Ironman world champions are repeat winners
Associated Press
A total of 1,541 athletes from 49 countries started the Ironman in Kailua Bay yesterday morning.
By Ron Staton
Associated Press
KAILUA, Hawai'i — Tim DeBoom came from behind and won his second straight Ironman Triathlon World Championship yesterday.
Associated Press
DeBoom, 31, of Lyons, Colo., completed the 2.4-mile ocean swim, 112-mile bicycle ride and 26.2-mile run in 8 hours, 29 minutes and 56 seconds.
Tim DeBoom, of Lyons, Colo., left, won his second consecutive overall Ironman Triathlon. World Championship.
His time this year was about 2 1/2 minutes faster than his winning time last year.
"It's hot out here, just awful," said DeBoom of the humidity the athletes had to contend with during the run.
Peter Reid of Canada, the 2000 winner, was second in 8:33:06. Cameron Brown of New Zealand was third in 8:35:34, followed by 1997 winner Thomas Hellriegel of Germany in 8:36:59.
DeBoom was in ninth place at the end of the bicycle ride, while Reid was 10th and Brown was eighth. DeBoom moved into second place behind Hellriegel at the halfway mark of the run.
Jurgen Zack of Germany was in the lead at the end of the second-phase bicycle ride but dropped out during the run because of stomach cramps, race officials said.
Newcomer Chris McCormack of Australia, who was a close third at the end of the bike ride, also dropped out during the run.
Associated Press
Natascha Badmann of Switzerland won her third straight women's title with a time of 9:07:54, her best time in the Hawai'i race. Nina Kraft of Germany was second in 9:14:24, followed by 1999 winner Lori Bowden of Canada in 9:22:27.
Natascha Badmann of Switzerland won her third straight women's title.
The race started amid heavily overcast skies and light rain. Light breezes and a lack of sunshine kept humidity low during much of the bicycle ride, but humidity went up when the afternoon sun broke through.
Jan Sibbersen of Germany was the first to finish the swim but he dropped back early in the bike phase.
A total of 1,541 athletes from 49 states and 49 countries started the race, which caps the series of Ironman and half-Ironman qualifying races held throughout the world.
Most of the sport's top professionals were vying for $430,000 in prize money. DeBoom and Badmann each won $100,000.
The course record of 8 hours, 4 minutes, 8 seconds was set in 1996 by Luc Van Lierde of Belgium, who withdrew from this year's race a week ago. Paula Newby-Fraser of Encinitas, Calif., established the women's record of 8:55:28 in 1992.
