Colorado man breaks through in Ironman
Associated Press
KAILUA, Kona — Tim DeBoom overcame a three-minute penalty at the end of the bicycle ride yesterday to become the first American in five years to win the Ironman Triathlon World Championship.
Associated Press
DeBoom, 30, of Lyons, Colo., holding a small American flag, crossed the finish line in an unofficial eight hours, 31 minutes and 18 seconds.
Tim DeBoom of Lyons, Colo., took the lead during the 26.2-mile run en route to a victory in the Ironman Triathlon.
After sitting in the "sin box" for drafting, DeBoom caught Steve Larsen 11 1/2 miles into the run. Larsen faded and finished in ninth place in 8:56:28.
The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 were in his mind a lot during the day, said DeBoom, who finished second last year and won the Ironman California race in May.
"The crowds were great — it was U.S.A. all the way," he said.
Cameron Brown of Auckland, N.Z., was second in 8:46:10, followed by 1997 winner Thomas Hellriegel of Bruschal, Germany, in 8:47:40.
Natascha Badmann of Oftringen, Switzerland, repeated as the female winner with a time of 9:28:37. Lori Bowden of Victoria, Canada, was second in 9:32:59, followed by Nina Kraft of Braunschweig, Germany, in 9:41:01, and eight-time winner Paula Newby-Fraser, of Encinitas, Calif., in 9:41:35.
Larsen, 31, of Davis, Calif., who wasn't even in the top 10 at the turn-around, moved out front at about the 95-mile mark and had a five-minute lead at the transition from the bike to the run.
Gusty headwinds up to 50 mph slowed riders behind the leaders and blew some off their bikes, race officials said.
Jan Sibbersen, 26, an investment banker from Meeder, Germany, who led the 2.4-mile swim in Kailua Bay, dropped back in the bicycle ride.
A total of 1,468 athletes from 49 states and 46 countries began the race, and officials reported fewer than a dozen dropouts, including New York City firefighters and several military personnel who were deployed, as a direct result of the terrorism.
Following the swim from the pier in this picturesque town on the Big Island's Kona Coast, the triathletes began the 112-mile bicycle ride through barren lava fields and rolling ranchlands.
Associated Press
The bicycle phase ended and the 26.2-mile run began at the old Kona Airport just north of here.
Natascha Badmann of Switzerland won her second consecutive female division title.
Most of the sport's top professionals were vying for $325,000 in prize money and performance bonuses. The first male and female finishers each received $70,000.
The field included defending champion Peter Reid of Canada and the winners of Ironman races at other locations earlier this year. Reid won the Ironman Canada race on Aug. 26, and Badmann won the Ironman California race on May 19.
Also competing was Luc Van Lierde of Belgium, who set the course record of 8 hours, 4 minutes and 8 seconds in 1996. Newby-Fraser established the women's record of 8:55:28 in 1992.
Two Kailua, Kona men were the first Hawai'i finishers. James Cotter, 19, finished in 9:44:40, while Brent Imonen, 32, finished in 10:13:26.
The first woman from Hawai'i to finish was Brigitte Egbert of Honolulu in 10:25:04. She was followed by Deirdre Tennant of Honolulu in 10:32:10.
