Ellis’s Makes it Three for Three – Rapp is Officially Back

Press Release from WTC (originally from www.ironman.com). In blistering heat and relentless winds, 2,800 athletes competed at the 29th running of Subaru Ironman Canada today. There was also some hot racing in the professional races as Mary Beth Ellis captured her third Ironman title of the summer and broke the course record, while Jordan Rapp’s win placed his recovery from devastating injuries last year officially behind him.

It is a double Rapp

New Zealand’s Bryan Rhodes led the men out of the water with a swim of 50:11, however he was closely followed by Canadian Mathew O’Halloran, Belgium’s Bert Jammaer and Japan’s Hiroyuki Nishiuchi.

During the opening half of the bike, it was Rhodes, Jammaer, American Rapp, Ukraine’s Viktor Zyemtsev and Germany’s Torsten Abel who showed the way as they approached the infamous Ritchter Pass. During the out-and-back section at 100 km, though, Rapp made a statement to the field and took the lead of the race.

As Rapp powered his way out of the out-and-back a chase pack of four containing Abel, Jammaer, Rhodes and Zyemtsev worked together to try to minimize the damage Rapp could administer if allowed to power away from them. Rhodes, Abel and Zyemtsev were no match for Rapp’s pace in the latter stages of the bike, though, and surrendered up to 3:30 as they hit T2.

Rapp proceeded to pound out a consistent pace on the marathon, while carnage took place behind him. After starting the run in second, Rhodes was first to fall off the pace and out of contention. Then Zyemtsev closed the gap on Rapp, but couldn’t get closer than 3:00 over the opening half of the run.

By 28 km Zyemtsev was the next victim of the heat, and Rapp’s pace, and was reduced to walking. Abel and Jammaer took advantage of the Ukrainian’s misfortune, but neither could answer Rapp’s relentless tempo as he pulled away from his pursuers to capture his second Subaru Ironman Canada title.

Rapp’s win here, in his adopted home, where his son was born, was made even more special because it will be his first win since a horrific accident last year. “It was good to know I can still win races, and win them convincingly,” said Rapp after the race.

Professional men’s results

Ellis goes three for three in Ironman racing

Mary Beth Ellis put on yet another incredible race performance here today. She capped her summer with her third Ironman title in eight weeks, and shattered a number of records along the way.

Earlier in the race, it appeared that Meredith Kessler was on track to repeat her winning performance from last year, as she led the race until the women got to Osoyoos at 60km. Ellis had other plans, though, as she put in a surge going up Richter Pass that put the her in the lead and left Kessler in a position of damage control for the remainder of race.

As Ellis entered the transition, she managed to build a 12:30 gap on Kessler – after that the next closest rival was over 33:00 in arrears.

Ellis hit the marathon with Kessler faltering behind her. American Kim Loeffler hit her stride on the run and made huge gains on Kessler. Eventually Kessler succumbed to Loeffler’s pace, but Loeffler was never able to make a dent in Ellis’s lead.

Ellis won the race in a course record for her third Ironman win of the summer. “It was an unbelievable race out there today,” Ellis explained. “I worked the hills on the bike and ran as hard as I could.

Professional women’s results

Originally from: http://ironman.com/events/ironman/canada/shawn-skene-wraps-up-the-weekends-hot-ironman-racing-in-canada?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ironman%2Ftopstories+%28Ironman.com+Top+Stories%29#ixzz1WY4MNrA2