Will looked confident from start to finish. He came out of the water as part of a leading group of four with Halksworth, Threlfall and Ackermann. Determined to stay ahead of the title contenders, Will pushed hard from the opening climb of the bike leg. His plan worked. Halksworth and Threlfall were also dropped before T2. Will entered transition just five seconds behind Ackermann and made his move right away in the half marathon. He was 15 seconds in front after 1k, 45 seconds after 2k, and continued to build his lead from there for a comfortable winner’s welcome down the finish shute.
Will couldn’t be happier taking his very first Ironman 70.3 title in his own country after five second place finishes in the past two years. “I am really pleased to finally get that win. It’s great to have that monkey off my back. It proves that I am not just a bridesmaid; that I can race to win. I was happy with how I executed the race. There were some strong guys behind us after the swim, so we attacked the bike hard. I knew that if I left it down to the run, it probably wouldn’t end well for me. I had some good legs in the half marathon and just ran as hard as I could until I knew I was safe. The finish was great. The crowd was amazing. The age groupers and the spectators were cheering me on. What makes it extra special is that it’s father’s day here in the UK and this was the first race my son Freddy watched me. A cool touch indeed.”
Summary
Article Name
Will Clarke wins Ironman 70.3 UK
Description
Will Clarke started the festivities by winning the Ironman 70.3 UK. Will captured his first Ironman title in 4:18:07. Harry Springall (GB; 04:23:31) finished second; Ritchie Nicholls (GB; 4:26:32) came in third.
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Press Release
