way to winning the race.
Overall Faris Al-Sultan held the lead with 1st place and won the race, Miquel Blanchart 2nd and Kirill Kotsegarov grabbing 3rd place by overtaking Philip Graves and holding on by only 8sec.
Philip Graves – Youngest athlete to win an Ironman competition was to finish 4th.
Heleen Bij de Vaate – 2nd female
Saleta Castro – 3rd female
Kristin Möller held the lead with 1st place, Heleen Bij de Vaate 2nd and Saleta Castro 3rd place.
A few photos of friends doing the event well done guys and girls what a brilliant day had by all.
Contribution by Nicholas Brown – Real Estate Lanzarote
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